In The COMMUNITY Reflections of Undergraduate Students: An Evaluation for The Mid-South Food Bank

In the Spring of 2022, a group of five undergraduate students: Kayla Johnson, Emily Shephard, Gabriell Thomas, Octavia Woods and Tiana Young conducted evaluations for the Mid-South Food Bank (MSFB) as part of their Public Health Principles & Practices II Course.

Their professor, Debra Bartelli, DrPH, was in communication with the CEO of MSFB Cathy Pope. They identified the two topics they wanted the students to address: the satisfaction of the clients they provide services for and the satisfaction of their community partners who distribute food in the Mid-South area. The class was split into two groups in order to tackle each objective.

Initially, the students met with the CEO, team members and toured the Mid-South Food Bank facility in Memphis. The group responsible for collecting client feedback spent time visiting distribution locations and conducting interviews. The group collecting community partner feedback distributed surveys.

Both groups began their preliminary research in early

February of 2022 and presented their findings and evidence-based recommendations for the MSFB going forward in late March.

Looking back on the experience, the students appreciated the valuable experience they gained in collaborative work and public speaking. They also enjoyed the hands-on experience, and being presented with an opportunity to apply the knowledge they learned in class to a real-world scenario in a way that benefits their community.

Tiana Young Undergraduate Student BS in Public Health

In high school, Tiana was interested in the fields of Theater, Arts, Film and Media along with medical professions. She decided to pursue a degree from the School of Public Health because she wants to become an administrator at a health department or hospital. For Tiana, the highlight of her studies has been the course Environmental Health Part II: Practice & Application, where the class went on a trip to Shelby Farms Park, one the largest urban parks in the country.

This course introduces students to “specific substances and hazards in the natural and built environment that affect human health.”

After high school, Kayla imagined she would be pursuing a nursing degree to become a pediatric or NICU Nurse Practitioner. After starting her Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) curriculum, Kayla realized that the skills she would learn in the BSPH program aligned more with her post-grad vision and pursuits.

She saw that the job sector in the field of Public Health would have a variety of career opportunities with a greater impact on her community. Kayla adds, “Nurses are great and needed, but I realized that I would not get the level of fulfillment I was seeking in that program.” During her studies, Kayla has had the opportunity to work with an abundance of programs and practitioners in the community.

The hands-on elements of the BSPH program has really made it enjoyable for her and makes it stand out from other programs at other schools. She saw first-hand some of the behind-the-scenes, impactful community work that is done in the City of Memphis.

After completing her undergraduate studies, Kayla is interested in public health communications and education, and working toward program or project management positions. For her, balancing work, school and life can be challenging sometimes. Nevertheless, she is happy to be a student in the School of Public Health, saying “the [Public Health] program is generally very accommodating and helps us all through [our] challenges.”

Working with the Mid-South Food Bank put Public Health work in perspective.