2016 Fall Magazine

Health and Human Development NEWS

FOR

ALUMNI

Extraordinary Everyday Experiences Here or around the globe, students get the most out of their programs Pg. 28

AND

FRIENDS

|

FALL

2016

Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends, Summer visits to my mother and stepfather’s ranch in Wyoming’s Wind River Mountains usually mean time with family to ride, fish, hike, and in general spend as much time as possible outdoors. This summer a serious forest fire erupted nearby—the result of years of drought and insect damage in nearby Shoshone National Forest.

Although I was preoccupied with tracking the fire’s progress online, monitoring weather forecasts, and watching the billowing smoke track its way across the valley, I also witnessed powerful examples of people coming together.

The firefighters not only tackled the fire but networked tirelessly with the community to keep people informed and safe. There were also many examples of neighbors helping neighbors and of distant neighbors, well out of harm’s way, making their pastures, barns, and houses available for those who might need them. It was a powerful reminder of the good in people and the importance of community ties.

Community has always been a strength of our college. Throughout this magazine you’ll read examples that illustrate the many aspects of community that tie our college together. The opportunities that community affords our students—from incredible internships to participation in leading research—are what make this college, and Penn State, a special place.

Fortunately, the fire didn’t reach the ranch, but if it had the community would have supported us.

Likewise, I am constantly aware and appreciative of the ways in which our community supports one another, including the many ways in which alumni, parents, and friends contribute to the vibrancy of the college and to the quality of our students’ experiences. Thank you.

College of Health and Human Development Dean Ann C. Crouter Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Outreach Dennis Shea Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Kathryn Drager Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education Douglas Ford Assistant Dean for Alumni and College Relations and Leadership Initiatives Abigail Diehl Director of Development Kathleen Rider

Magazine Production

Warmly,

Designers Dennis Maney Asta Broskley, intern

Ann C. Crouter

Writers/Editors Marjorie Miller Jennifer Miller Kevin Sliman

Raymond E. and Erin Stuart Schultz Dean College of Health and Human Development

Director Scott Sheaffer

On the cover: Emily Trusky, a student in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management, holds a black rat snake at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center as part of her work at the facility. See page 28.

Articles may be reprinted with permission; for more information please contact the Office of College Relations at 814-865-3831 or healthhd@psu.edu. For general correspondence, please write to the Office of College Relations, College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, 325 Health and Human Development Building, University Park, PA 168026501; e-mail healthhd@psu.edu; or visit www.hhd.psu.edu. This publication is available in alternative media on request. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce. (HHD17007) U.Ed. HHD 17-007

Welcoming Students Back The 2016–17 academic year kicked off with ice cream, prizes, and lots of fun at the Dean’s Ice Cream Social in front of Henderson Building.

Golf Teaching and Research Center eyes expansion The Golf Teaching and Research Center (GTRC) at University Park is slated for an expansion to remain a leader in golf performance research and education.

Established in 2009 in the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management for the PGA Professional Golf Management program, the GTRC is a unique teaching and research facility featuring advanced 3D technology.

For the past seven years, the GTRC has set the bar for excellence in experiential learning and industry-related research.

In order to make the estimated $500,000 project a reality, the GTRC needs support from alumni and friends.

For more information, contact Kathleen Rider, director of development, at kmr8@psu.edu or 814-865-1064. www.giveto.psu.edu/GTRCRenovation

Representational renderings of GTRC renovations.

The GRTC expansion will: • Include two additional hitting bays to enable instruction and research to take place simultaneously • Provide the opportunity to host various player development programs for the community, alumni, and other groups • Allow PGM and Kinesiology to host educational seminars and industry guests to further the development of students • Add technologies including force plates, cameras, and other 3D biomechanics systems to expand golf education and instruction • Allow the GTRC to remain at the forefront of golf performance research and education at the university level

Transforming

Behavior

by Kevin Sliman

At age sixteen, Libby injured herself on the soccer field. Three surgeries and innumerable physical therapy sessions later, the injury healed.

Libby left behind her crutches and bandages.

But a lingering shadow from her injury remained: an addiction to opioid pain pills.

Tales such as this fictional scenario have become more common. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in 2012 it was estimated that 2.1 million people in the United States suffered from substanceuse disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers, and an estimated 467,000 were addicted to heroin. A 2015 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that number is trending up.

This growing development has grabbed the attention of the health care industry, the media, and lawmakers. It has also caught the attention of researchers in the College of Health and Human Development and is one example of how an emergent body of research in the college is focusing on behavior change as a way to improve the health of people and the environment.

Max Crowley, assistant professor of human development and family studies,

4 | Health and Human Development

focuses on how to invest in healthy human development. He investigates the fiscal benefits of those investments and explores how behavior change could impact opioid misuse.

“When the opioid epidemic began, there were behavioral prevention strategies that could prevent common types of substance abuse, such as smoking or drinking, but there wasn’t much evidence out there about whether universal strategies could prevent prescription opioid misuse and nothing about whether these strategies could be cost effective,” Crowley said.

Common strategies concentrated on reducing the supply of opioids, such as prescription monitoring systems, but few focused on how to reduce demand by preventing misuse.

“As a result of this need, we evaluated how four different behavioral prevention strategies could be used to prevent prescription opioid misuse and save public resources,” said Crowley.

Researchers identified an addictionprevention strategy, known as Life Skills Training, that cost less than $650 per person.

“This is less than many of the supply-side strategies being used and doesn’t restrict access to vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, veterans, or those with chronic pain,” said Crowley. “This can translate into more

through

Change than $2,900 saved per person who receives this program—or a return of more than $4 for every dollar spent.”

According to Crowley, it is clear that behavioral interventions reduce people’s likelihood of misusing drugs and offer a way to save lives without severely restricting access to a crucial pain management tool.

In the spring of 2016, this research started to impact Capitol Hill. Crowley and his colleagues, with support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and National Prevention Science Coalition, launched a pilot program for building collaborations between scientists and policy makers to translate behavioral-prevention strategies into evidence-based policy.

Congressional offices started to request help from Crowley and his colleagues, seeking to understand the science behind prevention.

These have included requests for legislative briefings, support for hearings, policy briefs, and assistance crafting legislative language that reflects the current scientific understanding. Representatives from more than forty congressional offices attended a June 2016 briefing on preventing opioid abuse held by Crowley and his team.

“Our ongoing work is helping to keep the focus on evidence-based strategies for reducing opioid misuse.”

– Max Crowley

“In general, we have found a great level of demand among the offices we work with for not only education about the science, but as an active partner to help them use

Fall 2016 | 5

research to develop evidence-based policy,” Crowley said.

Sex and alcohol use among college students is another area that could be impacted by the science of behavior change.

Kari Kugler, a research associate for The Methodology Center, specializes in epidemiology and works to develop programs that have an impact on public health, such as obesity, cardiovascular risk, and drug use.

Kugler is an investigator on a new National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism study with Linda Collins, director of The Methodology Center and principal investigator. The team is engineering an online sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention program to help reduce the number of STIs among college students.

“Sexual-risk behaviors such as unprotected sex and alcohol use are risk factors for acquiring STIs,” Kugler said. “Few interventions exist for college students that explicitly target the role that alcohol plays in engaging in sexual risk behaviors. We wanted to build a very effective intervention that could be delivered online to increase the public health impact on STIs.” Although the link between alcohol use and STIs is an indirect one, Kugler said

“If we can give college students the knowledge and skills to make healthy decisions now, we hopefully can alleviate negative health outcomes down the road.”

– Keri Kugler

alcohol use increases the likelihood of engaging in sexual risk behaviors that are associated with STIs and excessive alcohol use decreases immune function, placing individuals at increased risk for infection.

The college-aged population is an essential group to focus on.

“We recognize that the transition from high school to college is an important time for individuals to figure out who they are,” Kugler said. “It is also an important time to establish healthy patterns that have lasting impact well into adulthood.”

Behavior change methods can also protect the environment. Take, for example, a research project that looked to decrease recreation-related impact on public lands.

“Visitors seek nature-based recreational activities in parks and protected areas for exercise, stress relief, contemplation, and much more,” said Derrick Taff, assistant professor of recreation, park, and tourism management (RPTM). “And many of these benefits can only be achieved or met in pristine and natural protected areas.”

Taff and his colleagues are working on a project with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, a non-profit that uses science-based education strategies to influence people to behave in a more

ecologically friendly manner.

Their focus was to decrease the usage of undesignated trails at The City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, 45,000-acres of public land in and around Boulder, Colorado.

“The natural protected area receives more than five million visitors annually, each attempting to seek their own benefits associated with leisure and recreation on these lands, such as outdoor exercise and nature-based restoration,” Taff said.

With so many people recreating on a relatively small amount of land, the City of Boulder wanted to reduce the human impact on the environment in the Open Space and Mountain Parks lands due to undesignated trail usage.

“The proliferation of undesignated trails can result in damage, such as vegetation trampling, spreading of invasive species, displacing wildlife from crucial habitat areas, or aesthetic degradation from the visitor’s standpoint,” Taff said. “All of these impacts degrade the natural condition of protected areas, aspects we seek as outdoor enthusiasts.”

According to Forrest Schwartz, an RPTM graduate research assistant and field coordinator with the project, public land areas are generally managed with a dual mandate: to provide for the

6 | Health and Human Development

Derrick Taff (left) and Forrest Schwartz

ecological integrity and sustainability of the place, as well as opportunities for quality recreation experiences.

“This is a delicate balance—equitable areas of land are allocated for human recreation and others set aside for the biological community,” Schwartz said. “When trail users regularly venture off trail, the balance can very quickly be thrown off.”

In an effort to decrease undesignated trail use, the team was tasked to come up with a solution.

“Across twenty types of undesignated trail junctions, our research team conducted a messaging study,” Taff said.

Through monitoring and visitor surveys, the researchers discovered that when the most effective messages were deployed, the protected area experienced a reduction in undesignated trail use by about 5.4 percent, which, when considering the area’s average visitation, equates to approximately 286,000 fewer people using undesignated trails annually.

“We were able to significantly influence visitor behavior and better protect both the ecological wellbeing and visitor experiences through effective and targeted messaging,” Taff said. n

Why Do We Sacrifice Sleep?

“We tested signage to determine which messages were the most influential and persuasive to keep visitors on designated trails.”

– Derrick Taff

texts through the night or the middle-aged adult who watches TV late into the night.

“Don’t look at it as giving up activities for sleep,” Buxton said. “That is framing it incorrectly.”

Sleeping well is often cited as a key method of improving one’s health and well-being. But when the challenges of life require more hours in the day than a person has available, sleep is often sacrificed.

For behavior change to stick, it has to be associated with a positive outcome. For example, getting better sleep must be strongly associated with feeling better the next day, Buxton said.

“If you are sleeping at a regular time, you don’t need an alarm clock to get up, and you feel rested, then you are probably getting enough sleep,” said Orfeu Buxton, associate professor of biobehavioral health. “Unfortunately, that is probably the minority of people.”

“Conversely, if you’re really tired one day, associate it with an earlier behavior, such as staying out late,” Buxton said. “When people don’t get enough sleep, they have more stressors and negative things occur the next day. It’s probably not just bad luck.”

According to Buxton, many of us have too many demands on our time, and there is not enough time to get sleep and do the things that we have to do.

Buxton acknowledged that it is not always simple. Sometimes the things that keep people awake are serious challenges that individuals face daily, such as working three jobs to pay the bills or worrying about neighborhood crime. However, when people can adjust their priorities, they should.

“Generally, people would say that they feel better and are probably a better person when they’ve slept,” Buxton said. “If that’s the case, why do so few of us actually get enough sleep?”

The reason, he suggests, is that most people do not have sleep as a foundational priority in their life—the teen who answers

“Priorities define who you are,” Buxton said. “The greatest accomplishments in life are not carrying the muddy pack up the hill. They’re creative endeavors or interpersonal moments. And those are best experienced rested.” n

8 | Health and Human Development

Pathways to Healthier Aging

by Marjorie S. Miller

One of Sara Freed’s most memorable experiences at the Philipsburg Senior Resource Center was leading a sing-a-long of classic TV show theme songs. Freed feels as though she was helping, even if in a small way, address issues of older adults facing reclusiveness, which can negatively affect health and wellness.

“Rural, older adults are at a high-risk for loneliness and isolation,” said Freed, a graduate student in human development and family studies.

Freed and other students in the Study of Healthy Aging and Applied Research Programs Laboratory (SHAARP), directed by Lesley Ross, assistant professor of human development and family studies, are conducting a community outreach program aimed at encouraging social interactions between younger and older adults.

Through this lab, with funding from the 2016 Mary Anna Mangino Community Service Endowment, students visit the center in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, once a month to promote social connections among rural adults through a variety of events and activities, such as musical performances, ice cream socials, movies, games, and health screenings.

“Hearing their positive feedback about what we do helps us better relate to them and improve our next visit,” said Kirsten Wojacek, a senior biology major. “The outreach allows us to build relationships with the seniors while still learning from them.”

The U.S. population continues to age. Pennsylvania, in particular, is one of the oldest states in the nation, with about 16 percent of the population aged 65 and older and the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that more than 27 percent of Pennsylvania’s population will be aged 60 and older by the year 2030.

“Our hope is to prepare scholars who will go on to careers in research that explore the interface of stress and health in adulthood and old age,” said Almeida.

A grant from the National Institute on Aging helps train pre- and post-doctoral scholars at Penn State who are studying behavioral, social, and biological factors related to aging. The funds, made available through the Pathways T32 Training Program, also help researchers develop new approaches to improve health and prevent disabilities.

In one project, Sean Shank, a second-year kinesiology doctoral student, is working with Lacy Alexander, associate professor of kinesiology, on the study of hydrogen sulfide and its effect on blood flow and blood pressure. High blood pressure affects one-third of older Americans. Shank will receive education in the conceptualization and measurement of psychological stress in order to relate it to vascular function.

Many other students are part of the training program, with their research projects currently in planning stages.

Faculty members throughout the college help make these opportunities possible, as they lead research and mentor students in both outreach and training programs. Through their work, they are addressing some of today’s biggest and most complex issues facing the aging population, including driving.

“Our hope is to prepare scholars who will go on to careers in research that explore the interface of stress and health in adulthood and old age.”

– David Almeida

David Almeida, professor of human development and family studies, wants to make sure the needs of this growing population will be met.

Fall 2016 | 9

Older adults who can no longer drive are at an increased risk for future health declines, depression, isolation, and mortality.

as the data, translating its findings to those it is intended to help has led to the development of community programs.

Lesley Ross, also an affiliate of the Center for Healthy Aging, is investigating the risks and benefits of individuals continuing to drive in older age. Ross and her colleagues are working to find out how older adults can maintain their independence while also staying safe behind the wheel.

The Healthy Community Aging Lecture Series aims to support and inform older adults through free public forums.

Through the series, the science of healthy aging is translated into non-technical terms and practical advice people can incorporate into their everyday lives.

While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, there is increasing evidence that some interventions may promote safe driving mobility for older adults. Ross’ work will help inform how current in-vehicle technologies—such as navigation systems— may assist with safe driving. The research suggests maintaining a careful balance between the mobility and independence of older drivers and the potential increased safety risk.

“Much is known about practical steps people can take to promote healthy aging and improve their quality of life,” said Amy Lorek, research and outreach associate in the Center for Healthy Aging, a collaborator in the lecture series. “Yet this information is often contained in professional journals or limited to participants in specific research projects.”

Social connections and the quality of relationships are also important for health and well-being. Important life events and transitions—such as the diagnosis of an illness, family caregiving, and moving to a new residence—are likely to affect the structure and quality of one’s relationships.

The Transitions study, conducted by researchers throughout the college, evaluates people 55 and older to better understand the connections between changes in health and relationships as people age.

“One goal of this line of research is to determine the implications of a shrinking social network and the role of choice in this process,” said Lynn Martire, professor of human development and family studies and affiliate of the Center for Healthy Aging.

Research conducted throughout the college is intended to be a guide for healthier and more productive lifestyles. As important

10 | Health and Human Development

Lecture topics have included language and communication, driving safety, research in aging, daily stress, health and well-being, and physical activity.

“One goal of this line of research is to determine the implications of a shrinking social network and the role of choice in this process.”

- Lynn Martire

Researchers work to improve active lifestyles for older adults Each year, more than 300,000 older Americans receive a total hip replacement. While the majority of these surgeries are successful, some patients find that their new hips limit their movement.

To help remedy this problem, researchers in the Department of Kinesiology are investigating hip motions of older healthy adults between ages 55 and 70.

“We hope that our study will help implant designers create better hip replacements that increase range of motion and reduce the risk of dislocation,” said Stephen Piazza, professor of kinesiology and principal investigator.

Reducing pain and increasing mobility is just part of the benefit.

“Hip replacements that enhance function will not only relieve the pain of arthritis, but will also allow older adults to maintain an active lifestyle and receive the physical and mental health benefits that come with it.”

The lecture series is a partnership effort between the Center for Healthy Aging at Penn State, Foxdale Village, Home Instead Senior Care, Juniper Village at Brookline, Mount Nittany Health, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Penn State, and The Village at Penn State.

Other avenues for sharing current research include support groups for the community at-large, many for aging populations and their caregivers. Speechlanguage pathologists and students in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) facilitate multiple community groups.

Nikki Etter, Chaleece Sandberg, and Anne Marie “Kitty” Kubat, all CSD researchers and faculty members, facilitate Chat Pack, which is designed for those who face communication challenges due to stroke or traumatic brain injury. The group is also open to caregivers.

Additionally, CSD helps facilitate a Parkinson’s disease support group, which includes discussions on various topics, from nutrition to speech, and frequently features guest speakers.

Lastly, BrainBuilders is designed for people who live at home (or with family) and struggle with thinking, memory, and communication issues. Simultaneous to BrainBuilders sessions, caregivers participate in Circle of Support.

“Often people with dementia don’t want others to know.

This program provides a safe haven where everybody is experiencing the same problems,” Kubat said. “There is no judgment. They can safely share their experiences and see others who have the same issues and learn from each other.

Meanwhile, their caregivers learn ways to cope.” n

- Stephen Piazza

Separately, Eric Handley, senior instructor in professional golf management and director of the Golf Teaching and Research Center, and Mike Duffey, instructor of kinesiology, hosted PGA senior tour player Hal Sutton to evaluate his golf swing and collect data on his body movement. They planned to use the information to create visual aids and interactive displays for the Senior PGA tour.

But Sutton’s visit was found to be helpful in other ways as well.

Studying the hip movements of Sutton, an active older adult who has an artificial hip, could help researchers find ways to improve joint replacements. For example, looking at how Sutton’s hips pivot while swinging a driver could aid in the development of hip replacements that better mimic natural movements.

A Net Gain

by Jennifer Miller

Allie Cailliau completed a tenweek internship at NASA’s Nutritional Biochemistry Laboratory in Houston, Texas.

12 | Health and Human Development

Students, alumni, and industry reap the benefits of the Penn State network The power of the Penn State network is immeasurable. There are countless stories that exemplify the importance of building professional relationships in ways that collectively benefit students, alumni, and industry.

Classroom visit motivates student Allie Cailliau ’16 NUTR quickly became intrigued as she listened to Scott M. Smith, manager for the Nutritional Biochemistry laboratory at the NASA Johnson Space Center, describe spaceflightrelated nutrition issues.

“I never thought much about the impact of nutrition on spaceflight, and his talk really allowed me to view nutrition as a much bigger subject than just eating healthy and being physically active,” Cailliau said.

Smith ’85 BIOL, ’90g NUTR, a 2015 Penn State Alumni Association Alumni Fellow Award recipient, was at University Park in 2015 as the College of Health and Human Development Alumni Society Distinguished Speaker. As part of his visit, Smith stopped by various classrooms to talk with students about space research, his career, and internship opportunities with NASA. His visit to Cailliau’s class proved to be impactful for her.

Image Credit: NASA Nutritional Biochemistry Laboratory (2)

With only one summer between her Penn State graduation and the start of a Master of Public Health program, Cailliau saw a small window of opportunity to potentially experience first-hand all that Smith described.

Cailliau decided to reach out to Smith to learn more about internship opportunities with NASA. From there, following a rigorous and competitive application process, Cailliau secured a spot for a tenweek summer internship at NASA’s Nutritional Biochemistry Laboratory in Houston, Texas.

“To me, this experience is one of a kind and will give me great benefits for my future,” Cailliau said.

Cailliau was not the only one to benefit from the experience.

Smith appreciates opportunities to share with students a unique example of a career in the nutrition field.

“I really enjoy presenting to nutrition students, as they get the underlying importance of the field,” Smith said. “Motivating a student to the point that they wanted to pursue applying for a NASA internship is outstanding and really affirms that the message and excitement of what we do here came across.”

Research inspires alumna Suzie Martin ’74 C R S first met Peter Newman, professor and head of the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management (RPTM), while at a Health and Human Development alumni event in Washington, D.C., where Newman led a dinner conversation on research at national parks.

Newman was discussing a project that he, along with Derrick Taff, assistant professor of RPTM, were working on in Grand Teton National Park. ThenRPTM graduate student Jennifer Newtown ’16g RPTM/HDNRE was leading the study, which analyzed the quality of visitors’ experiences within the Moose-Wilson corridor.

Martin and her husband were inspired. They provided a gift that ended up funding part of the dissertation field work for Newton at Grand Teton. The study is now a guiding tool for the U.S. National Park Service.

“Peter’s enthusiasm for the national parks is infectious. His love of nature and the outdoors resonates with me,” Martin said. “Not only were my husband and I able to make a gift

to Penn State, but we were helping a student pursue her passion and assisting Grand Teton National Park.”

Coincidentally, the Martins had a trip planned to Grand Teton for the summer of 2015. While Newton was back on campus by then, the couple was able to meet with Daniel Noon, chief of planning for the park, and Cassidy Crawford, an RPTM undergraduate student interning at Jenny Lake.

Suzie Martin and Jennifer Newton at the open house for the Health and Human Development Building.

“It was fun to make a Penn State connection with Cassidy in the wilds of Wyoming, and Daniel Noon was excited to tell us how the park was able to utilize Jennifer’s research for the benefit of future visitors,” Martin said. “That seems like a terrific return on our investment.”

Each step of the way, Newton and Martin were in contact. The two met for the first time during the open house for the Health and

“I’m always interested in giving back to the Penn State community in any way I can. This program was a great opportunity to help the next generation of Penn State students find their way.”

– Torey Petruno ’10 KINES, former student protégé and current mentor in the HHD Alumni Mentoring Program Fall 2016 | 13

Jennifer Newton, social scientist, gathers information from visitors at Grand Teton National Park

Image Credit: National Park Service, J. Tobiason

Human Development Building at University Park in the fall of 2015.

“Meeting Jennifer was a gift—a life so full of promise and commitment to use her expertise to benefit the rest of us,” Martin said.

After the team completed its report, Newton learned of a social scientist position at Grand Teton. She began the competitive application process, and one month after defending her dissertation at Penn State, she started her professional career at Grand Teton.

“When I told Suzie I got the job at Grand Teton, her enthusiasm and excitement could be felt even through email, which is a great feeling,” Newton said. “She’s very supportive.

It’s not just financial support; knowing someone has your back and is rooting for you can mean a lot.”

“I hope my mentee knows she has a genuine relationship with a professional who cares about her as a student, an upcoming professional, and as a unique person.”

– Monica Gastiger ’98g CSD, mentor for the Women’s Leadership Initiative

14 | Health and Human Development

Martin said, “She told us this is her dream job. How cool is that? I don’t honestly know if we will ever be a part of something so magical again, but I am motivated to continue giving to the College of Health and Human Development. Under the leadership of Dean Crouter, there are all sorts of opportunities to make an impact not only in the life of one student, but nationally and globally in varied fields addressing our common human needs.”

Collaboration with industry The college understands the importance of building and maintaining strong relationships with industry professionals who offer insight to current industry conditions.

Such awareness is seen through the School of Hospitality Management (SHM) Industry Advisory Board. Since 2011, the board of industry executives has advised SHM on business trends and guided students who are studying hospitality management.

For instance, the board was instrumental in bringing instructor Brian Cliette to Penn State in 2014 to teach Social Media Marketing for Hospitality Travel Professionals.

Soon after, Cliette’s students pitched a social media marketing campaign to Shaner Hotel Group, including Plato Ghinos, board member and company president. Afterward, Shaner Hotel Group hired one of Cliette’s students as an intern.

“Shaner’s collaboration with Cliette’s class benefits us in keeping up with trends and innovation in this area,” Ghinos said. “Working with both faculty and students is a natural collaboration. Staying connected with the Penn State School of Hospitality Management gives our company the opportunity to ‘stay young.’”

In the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management, the Resort Recreation Practicum creates a direct connection between students and industry. The course, instructed by Patty Kleban ’82 RC PK, ’91g LE ST, allows students to develop recreation plans for resorts across the country, such as Marriott Vacations Worldwide in Orlando, Florida, and The Reeds at Shelter Haven in Stone Harbor, New Jersey.

Partnering with Penn State students is a mutually beneficial experience, said The Reeds Managing Director Ron Gorodesky ’79 FS HA.

Students hone their networking skills during the “Putt, Chip, and Dip” event at the Penn State Golf Courses.

“It allowed for us to approach our programming needs from a completely new perspective while providing these students with real, in-the-field experiences at a destination hotel operation,” Gorodesky said.

The resort practicum can result in professional opportunities for students, as it did for Vanessa Delahanty.

create unique opportunities for students to hone their talents, including networking skills, which is done, in part, through professional development courses that teach students an array of skills, from résumé writing to the art of a proper handshake.

Preparing students for success

Michael Tews, associate professor of hospitality management who teaches a professional development course, took the course a step further by teaming up with Teaching Golf co-lecturers Matthew Bakowicz, PGA Professional Golf Management (PGM) graduate student, and Joe Hughes ’99 RPTM/PGM, general manager and head golf professional for Penn State Golf Courses.

Always forward-thinking, the college’s faculty members frequently

Together, they created a hands-on experience unlike any other.

“I was eager to interview for an internship at The Reeds and was thrilled when I received the letter that stated I was picked for the event coordinator intern position,” Delahanty said. “I really have to give credit to the practicum for connecting me with this experience.”

The “Putt, Chip, and Dip” event, held for the first time in 2016 at the Penn State Golf Courses, gave students enrolled in both courses a chance to try out the skills they learned in the classroom.

PGM students utilized their new knowledge as instructors by teaching SHM students basic golf skills. Afterward, SHM students networked with alumni and other hospitality management professionals invited to the event.

“We want to help students feel confident about their abilities when they go onsite for the first day of their internship or job,” Tews said. “This collaborative event is a meaningful opportunity to help prepare students for those experiences in a fun, low-pressure setting.

We’re taking the fear out of it.” n

Pay it Forward Alumni and friends willing to give back through time, talent, and financial support helps boost the development of students across our majors.

Consider getting involved in one of our many programs, like the HHD Alumni Mentoring program, Women’s Leadership Initiative, and various alumni and professionals in the classroom events.

hhd.psu.edu/college/Get-Involved Fall 2016 | 15

Small Towns Big Issues

by Jennifer Miller

MetropolitanMetropolitan Counties Counties

Non-Metropolitan Counties

Non-Metropolitan Counties

Federal and state governments have multiple definitions of “rural,� which differ from agency to agency.

To learn more, visit: porh.psu.edu/porh/definitions-rural Source: USDA Economic Research Service, 2013 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes

16 | Health and Human Development

About 25 percent of Americans are residents of rural communities. Urban and suburban residents typically have access to public transportation, innovative medical care, and cutting-edge prevention programs; however, rural residents often do not have such resources.

Sadly, residents of Appalachia, much of which is rural, are more likely to die from cancer than their non-Appalachian counterparts.

This staggering statistic highlights rural America’s unique set of challenges, including access to adequate health care.

Appalachian adults are more likely to develop and die from cancer than their counterparts partly due to higher rates of obesity and inactivity, according to Eugene Lengerich, professor and associate director of health disparities and engagement, Penn State Cancer Institute and regional principal investigator for the Appalachia Community Cancer Network (ACCN).

Fortunately, ACCN’s research shows that faith-based intervention programs can help reduce the prevalence of overweight and obese adults in Appalachia. “Faith-based organizations are seen as pillars in the community and serve as a meeting point for populations that may be spread out over a wide geographical area,” he said.

Listen as Lisa Davis ’94 MHA, director of the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health, explains the complexities of rural health at bit.ly/rural-health

Scherezade K. Mama, assistant professor of kinesiology, is working with Lengerich to implement Walk by Faith, a partnership with faith groups designed to increase physical activity and reduce the number of adults who are overweight and obese, thereby reducing the risk of cancer. “Community members view faith-based organizations as trustworthy, so partnering with them lends credibility to an intervention and increases community buy-in,” she said.

The Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health (PORH), a federal-state partnership that helps rural communities build health care services, is led by Lisa Davis ’94 MHA and housed in the College of Health and Human Development.

PORH helps ease constraints at rural hospitals by providing funding through the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program, which allows select Master of Health Administration (MHA) students to serve at Tyrone Hospital, a rural facility.

Alex Brennsteiner ’14 MHA, director of oncology quality and safety for the Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute in Pittsburgh, completed the two-year assistantship at Tyrone Hospital. The experience revealed the unique obstacles rural hospitals face.

Walk by Faith is an intervention program intended to improve the health of rural residents through faith-based organizations.

“The most significant thing that I took away from the experience of working in a rural hospital was that while major strides are being made to optimize health outcomes, much work is left to be done,” Brennsteiner said. “Not only do rural hospitals face challenges related to their location, but maintaining the appropriate level and scope of services for the populations they serve can become a financial impossibility.”

Joe Adams, director of revenue cycle and information technology at Tyrone Regional Health Network, has worked with each Penn State MHA student placed at Tyrone Hospital.

“They get to see and experience how management operates in a small facility where staff is typically lean and most managers wear more than one hat,” Adams said. “They really become part of our team and help us get more accomplished.”

Pharmacy chains and other venues that now offer in-store health clinics could help ease the burden for rural populations, according to recent work by Samantha DiMeo, health policy and administration undergraduate student; Catherine Baumgardner, senior instructor of the online Master of Health Administration program; and former Penn State professor Deirdre McCaughey.

“Retail health clinics have the potential to increase access to care for underserved and rural populations. However, the business model of these clinics is profit centered, therefore clinics are primarily located in urban and more affluent areas,” DiMeo said. “Our research revealed that retail health clinics can serve as a way to reduce unnecessary emergency room visits, increase access to care, and reduce wait times, and we are hopeful that the business model will align to fill the need in these populations.”

Rural America is also where the majority of the nation’s food supply is grown; therefore farmworkers and their families are often caught in the health care gap.

Throughout the United States, Mexican immigrant workers complete the majority of rural farming. They are uninsured at three times the rate of other groups due to poor availability of health care options in Spanish, few culturally appropriate health services, and lack of transportation, according to Shedra Amy Snipes, assistant professor of biobehavioral health. continued on page 18

Fall 2016 | 17

The College of Health and Human Development is making strides toward advancing its goal to promote teaching and research of caring and compassion with the creation of an endowed professorship, an annual lecture, and a graduate student fellowship.

Furthermore, Snipes said farmworkers are routinely exposed to occupational health risks, such as pesticides, which can cause a cascade of health problems including cancer. Wearing protective gear may help reduce exposure to pesticides; however, use is often avoided because workers say it makes them overheated and uncomfortable.

Robert Roeser

To address the issue, Snipes recently created and studied the feasibility of the intervention, Protect Yourself! (¡Protejase!). Farmworkers received protective gear and used a smartphone app that promoted wearing gloves, safety boots, long shirts, and head covers. The study significantly improved farmworkers’ use of the gear, and the program could have a broader impact moving forward.

Already part of the solution, PORH works with agricultural producers and their employees to ensure compliance with the EPA’s Worker Protection Standard. Additionally, PORH and the DentaQuest Institute recently initiated the Medical Oral Expanded Care Collaborative to increase access and improve oral health care in rural Pennsylvania. n

Advocating for healthy communities

Kamila Dvorakova

“Growing up in Elk County, one of the most rural counties in Pennsylvania, I witnessed first-hand some of the challenges that communities face in terms of health care. Living and working in a rural area allowed me to develop an understanding of the importance of advocating for healthy communities, specifically rural and underserved populations. For this reason, I chose to major in HPA to turn advocating for healthy communities into a career.”

– Mary Rosman, recipient of the 2016 Jennifer S. Cwynar Community Achievement Award The student award, in honor of Jennifer S. Cwynar ’08 HPA, who died in 2010, is funded through a Cwynar family contribution. The gift also funds the Jennifer S. Cwynar Rural Health Undergraduate Internship Program with the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health.

18 | Health and Human Development

Richard Davidson

Caring Compassion Roeser named inaugural professor in caring and compassion; promotes mindfulness in schools Robert Roeser has been named the inaugural holder of the Bennett Pierce Professorship of Caring and Compassion and Professor of Human Development and Family Studies.

“I am interested in a new culture in education, in which caring and compassionate relationships are seen as a foundation for educational renewal and the cultivation of life-long learning,” Roeser said.

In this role he will provide leadership in the Program on Empathy, Awareness, and Compassion in Education (PEACE) in the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, established in 2009 to promote health and well-being in children, youth, and families.

“Care and compassion are the most important issues in the world and yet in very few places are they being taught or stressed,” said creator of the professorship and Penn State alumna Edna Bennett Pierce ’53 H EC. “I see this professorship as a very far-reaching way to do it.”

Fellowship in Caring and Compassion Kamila Dvorakova, doctoral student in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, is the first recipient of the Bennett Pierce Fellowship in Caring and Compassion. Also established by Pierce, the fellowship complements the Bennett Pierce Professorship of Caring and Compassion.

Dvorakova, fellow for 2016-17, will focus on bringing the practices of caring and compassion to teachers in the classroom.

“Teachers who are more self-compassionate may better model caring relationships with students and other teachers, more easily accept

their own and their students’ limitations, and may create a classroom climate that enhances support and learning,” Dvorakova said.

“The fellowship builds on emerging evidence that care and compassion are the core components of all effective interventions,” said Diana Fishbein, C. Eugene Bennett Chair in Prevention Research and director of the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center.

“This evidence and existing research suggests we can instill these abilities in children and communities to improve outcomes.”

Inaugural Lecture on Compassion The inaugural Lecture on Compassion in April drew students, researchers, and community members interested in the cognitive science behind well-being.

Richard Davidson, professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, presented a talk on regions of the brain and their connections to structures that reinforce selfregulation, and how neurology may play a role in well-being.

Davidson’s lecture sets the foundation for the yearly forum in which researchers in the areas of awareness, compassion, and empathy can share their findings and perspectives.

The Lecture on Compassion was established by Mark Greenberg, Edna Peterson Bennett Endowed Chair in Prevention Research and professor of human development and psychology; and his wife Christa Turksma, a developer of the CARE Curriculum for Teachers—a mindfulness-based professional development program— and a consultant to schools around the world.

The annual lectures will take place each spring and are open to the public. Plans for future topics are underway. n

Fall 2016 | 19

“I remember coming into the course with absolutely no knowledge or awareness of recent health care legislation, and coming out of the course with a greater belief that it is my responsibility as an American citizen to be more invested in these changes.”

– Karlie Hudock ’15 HPA

Staying ahead of the dynamic health care field

In the 1950s and 60s, health policy specialists were few and far between, which was a very different situation than it is today. This example is just one of many in which the health care field has changed.

A long-offered course in the Department of Health Policy and Administration has enhanced understanding of the health care field and set the educational foundation for this ever-evolving industry. Introduction to Health Services Organization continues to be relevant for students: it stays with—and ahead—of the industry.

Karlie Hudock said the course opened her mind to the complexity of health care in the United States. Today she is a human resource information systems analyst for Excela Health, a health care organization in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

“If it weren’t for my advisers encouraging me to try this course, I probably would not have chosen HPA as a major,” Hudock said. “I enjoy working within a health care organization and taking on the challenges that come with it.”

Offered since the early 1970s, students in the course learn the unique language of health care and are introduced to the scope of the U.S. health care system. They also begin to understand the vulnerability of patients and the obligation placed on those who serve in the health care industry.

Tackling public health issues around the globe

Ebola and Zika: two infectious diseases causing public health scares. They differ in the way they are contracted, the communities they affect, and their risks. But for students taking Principles of Epidemiology, they are salient examples in understanding the impacts of disease and health across populations.

For more than thirty-five years, students taking the course learn about the methods and applications of epidemiology and the foundations for diversity of disease and health among populations. As population health evolves, so does this course. Instructors include topics not always covered in textbooks, such as bioterrorism and the latest science in the study of epidemiology.

Kelsey McCausland said Principles of Epidemiology prepared her for higher-level courses and eventually led her to an interest in population health. She said the course remains relevant in the health care field because of the need to consistently understand new diseases that arise and how those diseases affect different populations.

The course was first offered in the 1980s in what was then the Department of Health Planning and Administration, now Health Policy and Administration. In the mid-1990s, when the Department of Biobehavioral Health was created, the course was introduced into its curriculum and remains cross-listed between both departments.

“I think many people are unaware of the field of audiology and are genuinely curious about what they can do to help loved ones and others.”

– Grace Bratlee ’16 CSD

“Epidemiology and its inclusiveness in public health is a very interesting and growing field. It will remain popular due to the constant need to study diseases, whether for mortality rates, new diseases, population health, and so much more.”

– Kelsey McCausland ’13 BBH

Students lend an ear in the interest of learning

After a day of closing off one ear, Grace Bratlee’s eyes were opened to the struggles of what one in five people experience—some form of hearing loss. The project in Introduction to Audiology, which tasks students to wear one earplug for a day to simulate hearing loss, has made the course both memorable and impactful.

Bratlee and other alumni have cited this project, and the course, as valuable because many people can relate to communication difficulties with family members or friends due to hearing loss. The course addresses this issue and teaches students both the causes of hearing loss and how to prevent it. It also shines a light on sometimes forgotten aspects of communication disorders: hearing and balance difficulties.

Offered by the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders for more than forty years, students both inside and outside of the major take Introduction to Audiology.

Not only a well-rounded introduction for speech-language pathologists, the course can also be foundational for students pursuing a variety of fields in speech and language.

Understanding the comprehensive role of food

Students who take Introductory Principles of Nutrition are enthusiastic about food and its role in human health. But what they may not be expecting are discoveries they make about their own eating habits.

A main component of the course is the diet analysis project, in which students track and analyze their own diets. Eric Fontaine and many other alumni cite this project as a big influence on personal lifestyle changes in terms of diet and physical activity. Many even report weight loss, improved energy, better sleep habits, and improved overall well-being.

Fontaine, a physical therapist, said he has a greater awareness of his own nutritional and eating choices based on the information he learned in the class. He also said the course gave him a good foundational education in nutrition and basic biological science, which remains helpful to him today when patients ask questions about nutrition.

The course addresses vitamins and minerals relevant to public health, complexities of the obesity epidemic, approaches to maintaining energy balance for weight management, and the latest nutrition science and food trends. The Department of Nutritional Sciences has offered the course since the 1950s and it is taken by students across the University.

“Given the prevalence of obesity in our culture, it is important for classes like this to continue to ensure future students have a good understanding of the effects of both good and poor nutrition and how to modify their dietary choices to foster good health.”

– Eric Fontaine ’11 KINES Fall 2016 | 21

Investigating the inner workings of the body

Students who take Exercise Physiology are opened up to the complexities of human physiology and how each body system is interconnected—the way muscles, brain, and heart work together—and responsible for overall functioning. As Robert Ricketts ’87g EX SCI, an instructor in the Department of Kinesiology since 1977, cites, the course is “a cornerstone of the department and defines the Kinesiology program.”

Many students who take Exercise Physiology also begin to understand how exercise can be medicine. This reason, among others, is why the course, which has been offered since the 1930s, continues to resonate with students pursuing a variety of careers in exercise-related fields. Students learn about fads and myths regarding different training programs and nutritional supplements, and why childhood obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases are important to understand.

Sarah Wherry is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She fell in love with the study of kinesiology because she is passionate about exercise.

At some point during the course, many students have an “aha” moment that spurs intellectual curiosity and empowers them to think critically. They also learn that understanding physiological mechanisms of bodily processes can be the difference between life and death when treating some patients.

Wherry now studies how bones respond to vigorous exercise. She said her current position is a “perfect marriage” of the basic science she learned at Penn State and the knowledge she developed over the last several years, starting in Exercise Physiology.

“There are not many opportunities in life where you get to practice your management skills and get feedback on how you did. The relationships you develop with your group and the class are unbelievable. This class taught me life lessons, not lessons from a book.”

– Nina Doumani ’89 HRIM

“I feel that Exercise Physiology has been so popular because it establishes the framework for all the different directions exercise physiology can take. It really is a crash course in all things exercise physiology, covering all the organ systems and how exercise can cause the body to adapt.”

– Sarah Wherry ’09 SC BS

Serving a hot meal with a side of experience What began with students serving meals to faculty members nearly eighty years ago has turned into a fine dining experience that generations of Penn Staters look forward to every semester.

In 1937, students prepared and served meals to faculty members in the Maple Room in Henderson Building. Today, the course continues as Advanced Food Production and Service Management—perhaps better known as “theme dinners”— at Cafe Laura, the School of Hospitality Management’s living lab in Mateer Building.

The capstone learning experience that has launched the hospitality careers of countless students has simultaneously provided locals with a unique dining experience. This engaged-scholarship opportunity continues to evolve and adapt alongside the hospitality industry.

Dinners are designed to provide hands-on learning for students preparing for careers as hospitality managers. Students are responsible for planning, marketing, preparation, service, and evaluation of the dining experience. They design menus that feature unique themes. Food is purchased one week in advance of the meal and used for that dinner exclusively. Students are evaluated, in part, on financial management and guest attendance.

Nina Doumani believes the course is one of the most memorable in her Penn State experience because it simulates the real world. Students have the opportunity to serve in all roles typical at a restaurant. Now a vice president of human resources for Marriott International, Doumani remembers fondly the theme dinner she created as a student, “A Journey through the Enchanted Black Forest,” which inspired her to see the real Enchanted Black Forest in Germany.

22 | Health and Human Development

“Beyond the role this course played in setting me along my professional pathway, the knowledge I took away from this course regarding human development and relationships continues to be relevant to my daily life, especially as a new mother.”

– Shannon Corkery ’08 HDFS

A course for and about life

As a new mother, Shannon Corkery observes her baby’s smile—which develops between birth and the first three months of life—and thinks back to a course she took as an undergraduate student that taught her about developmental milestones.

Introduction to Human Development and Family Studies, offered by the Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS), continues to resonate with Corkery and other alumni who cite one of its major impacts as its relevance to real life. “I can’t help thinking back to attachment theory and information about developmental milestones as our new baby, my husband, and I approach this new world with each other in it,” she said.

Offered for more than thirty years, the course focuses on psychosocial and family development at all stages of the individual and family life cycle, and can be applied to everyone. Students are introduced to theories, tasks, and challenges unique to each stage of human development. They are provided with research-based information that can contribute to a better understanding of self and relationships.

“The course was taught in such a way that students learned theory and science, but also understood how it applied to their own lives,” Corkery said. “It was this course that convinced me to major in HDFS and ultimately go on to earn my master’s and doctorate degrees in family studies and human development.”

Students lead the way in recreational development Noelle Carlin ’08 RPTM said the relationships she developed as a result of student partnership in the course Leadership and Group Dynamics in Recreation Services have lasted beyond college and now are instrumental in her professional career and personal life.

She also remembers the advice given to all students who have taken the course: Get out of your chair and into the community. The course has, for decades, taught students how to create recreation experiences that impact the community—while having a good time engaging with the public.

“This class was such a fun experience for me, but it was also extremely valuable. It was hands-on, and everyone participated,” Carlin said. “It was extremely formative for my undergraduate experience.”

The course has been offered since the 1980s by what is now the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management (RPTM). Its main focus is on leadership and group dynamics as a function of leisure and recreation services. Through the course, students have the opportunity to identify and pursue their educational, career, and life goals through personalized learning experiences and support. It also facilitates interactions and relationships with peers, faculty and staff, alumni, and other professionals in the field.

“The course laid the foundation for a professional background in event management regardless of the student’s curriculum track—commercial hospitality, recreation/ parks, or community events.”

– Alyssa Peterson ’13 RPTM

According to Carlin and other alumni, the course is timeless because it is a great example of engaged learning—students start making connections in the community but also learn the benefits of service learning. It is also foundational for many students pursuing careers in RPTM because it pushes them to work through conflict, build trust, and challenge one another to get creative in order to execute a successful event.

Fall 2016 | 23

>

AROUND THE COLLEGE

College names two department heads

Faculty recognized for contributions Donna Korzick, professor of physiology and kinesiology, received the 2016 Graduate School Alumni Society Graduate Program Chair Leadership Award.

Jaime Schultz, associate professor of kinesiology, received the 2016 George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Thomas J. Gould is the new head of the Department of Biobehavioral Health. In this role, he will hold the Jean Phillips Shibley Professorship of Biobehavioral Health.

Gould’s research focuses on nicotine addiction and understanding the contribution of genetics to changes in brain and behavior after nicotine exposure. He investigates the long-term impact of developmental nicotine exposure on brain and behavior, primarily examining changes in learning-related processes and underlying brain regions.

Gould cites the department’s strength and growth as key factors that attracted him to the position.

The Association for Psychological Science recognized Idan Shalev, assistant professor of biobehavioral health, for innovative work in genetics.

Penn State’s Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Equity honored Anthony D’Augelli, professor of human development and family studies, with the 2016 Outstanding Service Award.

Mark Greenberg, Edna Peterson Bennett Endowed Chair in Prevention Research, received the 2016 Urie Bronfenbrenner Award for Lifetime Contribution to Developmental Psychology in the Service of Science and Society from the American Psychological Association.

The Pennsylvania Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics presented the 2015-16 Young Dietitian of the Year Award to Shawnee Kelly, instructor in nutritional sciences.

The Rock Ethics Institute named Amit Sharma, associate professor of hospitality finance, as a Faculty Fellow.

Diane Williams is the new head of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Williams’ research focuses on cognitive and linguistic processing in autism spectrum disorders using functional magnetic resonance imaging and behavioral methodology.

One of the main elements that drew Williams to the new role is the department’s five-year strategic plan with a focus on the neurobiological foundations of communication disorders and improving outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

24 | Health and Human Development

Research led by Cornell University showed Anna Mattila, Marriott Professor of Lodging Management, is the most productive hospitality researcher in the world.

Caregivers can reduce children’s calorie content, children just as satisfied

Researchers found that children similarly liked both lower-calorie and higher-calorie versions of the same foods. Therefore, caregivers can lower the CD of children’s meals by choosing palatable lower-CD foods, which are commercially available, such as grilled chicken pieces and reduced-sugar applesauce.

“With acceptable and readily available products, strategies to reduce calories can be easily implemented in homes and childcare settings,” Rolls said.

100% Portion Size 150% Portion Size

Barbara Rolls, professor and Helen A. Guthrie Chair of Nutritional Sciences, and collaborators found that when served a combination of larger portion and higher calorie density (CD) meals, the children’s intake increased by 175 calories, or 79 percent, in a single meal. Few children were able to resist these effects, and increasing portion size and CD of meals promoted excess calorie intake in the majority of children tested.

Lower Calorie Dense Meal

200% Portion Size

Most children overeat significantly when served large portions of calorie-dense popular foods, according to a study by researchers in the Department of Nutritional Sciences. The results suggest that manipulating calorie content and portion size can substantially reduce children’s overall caloric consumption—and children remained just as satisfied.

Higher Calorie Dense Meal

Co-investigators include Kathleen Keller, assistant professor of nutritional sciences and food science; and Liane Roe, research nutritionist in nutritional sciences.

Research supports families, children facing autism A study led by Communication Sciences and Disorders doctoral student Jennifer Davis found that the majority of U.S. military spouses say the needs for their children with autism are unmet.

In response to the findings, Davis is developing a mentoring program to connect fellow military spouses who have children with autism. Her goal is to create a support system for families by sharing resources, particularly during the time of relocation, which is common for military families.

Communication Sciences and Disorders doctoral student Michelle Therrien studies young children diagnosed with autism who also have trouble communicating through spoken word. She is researching ways to help those children better communicate with peers through an iPad app.

“Children with disabilities who have difficulty communicating are at risk for not developing relationships with their peers,” Therrien said. “In school, kids are talking to their friends all of the time, and I want these kids to have the same experience.”

Rodriguez goes pro Raquel “Rocky” Rodriguez, undergraduate student majoring in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management, was the No. 2 pick in the 2016 National Women’s Soccer League College Draft. A midfielder for Sky Blue FC in Morristown, New Jersey, she is slated to graduate in December.

Rodriguez hopes to start an athletic and academic program for young girls in her home country of Costa Rica.

“When I was growing up in Costa Rica, I had a lot of frustrations because women’s soccer was not as supported as much as men’s soccer, and I wished that we would have had more resources,” she said. “Our generation, we are pioneers, and this is not only about me and what I want to do.”

ourstory y/ hhd.psu.edu/our-story

Fall 2016 | 25

>

AROUND THE COLLEGE

Research to inform public policy Across the college, faculty members and students are conducting research that can be used to inform public policy.

For example, students in Melissa Bopp’s Physical Activity and Public Health course applied the American Fitness Index guidelines and rankings to Allentown, Scranton, Erie, York, Lancaster, State College, and Reading.

They looked at health behaviors in each community, such as smoking and physical activity; chronic health issues, such as diabetes; and access to primary health care. They also reviewed residents’ access to facilities like parks and swimming pools.

Despite a divisive election year, a recent national survey found overwhelming bipartisan support for local parks and recreation services. The study, led by Andrew Mowen, associate professor of recreation, park, and tourism management, found that 78 percent of Republicans, 80 percent of Democrats, and 80 percent of independent voters feel parks and recreation services were worth the average of $70 per household member paid in local taxes.

Another study led by Mowen found that the public is increasingly open to corporate park sponsorships. In 2012, 56 percent of participants felt “positive” about the impact of sponsorship compared to 38 percent in 1998.

Students then scored each municipality and compared the results to national targets. The students outlined their findings in reports submitted to local officials and offered a community action guide that can influence improvements.

Separately, Bopp accompanied other Kinesiology students to Washington, D.C., for the 2016 National Health Through Fitness Day to voice support for physical activity legislation.

Finally, as tensions remain high between citizens and police in America, the Evidence-based Prevention and Intervention Support Center (EPISCenter)—a partnership between the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center—assists police agencies and communities with crime prevention and community relations.

The EPISCenter assists agencies, like the Susquehanna Township Police Department, by wading through hundreds of crime prevention programs to identify the appropriate science-supported solutions for a community’s specific demographics and needs.

Also in Washington D.C., Diana H. Fishbein, director of the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Center and C. Eugene Bennett Chair in Prevention Research, moderated the congressional briefing, “Supporting Healthy Parenting through Primary Care,” in April at the Capitol Visitor’s Center.

The briefing addressed evidence-based parenting interventions that help parents prevent issues such as children’s disruptive and defiant behaviors; anxiety and depressive symptoms; alcohol and drug misuse; and aggression and violence.

According to Fishbein and her colleagues, current policies discourage primary health care providers from offering parents these tested and effective programs.

Green tea may lose benefits if taken with iron Green tea is touted for its many health benefits as a powerful antioxidant, but experiments in a laboratory mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) suggest that consuming green tea along with dietary iron may actually lessen green tea’s benefits.

Matam Vijay-Kumar, assistant professor of nutritional sciences, and colleagues found the main compound in green tea inhibits a proinflammatory enzyme released during inflammation. Therefore, it is important that IBD patients who take both iron supplements and

26 | Health and Human Development

green tea know how one nutrient affects the other.

The information from the study could be helpful for both people who enjoy green tea for its general benefits and those who use it specifically to treat illnesses and conditions.

Impacting future educators, researchers, and students with new professorships One significant way to impact Penn State students is by supporting the faculty members who educate them and conduct research that offers tremendous experiential learning opportunities. Early career professorships (ECPs) provide faculty members with funds to support their professional development, and professors often use such funds to support students as research or teaching assistants or to cover students’ independent research or professional travel.

The College of Health and Human Development has named inaugural recipients of three ECPs for the 2016-17 academic year. Jennifer Savage Williams, assistant professor of nutritional sciences, received the early career professorship in nutrition. Zita Oravecz, assistant professor of human development and family studies, received the early career professorship in health and human development. Alison Gernand, assistant professor of nutritional sciences, received the early career professorship in global health.

also served as a Virginia Cooperative Extension specialist. Her work focused on nutrition issues facing families and children, as well as global health, specifically children’s nutrition.

According to Mary Ann Amato, the college’s director of major gifts, Hertzler was passionate about Penn State and the work that occurs in the College of Health and Human Development. She valued her Penn State experience so much that she began funding the Hertzler Early Career Professorship in Nutrition, the first of these three ECPs, in the late 1990s. “These three early career professorships are probably the biggest infusion of junior faculty support that we’ve ever had at one time,” said Ann C. Crouter, Raymond E. and Erin Stuart Schultz Dean of the College of Health and Human Development.

“When donors support faculty, they really are supporting students.”

These ECPs were made possible through gifts from the estate of the late Ann Atherton Hertzler ’57 H EC, who dedicated her life to nutrition. After earning her bachelor’s degree at Penn State, she attended graduate school earning her master’s degree from Drexel University and doctorate at Cornell University, both in nutrition. She retired after a distinguished twenty-year career at Virginia Tech as professor emerita of human nutrition, foods, and exercise, where she

Crouter said that hiring good faculty is one of the most important things the administration does because it has ripple effects throughout the college. She notes that it is an honor for a junior faculty member to hold such a title.

But beyond the title, which can help jumpstart the careers of junior faculty members, supporting them has a direct impact on students.

“When donors support faculty, they really are supporting students,” Crouter said. “The Hertzler Early Career Professorships will be a constant tool for us to attract good faculty and keep them.” n

“My passion is to conduct research “The professorship will help further “As an assistant professor, the that contributes to the evidence my research on modeling the support provided by the base needed to inform successful underlying mechanisms and professorship will be momentous by childhood obesity prevention. pathways of what contributes aiding my research and teaching in Generosity of donors such as Ann to an individual’s well-being, this stage of my career. In particular, helps faculty to remain leaders in our and on developing real-time, it will be instrumental in supporting fields and to provide undergraduate individualized interventions to new micronutrient research in and graduate students with control stress and promote health Ghana as well as students training unrivaled learning opportunities in and well-being.” with me for a career in global our laboratories and classrooms.” nutrition research.”

– Zita Oravecz – Jennifer Savage Williams

– Alison Gernand

Fall 2016 | 27

Extraordinary Everyday Experiences #MyHHD Years ago, getting an education meant going to class. Today is #different. A student can create their own #MyHHD experience to meet their career goals. From opportunites throughout campus to experiences around the world, students are also learning far from the lecture hall.

The College of Health and Human Development subscribes to the idea that “it takes a community.” However, our community is global, and it includes faculty experts, alumni, friends, industry leaders, researchers, and more.

Penn State College of Health and Human Development Students have the opportunity to get experience in #laboratories working with world-renowned #researchers. While a student, Bethany Latten ‘16 BBH conducted research involving genes and #DNA sequences.

Penn State HHD @pennstatehhd As a corporate #fitness intern for @MarriottVAC, Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management student Cassaundra Soars led a #strength and conditioning class in Orlando. The class is part of the company’s branded fitness and #wellness program.

pennstatehhd

Makayla Tamborra, a student in Hospitality Management, spent time in #Italy studying #sustainability and minimizing food waste.

Share your #MyHHD pictures and videos with us.

facebook.com/PennStateHHD

Penn State HHD @pennstatehhd Emily Trusky (center), a student in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management, worked at Penn State’s @ShaversCreek Environmental Center to pursue her passion for environmental #education. Through outreach programs, she seeks to create a positive and thriving community built around being good stewards of the #environment.

Penn State HHD @pennstatehhd You never know who will show up to theme dinners at #CafeLaura. Nick Levine ‘16 HM (standing left) and #Hospitality Management student Victoria Barton greet #PennState President Eric Barron and his wife Molly.

@pennstatehhd

@pennstatehhd

+HealthandHumanDevelopmentStateCollege

Extraordinary Everyday Experiences #MyHHD

Penn State HHD @pennstatehhd Robert Slowik, a junior in Athletic Training, uses a roller stick for soft tissue mobilization therapy on Penn State #wrestler Matt McCutcheon before a #training session at #RecHall.

Penn State College of Health and Human Development

pennstatehhd

Kelsey Fritz ‘16 NUTR speaks with WTAJ-TV about a community #outreach program by the Student Nutrition Association in which students created and provided healthy #recipes using ingredients often found at food banks.

Shana Adise, a doctoral student in Nutritional Sciences, is studying how #children make decisions about what and how much to #eat.

Share your #MyHHD pictures and videos with us.

facebook.com/PennStateHHD

Penn State College of Health and Human Development

pennstatehhd

Jalyn Taylor (right), a Communication Sciences and Disorders student, is conducting a #research study that looks at how regional dialects affect #reading comprehension.

Penn State students visiting the #Philippines to observe its #healthcare system also had the opportunity to speak at the @usembassymanila and advise Filipino high school students on how to be successful at an American university.

Penn State HHD @pennstatehhd Biobehavioral Health student Peter Pagano is the @pennstatethon 2017 special events director. He is responsible for all pre-THON weekend events, including #THON 5K, 100 Days ’til THON Celebration, Family Carnival, the Road to THON Celebration, and hair donations #FTK.

@pennstatehhd

@pennstatehhd

+HealthandHumanDevelopmentStateCollege

Photo courtesy of Kevin Lynch

Kevin Lynch rejects dream job, follows new calling When Kevin Lynch ’14 MHA enrolled in the online Master of Health Administration program in 2012, he was following a strategic two-part plan.

The first part was vocational: earn a master’s degree to position himself for his dream job—chief operating officer of a hospital.

The second part was paternal: prove to his 26-year-old son that he was not too old to go to college by returning to school at age 49. Father and son would pursue their degrees together, as a team.

Then the plan derailed.

Before applying to college, Lynch said his son, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder as a child, served eight years in prison with six years in isolation. Following his release, Lynch said his son’s condition was worse, and he was unable to receive necessary treatment as resources were unavailable. Instead, he found ways to self-medicate.

One week before Lynch and his son were to start school, his son was found with heroin, a probation violation, and a judge sent him back to state prison.

Despite Lynch’s devastation, he decided to proceed with the MHA program. As part of the program, students are required to complete a capstone project, which culminates with an oral presentation. Lynch decided to investigate the connection between arrests and people who suffer from mental illnesses.

“I read and researched more than 900 pages of information.

My final paper and presentation was right around 170 pages,” Lynch said. “Every page, without exception, I sent to my son. I wanted him to read what I was reading so he could come to understand the illness that controlled his behaviors. I also wanted to show him that you don’t get to quit just because things get tough.”

Lynch, a retired U.S. Navy submariner, graduated in December 2014. Soon after, at 51, Lynch achieved his goal and received an offer for his dream job.

32 | Health and Human Development

But he turned it down.

“I could not take this paper, which I invested hundreds and hundreds of hours in, and put it in a drawer,” Lynch said. “I learned so much about this underserved population, the stigmas and genesis of them, and the disgraceful lack of funding and treatment for mental health, that I stepped back and committed the rest of my career to making a change—real change.”

Following his new calling, Lynch established The Quell Foundation, based in North Falmouth, Massachusetts, which works to eliminate the social stigma of mental illness by providing scholarships to students entering the mental health care field and to students who have been diagnosed with a mental health illness; educating communities to reduce suicides, drug overdoses, and incarceration of people with treatable mental illnesses; and training first responders to recognize signs of mental distress.

The Quell Foundation also launched the Lift the Mask project, a published compilation of personal mental health stories to encourage a judgment-free dialogue about mental health.

Lynch hopes the book will ultimately be required reading for health care and first responder degree programs.

In June, Lynch was invited to the White House for a panel discussion on mental health. It was there that Lynch lifted his own mask and revealed he suffers from depression.

“When my son was arrested for the second time, I fell into an incredibly dark abyss. Being accepted into the MHA program at Penn State kept me from falling further. Instead of quitting, I went to a doctor and received the help I needed,” Lynch said. “When I spoke at the White House, it was the first time I have ever said this out loud, in public. I said, ‘I’m six-feet four-inches, 240 pounds. I take depression medication. This is what mental health looks like, big deal.’”

Learn more about The Quell Foundation at thequellfoundation.org

The Collegian

Photo courtesy of Gene Woods

Gene Woods believes in living a balanced life When Gene Woods ’87 HPA, ’91g MBA, ’93g MHA, FACHE was not studying, he could be found playing guitar for bands like Stolyn Hours at spots downtown such as Café 210 West, the All-American Rathskeller, and The Phyrst.

“As a mentor once told me, the secret sauce to a life well lived is to follow your passion both professionally and personally,” Woods said. “Penn State gave me the foundation to do both.”

Woods took that advice to heart and has found a balance in life that has allowed him to advance his career. This year, Carolinas HealthCare System named Woods president and CEO, and members of the American Hospital Association (AHA) elected him chairman beginning in 2017.

Carolinas HealthCare System has more than 60,000 employees, 900 care locations, and sees 11.5 million patients annually. Previously, Woods served as president and chief operating officer of CHRISTUS Health, a $5 billion health system where he oversaw operations in the United States, Mexico, and Chile.

How Woods landed on this career path was by chance.

During his freshman year, he accidentally went to the wrong career day event.

“It was one of those serendipitous happenings in life,” Woods said. “I thought I was going to the one on business, and as luck would have it, I mistakenly went to the one on health planning and administration.”

Woods listened as a local hospital executive explained how health administration could positively impact people’s lives.

“He had me at hello,” Woods said. “Up until that day, I had never even known there was such a career as hospital administration, but I have never looked back.”

Today, there are three things that motivate Woods professionally: working with talented and committed people, influencing national policy through his role with AHA,

“As a mentor once told me, the secret sauce to a life well lived is to follow your passion both professionally and personally. Penn State gave me the foundation to do both.” and the privilege of serving in a role that can improve the health status of entire communities.

Woods, a 2016 Penn State Alumni Association Alumni Fellow Award recipient, said he has gained much personally from his work experiences. He compared it to Muhammad Ali’s description of life, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.”

“This is a career where you have an opportunity to personally ‘pay your rent,’” Woods said.

In 2015, Woods presented the eighteenth annual Stanley P. Mayers Endowed Lecture at University Park, a series named after Mayers, who co-founded the Department of Health Policy and Administration and supported Woods during his time as a student.

“I had professors who took a personal interest in me, starting with Dr. Stan Mayers,” Woods said. “The fact that they believed in me more than I did myself was a great motivator because I didn’t want to let them down.”

For current students considering a career in health care, Woods said now is a fantastic time to join the field.

“We need bright, young, creative minds to help us reimagine the future of health care in America because, to paraphrase Einstein, the problems we need to solve can’t be fixed at the same level of thinking that created them to begin with,” Woods said.

Fall 2016 | 33

Photo courtesy of Mario Lafortune

“Penn State is known around the world for having one of the best labs to do foot research. Being exposed to that helped me get a job quickly at the Australia Institute of Sports.”

Mario Lafortune creates products to enhance athletic performance For more than thirty years, Mario Lafortune ’78g KINES, ’84g KINES has devoted his work to making sure athletes of all types and abilities have sports equipment and apparel that helps them succeed and enjoy being active.

Lafortune, most recently director of innovation for NIKE Golf, conducts ground-breaking research to create products that enhance performance for professional and amateur golfers. His research focuses on the biomechanics of the entire human body, new materials used in the golf industry, and the influence of products— such as footwear—on the mechanics of the golf swing.

Through innovations, Lafortune hopes athletes will no longer worry if their shoes are supportive or if their golf clubs have a good grip; they can just focus on perfecting their technique and playing the game.

Some of the products Lafortune and his team have created include textured footbeds in footwear that aid lower body movement; a built-in golf club sensor that detects motion; golf putters that use resin—a non-metallic nylon material—to increase hand feeling and may help to reduce variability in putting; and a flexible footwear outsole to improve all weather traction under the feet.

But Lafortune doesn’t just come up with the ideas. He oversees every stage of their development, from the concept in the lab to the product on the shelf. Seeing ideas come to life and end up in use by athletes and consumers is incredibly rewarding, he said.

Lafortune, a 2016 Penn State Alumni Association Alumni Fellow Award recipient, credits much of his success to his work in the Penn State Biomechanics Laboratory in the

34 | Health and Human Development

Department of Kinesiology, where he received both his master’s and doctorate degrees.

His research with Peter Cavanaugh, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Locomotion Studies, gave him a running start in the field, he said.

“Penn State is known around the world for having one of the best labs to do foot research,” he said. “Being exposed to that helped me get a job quickly at the Australia Institute of Sports.”

Prior to his most recent position at NIKE Golf, Lafortune served as director of the NIKE Sport Research Laboratory.

There, he provided leadership for one of the world’s foremost research facilities in creating and developing innovative athletic products.

By working with athletes and utilizing cutting-edge technology, Lafortune and his team at NIKE headquarters have developed shoes, apparel, equipment, and other athletic products to fit the needs of athletes, taking into account the fine details of human movement and thermoregulation.

Lafortune also helped establish the NIKE Award for Athletic Footwear Research, which recognizes scientific achievements related to the biomechanics of the foot.

Lafortune’s years of experience in coming up with various product ideas and prototypes, and seeing some succeed and some fail has taught him a valuable lesson he wants to share with inventors and hopeful inventors: “fail forward.” If an idea or plan doesn’t prevail, learn from it to improve for next time, he said.

“Keep an open mind and look to the future,” Lafortune said.

“Each experience is a learning opportunity for next time.”

Photo courtesy of Megan Padua (2)

Megan Padua provides support to fellow women in golf As a PGA golf professional in a male-dominated field, Megan Padua ’08 RPTM wants women to know they, too, can pursue their passions in golf and succeed in the industry.

As part of her efforts to support women in golf, Padua manages a Facebook group geared toward female golf professionals. The private group provides a support system and connects women with different job opportunities.

“I want females to feel like they have a place in this field,” she said.

Named one of Golf Digest’s Top 40 Best Young Teachers Under 40, Padua says her experience has been generally positive as a female in golf. However, she understands it has not always been that way for women. She credits her success in the field to the women before her who laid the groundwork for acceptance.

One challenge women in golf today may face is the misconception that female instructors only teach other females, something Padua says is untrue. “We can break old stereotypes,” she said. “This is our time to make a big difference.”

A certified instructor in the PGA, Padua got her start through the PGA Professional Golf Management (PGM) program in the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management. Today she travels the country teaching cutting-edge techniques through her own business, Megan Padua Golf.

industry in order to bring the best information to her students, and create a memorable and successful experience while doing so. She regularly attends teaching summits and educational seminars throughout the country.

“The program was a big family, a big support system. The alumni network is such a powerful tool for professional growth.”

“I feel like I have everything to learn,” she said, citing the PGM program at Penn State as her motivation to keep growing.

One way Padua keeps her students on their toes is through Aimpoint Express, a revolutionary new greenreading system used by PGA tour players. Padua is one of about 150 instructors in the nation certified to teach it.

The purpose is to help golfers “read the green,” or find the best direction and aim for putting.

In the winter, Padua teaches Aimpoint Express across the country and at her home base, Belfair Plantation, a private club in Bluffton, South Carolina. During the summer she teaches at Maidstone Club in East Hampton, New York.

The California native also works as a guest instructor coaching at multiple golf clubs. She specializes in golfer development and advises golfers of every age, gender, and skill level. She conducts clinics, camps, and teaches private and group lessons.

The 2013 recipient of the Penn State PGM Alumni Emerging Professional Award, Padua credits the program for much of her success by consistently bringing new industry tools to the classroom, encouraging students to conduct research in the Golf Teaching and Research Center, and reaching out to alumni in the industry.

Named a Top 50 Growth of the Game teacher by Golf Range Association of America, Padua is always learning.

She believes in staying up-to-date with what’s new in the

“The program was a big family, a big support system,” Padua said. “The alumni network is such a powerful tool for professional growth.”

Fall 2016 | 35

Food for Thought Americans are regularly exposed to countless diet fads and nutrition trends, often leaving one overwhelmed and confused. Which eating lifestyle is best for you?

Researchers in the Department of Nutritional Sciences offer their expertise on some of the most common American eating patterns.

Good Fats, Bad Fats

Moving away from a “low fat” diet trend, today the focus is more on the type of fats consumed; eating fats that are “good” by definition and avoiding foods with “bad” fats.

Pros: Good fats include polyunsaturated fat with omega-6 and omega-3, which can be found in liquid vegetable oils, walnuts, fatty fish, and algae, and monounsaturated fat, which can be found in olive oil, avocados, safflower oil, and some nuts. Decrease bad fats, including saturated fat found in fatty, red meats and full-fat dairy products, and trans fat, which can still be found in some stick margarines, microwave popcorn, and pastries. The key is to replace bad fats with good fats in your diet.

Cons: When decreasing total fat in the diet, many have difficulty focusing on fruits and vegetables and instead bulk up on meals with refined carbs such as pasta, rice, and white bread.

Large amounts of refined grain can work against weight loss and cardiovascular health.

38 | Health and Human Development

Fewer Carbs

The main goal with this trend is to reduce carbs.

This can be as low as 20 grams a day (one slice of bread is 15 grams), which restricts virtually all carbs except leafy greens and other low-carb vegetables.

Even dairy products are restricted because they contain the milk sugar, lactose. A less extreme application reduces high-carb foods like breads and cereals, pasta, noodles, rice, and baked goods.

Juice and foods with added sugars are also limited.

Pros: Most can find foods they like to eat and thus are generally pretty successful going low carb, at least for a short time. A more modest carb reduction is much easier to follow for a longer period of time and does not cause nutrient inadequecies. This can also help control blood glucose levels.

Cons: Problems arise when a very low carb diet is continued for a long period. For example, the body starts a process called ketosis, which can sometimes be harmful to the kidneys and the pH of body fluids. People with kidney problems should not use this diet. Also, markedly reducing fruit, high-carb vegetables (potatoes, corn, peas, etc.), and grains can make it difficult to meet vitamin and mineral requirements.

Low Sodium

A focus on reducing sodium intake.

Processed foods are often sodium-laden.

The average American consumes roughly 3,400 milligrams of sodium daily. Ten percent of the population is salt sensitive and at risk for sodium-related hypertension.

Gluten Free

Pros: Most Americans are at risk for age-related increases in blood pressure, so reducing sodium in the diet may help prevent high blood pressure later in life.

Reducing sodium is also consistent with the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (less than 2,300 mg a day) issued by the federal government. Additionally, reducing sodium often simultaneously results in calorie and saturated fat reduction.

Eliminating gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, from the diet completely. A gluten-free plan generally means avoiding refined carbs and whole grain foods made with gluten grains (bread, cereal, pasta, etc.), and focusing on starchy vegetables, rice products, and ancient grains, such as quinoa.

Pros: Gluten free is effective for people who are gluten intolerant. This can also be effective for weight loss if calories are reduced. However, the vast majority of people who are living gluten free have never been tested for gluten tolerance, and many are not intolerant.

Cons: This plan can be deficient in important nutrients like folate, which protects against spina bifida, a birth defect that occurs in folate-deficient pregnant women.

Mediterranean

A historical dietary pattern from the Mediterranean region, this plan is heavy on vegetables, fruits, seafood, nuts, some cheese, and healthy fats from plants, principally olive oil. Red wine, in moderation, is also included.

Pros: Most can do well on this diet for health maintenance and for weight loss. It decreases many cardiovascular-disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.

Low Calorie

An eating habit where daily caloric intake is significantly limited.

Pros: This strategy can provide quick weight loss results, which can be psychologically helpful for people who are eager to lose weight. Know your calorie needs and avoid reducing more than 25 percent of total calories per day.

Cons: The approach can become a crash-diet quickly.

Significant weight loss due to calorie restriction can actually lead to gaining even more weight when stopped.

Calories would have to be restricted indefinitely to maintain weight loss, which translates to eating less and/ or exercising more than one may anticipate.

Cons: Overeating is a risk when not paying attention to the calorie content of the healthy foods consumed, which is also true for other diets.

Vegetarian

Though there are varying degrees of vegetarianism, it is generally a plant-based diet. Alternatives can include fish, eggs, and/or cheese and other dairy products.

Pros: This plan is friendly to the planet, generally low in saturated fat, and a good diet to maintain for life.

Cons: Some end up eating a lot of refined carbs, which can lead to weight gain and obesity. Also, vegetarian diets low in animal products typically are deficient in vitamin B12. Some could also be deficient in omega-3 fatty acids.

Typical Western Diet

Eating both plant and animal foods, like meats, which often includes restaurant-style, ready-made, and processed foods.

Pros: This lifestyle is healthiest when focused on lean meats, such as chicken, turkey, tuna, and other seafood, and balanced with whole grains and many fruits and vegetables.

Cons: High-fat red meats and processed meats can increase the risk of cancer and heart disease. Often restaurant-style, ready-made, and processed meals are high in calories, sodium, and sugar, and often low in nutrients.

Vegan

Abstaining from all animal products, including foods like honey. Vegan raw is a variant of the plan in which only raw foods such as nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables, are consumed.

Pros: Typically high in nutrient-dense, plant-based foods.

Cons: Sometimes refined carbs dominate the diet, which is not particularly healthful. Also, this diet is low in vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. Vegan raw (uncooked foods) can lack variety and thereby increase risk of nutrient inadequacy. It’s important to note that some nutrients are lost during the cooking process while others can be more easily absorbed.

So, What’s Best?

There are countless eating patterns for Americans to consider. Fortunately, there are many common elements to truly eating healthy.

Most important for any lifestyle is to eat many fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, seafood and other lean proteins, and low-fat dairy while limiting consumption of high-fat red and processed meats, refined grains, and sugary foods and drinks, according to the Department of Nutritional Sciences.

Always consult a health care provider before choosing an eating plan.

Professor’s plan featured in “best diet” list for U.S. News & World Report Volumetrics, developed by Barbara Rolls, Helen A. Guthrie Chair of Nutritional Sciences, ranks #8 in the news magazine’s Best Diets Overall list.

The plan focuses on low-calorie dense foods, which are low in calories, but high in volume and nutrients, such as fruits and vegetables, which help healthfully control hunger.

Hospitality Executive of the Year event moves to State College The Penn State Hotel & Restaurant Society Hospitality Executive of the Year event will be held at The Nittany Lion Inn in State College, in conjunction with Blue-White Weekend on April 20.

Previously, the event was held in November in conjunction with the annual International Hotel, Motel, + Restaurant Show in New York City.

The change of venue will allow the Hospitality Executive of the Year recipient to explore Penn State and the world-class facilities for the School of Hospitality Management. Also, more students, administrators, faculty and staff members, industry professionals, alumni, and friends can get involved.

For 2017, the event will also include the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award, an honor through which the School of Hospitality Management and PSHRS have honored distinguished icons in the hospitality industry since 1992.

Alumni are encouraged to attend this event as well as the student-run PSHRS Pig Roast on Saturday, April 22, before the football scrimmage.

To purchase tickets for the award gala reception and register for other events contact Brian Black, director of hospitality industry relations at 814-865-6728 or bab180@psu.edu.

Hospitality Executive of the Year Award Leland C. Pillsbury, chairman of Thayer Lodging Group, a Brookfield Company, will be the 2017 recipient. As part of the celebration, he will spend two days on campus, which will include presentations to students and roundtable discussions with School of Hospitality Management alumni, faculty, and staff members.

PSHRS created the Hospitality Executive of the Year Award in 1960 to honor individuals who exemplify the successful leadership characteristics that they strive to instill in students and to convey to alumni and colleagues.

Hospitality Executive of the Year Leland C. Pillsbury Chairman of Thayer Lodging Group, a Brookfield Company

Lifetime Achievement AwardÂ

Lifetime Achievement Award Raymond E. Schultz will receive the PSHRS Lifetime Achievement Award. He is the founder of the Hampton Inn brand and former chairman and chief executive officer of Promus Hotel Corporation (Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, and Homewood Suites).

This award is given to hospitality executives who have been pioneers in the hospitality industry and enjoyed long, successful careers. The recognition pays tribute to individuals who have had an impact on the hospitality industry and their community.

Raymond E. Schultz Founder of the Hampton Inn brand and former chairman and chief executive officer of Promus Hotel Corporation April 20, 2017 The Nittany Lion Inn State College, PA

School of Hospitality Management

Office of the Dean College of Health and Human Development The Pennsylvania State University 325 Health and Human Development Building University Park, PA 16802-6501

Nonprofit Org. US Postage

PAID

PITTSBURGH, PA Permit No. 5605

hhd.psu.edu

Fall 2016 Calendar of Events

October 10 Exercise is Medicine Dean’s Walk Biobehavioral Health Building

October 14–16 Parents & Families Weekend College Open House

October 20 Bennett Lecture in Prevention Science Henderson Building Dr. Gene Brody

October 27–29 HHD Alumni Society Board Meeting Henderson Building

Become a Mentor

November 8 Schmitt Russell Lecture Henderson Building Dr. Tony D’Augelli

December 17 Commencement Bryce Jordan Center

Allow your professional skills and experience to impact Penn Staters.

Apply to be an alumni mentor. Application period: October 3-28 hhd.psu.edu/alumni/mentoring-program

Full Calendar: bit.ly/HHD-Events