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After a long semester during an ongoing pandemic, Karen Harouse-Bell, assistant professor and program director for nutrition and dietetics, initiated a video project for students in her Healthcare Issues and Administration course in place of a traditional final exam. “I felt the project would offer a way for my students to have a lower stress experience on this important assessment during the semester,” she said. 

The video project evolved after Annette Smiach, director of ��ɫAV Hill’s health services, participated in an open discussion with students in the course about COVID-19 health concerns and other related topics. “COVID vaccination is a topic that the students in the Healthcare Issues and Administration course feel very passionate about; they want to empower others to get vaccinated and to be a part of the solution,” Annette said. 

Raegan LeCrone, a junior nutrition and dietetics major in the course, managed the creation and editing of the video. “To stay organized, the class created a shared Google Doc for each person to post their photo for the project,” she said. “I used these photos to create the video.” 

The video features the question “Why are we getting the COVID-19 vaccine?,” followed by students, Karen Harouse-Bell, and Annette Smiach holding up signs stating their reasons why. “For example, my sign said, ‘To protect my family and friends,’” said Raegan.

“In addition, the class worked collaboratively to develop a ‘myth busters’ document that includes common misperceptions about COVID-19 vaccines using credible scientific information,” Raegan added. “All the sources referenced are linked directly in the document to promote transparency. This document can be accessed via a QR code found at the end of the video.”

The Healthcare Issues and Administration course is working to have the video shared campus-wide either through ��ɫAV Hill’s social media accounts, MySHU, or on the monitors located around various campus spaces.  

“The students are determined to make a difference on campus and are thrilled to get the message out to students in a way that relates to their peers,” Karen said.

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