Browsing by Author "Clark, Susan"

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Heifer International Alternative Break: Sustainable Dietary Impacts
(2012-09) Byker Shanks, Carmen; Clark, Susan; Enoch, J. Rex; Montgomery, Todd; Serrano, Elena L.
This study examines Heifer International's alternative break and its impact on dietary and sustainable food system change for participants. The program teaches college participants about ending poverty and hunger while caring for the earth through incorporating sustainable practices into daily life. Although increases in local/organic foods were observed, there were no significant changes in dietary quality. Significant increases in local/organic food consumption for individuals who consumed less than 50% of their calories from sustainable foods at baseline were observed, based upon paired t-tests (P < .05). Dietary changes varied in significance based upon previous sustainable food consumption exposure and habits.
Internationalizing Sustainable Agriculture Education
(2012-05) Schroeder-Moreno, Michelle; Clark, Susan; Byker Shanks, Carmen; Zhao, Xin
Integration of international learning experiences into sustainable agriculture (SA) educational programs represents a unique and effective approach to help students improve their global awareness and citizenship, intercultural communication, problem-solving skills, and career development. While there are challenges to establishing international educational activities in emerging SA programs, the benefits of providing students with a global perspective to the worlds' food systems far exceed those challenges. This paper formalizes key considerations and diverse approaches for developing student-centered international educational opportunities for sustainable agriculture that have been assembled from literature research and from the collective experiences of the authors. A holistic approach is described, beginning with developing strong international partnerships built on reciprocity and understanding the diversity of international learning opportunities and development considerations; establishing learning outcomes and assessment; and appreciating current opportunities and challenges. While many of the experiences and examples come from land-grant universities (LGUs), enhancing a global perspective to all types of SA programs at various institutions is vital for preparing future food system leaders to advance sustainable agriculture in the global community. The information in this paper is valuable for SA educators interested in developing new international educational opportunities and also may stimulate further communication about shared pedagogical strategies related to international SA education.
Sustainable Agriculture Education and Civic Engagement: The Significance of Community-University Partnerships in the New Agricultural Paradigm
(2012-05) Niewolny, Kim; Grossman, Julie; Byker Shanks, Carmen; Helms, Jennifer; Clark, Susan; Cotton, Julie; Jacobson, Krista
Universities and colleges across the United States are making innovative strides in higher education programming to catalyze a more sustainable era of agriculture. This is clearly exemplified through the formation of community-university partnerships as critical illustrations of civic engagement (CE) for sustainable agriculture (SA) education. This paper explores the praxis of CE for SA education by focusing on the ways in which five land-grant universities (LGUs) with undergraduate programs in SA have developed and put into practice community-university partnerships. Drawing upon these programs and supportive literature, this article specifically attempts to describe the role and significance of CE for SA education, emerging community-university partnership models and their implications for prompting food and agriculture sustainability, and student learning and program assessment outcomes. We also reveal the many challenges and opportunities encountered by stakeholders involved in the creation and continuation of these programs and their subsequent coursework. Conclusions offer "real world" recommendations for other faculty, staff, student, and community stakeholders to implement and generate action-oriented scholarship for and with communities as a viable thread of SA education.