(P29-07-26) Community-Engaged Practice: A Case Report Highlighting Outcomes of a Strategic Partnership Between Extension Faculty and a Dietetics Supervised Practice Program

Monday, July 27, 2026

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM ET

Location: Poster Board C-10

Presenting Author(s)

Amy H. LaFalce, MS, RDN (she/her/hers)

Instructor and Director, Internship in Nutrition and Dietetics
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Arlington, Virginia, United States

Co-Author(s)

EM

Emily Myers, PhD, RDN

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, Virginia, United States
SM

Sarah A. Misyak, PhD, MPH

Virginia Tech, United States

Disclosure(s):

Amy H. LaFalce, MS, RDN: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Objectives: Registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) in community practice settings must apply scientific guidelines to develop, implement, and evaluate culturally relevant and behaviorally focused nutrition programs. This case report describes a strategic mentorship model between a land grant university’s Cooperative Extension faculty and dietetics supervised practice program (DSSP) to effectively prepare graduate students for RDN careers through skill-building in community outreach and engagement.

Methods: A partnership between the DSSP and Cooperative Extension faculty was forged to offer enriching opportunities for future RDNs to develop key public health nutrition competencies. Robust community-based learning experiences were tailored to the goals of seven graduate students in Spring 2024 and 2025 through capstone projects supervised by the DSSP director and Cooperative Extension faculty preceptor. Qualitative feedback was collected through community program stakeholder narratives and student reflections about learning outcomes and skill development.

Results: A collaborative, interdisciplinary mentorship model resulted in effective dietetics training associated with key public health nutrition concepts. Qualitative feedback from students indicated the partnership strengthened their skills in community needs assessment, stakeholder communication, and translation of evidence-based science into community-focused programs. Project outcomes included strong community engagement and practical, audience-centered programs.

Conclusions: Dietetics students benefit from interdisciplinary mentorship and supervised experiential learning involving community outreach and engagement. Other DSSPs can replicate this collaborative mentorship model to advance community-based programs while strengthening the community outreach and engagement skills of future RDNs.

Funding Sources: No external funding