The ÁNDALE Latino Research Training Program named 2025 Example of Excelencia at the baccalaureate level.
The ÁNDALE Latino Research Training Program is the 2025 Example of Excelencia at the baccalaureate level. ÁNDALE has earned recognition by exemplifying an intentional commitment to advancing success for Latino and other underrepresented students in higher education. The ÁNDALE program has engaged 53 underrepresented undergraduate students between 2020 – 2024.
The ÁNDALE Program aimed to train fifty (50) underrepresented undergraduate students in Latino nutrition and disease prevention, enhance their professional development, and engage them in research with a faculty mentor in an effort to better prepare them to enter graduate school or the workforce. The program consists of an intensive one-week training and nine weeks of hands-on research with a faculty mentor from the College of Health & Human Services. Through their participation, students gain an understanding of the research process, community-based participatory research as it relates to nutrition and Latino health, responsible and ethical conduct of research, mentorship and professional development.
Despite initiating the program entirely online due to the COVID-19 pandemic in August of 2020, ÁNDALE Scholars from the first cohort were able to receive research training and experiential learning remotely. The second cohort of ÁNDALE Scholars, who began in August 2021, received a hybrid experience following university guidelines, and by August of 2022, ÁNDALE Scholars participated fully in-person. The majority of ÁNDALE Scholars identified as female (n=39, 73.5%) and of Hispanic/Latino descent (n = 39, 73.5%). Nearly 19% (n=10) identified as Asian, 3.8% (n=2) as Black/African American, 3.8% (n=2) were Middle Eastern, and 3.8% (n=2) were of mixed races. Nearly 89% (n=47) were first generation college educated, 71.7% (n=38) were low-income based on Pell-grant eligibility status, and 7.5% (n=4) identified as having a disability.
The ÁNDALE Program has been impactful in academic and professional student outcomes. From pre-to-post program, ÁNDALE Scholars demonstrated increases in knowledge, skills, and abilities related to scientific research. Sixty-six percent (n=35) continued research with their faculty mentor beyond the program time commitment. All ÁNDALE Scholars were in good academic standing following program participation with an average term GPA of 3.81. Moreover, all ÁNDALE Scholars (100%) have graduated or remain on track to graduate based on degree planners.
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