Food science and nutrition student recruitment strategies

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Recruitment strategies were developed by the Departmental Student Recruitment Committee in cooperation with the Minnesota State Dietetic Association Professional Recruitment Coordinator (SPRC). Chemistry, biology and physics teachers from secondary schools with high minority student enrollment were invited to participate in focus group interviews. The discussions involved current knowledge and ways to inform high school science students about the fields of food science and nutrition and professional opportunities. Among the teachers interviewed, there was a general lack of knowledge of 1) the food science and nutrition disciplines, 2) careers and 3) the course of study at the collegiate level. The teachers indicated that this was also the case for their students. Careers in food science and nutrition were thought to be less prestigious than medicine and engineering. Teachers do not play a significant role in informing students about careers but indicated that many practical food science and nutrition experiments are currently used to illustrate chemical and biological principles. Interactions between the Dept. of Food Science and Nutrition faculty and students favored included: mentoring programs for science projects, classroom visits by students and faculty to discuss research programs, visits from minority professionals, curricular development including experiments and teaching materials, and displays at the state science teacher association meetings. The Minnesota Dietetic Association has also awarded monetary prizes for an outstanding nutrition research project at the 1993 Minnesota State Science Fair. Prizes were awarded to both the student and their teacher with the intention that it be used to purchase equipment or resource material to teach principles of nutrition. Further recruitment efforts will focus on delivering information about food science and nutrition to both teachers and students.