Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
Marieb College remains steadfast in its mission to create a healthier, more resilient future for all
In the heart of Collier County lies Immokalee, a town known for its agricultural fields and close-knit community. Sixty percent of its adult residents 25 and older have not completed high school, and 97% of its schoolchildren qualify as economically needy, according to the Guadalupe Center, a nonprofit fighting to break the community’s cycle of poverty through education.
Marieb College of Health & Human Services at Florida Gulf Coast University joined that fight with the Immokalee Health Project, an initiative aimed at enhancing the quality of life for residents through health education and medical screenings.
This multidisciplinary study reflects Marieb College’s commitment to community engagement and service. By championing initiatives that prioritize community well-being and foster collaboration, the college exemplifies its dedication to creating a healthier future for Southwest Florida. Through innovative programs, experiential learning opportunities and a dedication to serving the five-county area around FGCU, Marieb College remains steadfast in its mission to create a healthier, more resilient future for all.
“This is what regional colleges are meant to do,” says Payal Kahar, an FGCU associate professor of public health. “To make impacts – either small or big – but be there for people in the community in the most need.”
Engaging the community
Launched in 2023, the Immokalee Health Project was funded by the Fort Myers-based nonprofit Collaboratory with an aim to help Latino and Haitian participants. The researchers focused on increasing participant knowledge of health conditions that affect those populations, such as those related to blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol. The ultimate goal was for participants to develop or increase their motivation to take better care of themselves.
Kahar and Lirio Negroni, a social work professor, were the principal investigators on the study. They spent a year developing connections with the Latino and Haitian communities prior to beginning the project. At each health event, their educators presented on topics related to exercise, nutrition and managing personal healthcare concerns. The researchers relied on more than two dozen bilingual community volunteers and students.
Fifteen nursing and social work students from Marieb College served as translators and assisted in data collection and delivery of services, including graduate student and Immokalee resident Naidelyn Maldonado. She started as a research assistant before being promoted to project coordinator for the Latino community on the Immokalee Health Project.
“It was brought to my attention that the Haitian and Latino populations find it challenging to focus on their health due to working long hours and focusing on providing sufficient income for their households,” says Maldonado, a first-generation college graduate working toward her social work master’s degree. The Immokalee Health Project became a platform for her to bring health literacy into her community and be a positive change at the grassroots level.
The services of student volunteers like Maldonado ensured the health literacy initiative was accessible to participants. Community engagement is just one part of Marieb College’s mission — advancing the education, health and well-being of students through teaching excellence, impactful scholarship and service.
Educating individuals and households
According to the Immokalee Foundation, a nonprofit that serves the community, approximately 40,000 people live in Immokalee during the peak winter season. It’s home to one of the largest migrant communities in the U.S.
With 256 participants in the Immokalee Health Project, less than 1% of the population took part in the study. But, each individual represented an entire household that could benefit from sharing the received health knowledge.
The Immokalee Health Project events administered pre- and post-questionnaires and a one-hour interactive conference. They discussed managing stress, communicating with a healthcare provider and recognizing the signs and symptoms of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and asthma. FGCU nursing students and faculty checked blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol and body mass index. They provided health screenings for undiagnosed cases of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes. When participants had positive results, nursing students and faculty provided additional information about services, medical counseling or a referral.
The researchers were looking for evidence that workshops and screenings could change the health profile of residents. They are currently analyzing the data and plan to publish their findings.
At the forefront of this transformative initiative is FGCU’s Marieb College of Health & Human Services, where students like Maldonado receive the training and support needed to become agents of change in their communities. Through hands-on experiences like the Immokalee Health Project, Marieb College equips students with the skills, knowledge, and compassion to address real-world health disparities and make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
10501 FGCU Boulevard South
Fort Myers, FL 33965
(239) 590-1000 | fgcu.edu
