Developing Evaluators' Capacities to Work With Minority Serving Institutions
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Educational institutions have always played a critical role in leading important research in our nation. They also have been a place for demonstration initiatives aimed not only at improving the intellectual capacity of our next generation of leaders, but also their health and well-being. Minority serving institutions (MSIs) are no different; they are emerging as critical partners for evaluators and researchers for efforts designed to promote the health and well-being of communities of color. MSIs are two- and four-year institutions of higher education that serve primarily minority populations. MSIs include Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as well as newer designees, for example, Hispanic Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges and Universities.1,2 There continues, however, limited ability among researchers and evaluators-both White and of color-to collaborate effectively with MSIs, in part because they lack understanding about these institutions' history and diversity, which is more complex and extensive than it appears to the outsider.
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SPOTLIGHT ON:
Truth Initiative's Historically Black College and University Tobacco-Free Initiative
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The number of smoke- and tobacco-free colleges has more than tripled since 2010, when 446 campuses adopted smoke- or tobacco-free policies. Today that number stands at 1,577 campuses, yet the majority of the federally recognized Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the U.S. do not have comprehensive smoke- or tobacco-free policies to protect their students and faculty from the dangers of tobacco use and second-hand smoke. Truth Initiative (formerly The Legacy Foundation) saw HBCUs as an opportunity to reach Black/African American students and surrounding communities by implementing a new tobacco-free initiative. Tobacco is the number one cause of preventable death in the U.S. Each year, approximately 47,000 African Americans die from smoking-related disease. While the overall use of cigarettes among youth in the U.S. has declined, smoking among ethnic minorities is still prevalent.1
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| Staff Profile: Deryn Dudley |
 Deryn Dudley, M.A., Associate, has expertise in collective action and social movement participation, mental health disparities, and education. She is experienced in using both quantitative and qualitative research methods and with evaluating community change and collective impact initiatives. At Community Science, Deryn is responsible for evaluating the Office of Minority Health's Youth Health Equity Model of Practice and is a member of the team that is evaluating the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Resource Center for Mental Health Promotion and Substance Abuse Prevention.
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Annual Charitable Giving Campaign Provides Support to 17 Organizations
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In December 2015, Community Science staff members were asked to identify an organization they would like support. A $100 donation was made on their behalf to 12 organizations representing various causes locally, nationally, and worldwide.
We also identified five local organizations that align with our mission to build community capacity to become healthy, just, and equitable.
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