It’s time to “Get Fruved.”
As a nationwide, student-led project, Get Fruved aims to improve health and wellness on college campuses by providing undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to conduct research and produce student-generated solutions. The project was granted nearly $5 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in March.
Sarah Dahlman, a graduate student in nutrition, said she sees Fruved as a chance for students to personally implement positive change on their own campus and potentially inspire a national trend.
“It’s student-led, and that’s the big thing about this that makes it cutting edge,” Dahlman said of the project, which organizes students into groups to address health issues based upon their interests and majors. “Unlike other projects which may limit volunteer influence, students are equal partners with faculty, allowing for greater responsibility and potential to exercise change.”
Dahlman noted student participants can use the experience as a “resume-builder” as well as an outlet for creative expression.
“Each student can own something,” Dahlman said. “It can be theirs and they can run with it.”
Rather than focusing on one health issue, Get Fruved strives to create solutions to the variety of problems which contribute to poor student well-being. Individual issues ranging from stress and depression to the likelihood of a student walking across their campus will all be researched thoroughly by students and faculty hoping to propose viable and permanent solutions where necessary.
Jessica Jurcak, a graduate student responsible for recruiting freshman participants for Get Fruved, said she believes the recruitment and guidance of incoming freshman are crucial to identifying UT’s specific health issues. Participating freshmen will be paired with peer mentors who will serve both as health counselors and observers of their behavior.
“(Freshman) are the ones we’re going to follow for the study to see what sort of impact our intervention has,” Jurcak said.
Carmen Brady, an junior in nutrition, said it’s only a matter of time before meaningful change sweeps across campus.
“All these changes that the students are going to be voicing, we’re not just going to be blowing smoke,” Brady said. “Once the students see the changes we’re going to be making, I feel like it’s going to grow and students are going to want to be more and more involved.”
Brady, encouraging any interested student to “Get Fruved,” said the project promises to deliver real and lasting change to the campus.
“If you have concerns, this is where you voice them; this is where you see your changes being made.”
Students interested in Get Fruved can visit the “Vol Night Long” event Oct. 22, or visit the project website at fruved.com.
