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East Texas Baptist University in
Partnership with Wiley College, Receives a $90,000 Grant to Promote Healthy
Lifestyle Choices
Marshall, Texas. Dr. Haywood
L. Strickland, president of Wiley College, and Dr. Bob Riley, president of
East Texas Baptist University, are pleased to announce the receipt of a
three-year grant to promote healthy lifestyle choices throughout
neighborhoods and communities in Marshall and Harrison County. The president
of Wiley College said "that this is an innovative partnership with East
Texas Baptist University, specifically its School of Nursing, that will
benefit students at both institutions and the community." Dr. Strickland's
comments were echoed by Dr. Bob Riley, president of East Texas Baptist
University, stating that "I am thrilled about the opportunity to partner
with Wiley College because it will provide the student nurses with unique
learning experiences; our nursing students will have increased opportunities
to fine tune their nursing competencies, as well as strengthen their
interpersonal skills." Wiley College and East Texas Baptist University are
both church-related institutions of higher education, and as such, have a
special obligation to integrate faith and knowledge which is best reflected
through service.
Continuing, Dr. Strickland said that the $90,000 three-year grant was
awarded by the United Negro College Fund Special Programs Corporation in
partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)
under its Learn and Serve America Higher Education Program. The grant will
support the involvement of teams of student nurses with Wiley College
students to conduct health fairs at churches and other locations throughout
the community; provide free blood-pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and
mammogram screenings; conduct a campus-based Seniors Wellness Connection
program in which senior citizens will be taught how to use the Internet to
locate the best health information, and to launch a new "Be Fit" weekly
health focus radio talk show that will draw on the expertise of doctors and
other health professionals throughout the community. Also, said Strickland,
the grant will address the issue of obesity through its "Hip Hop, Rock Your
Heart" walking campaign.
The Learn and Serve Program - - Project OutREACH - - was developed in
keeping with the national Healthy People 2010 agenda, which calls for
community involvement in promoting positive health outcomes by minimizing
the prevalence of risky health behaviors. Project OutREACH, said Strickland
and Riley, with its focus on diabetes prevention and management; prevention
of hypertension; reduction in obesity rates; and breast health awareness is
essentially a community health education and promotion program that will
eventually draw on the expertise and resources of many persons throughout
the community. Through a broad-based community health partnership, the two
church-affiliated institutions will engage a variety of community
stakeholders in conducting a wellness campaign that will improve the quality
of life for many residents and simultaneously help build a stronger,
healthier community. This in turn, said the two presidents and chief
executive officers, will contribute to the city's economic development on a
long-term basis.
Strickland said that Project OutREACH is currently in the planning stages
and that he anticipates start-up of the project by September. Continuing, he
said that both institutions will disseminate a community calendar to ensure
everyone's access to free screenings and other planned activities.
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