Delta State University’s acclaimed Healthy Campus/Community Initiative programs were recently recognized with a 2015 Governor’s Award from the Mississippi Association of Partners in Education (MAPE).
Now in its 13th year, the annual awards recognize outstanding school-community partnerships. MAPE continues to honor the state’s top partnership programs during the Governor’s Awards luncheon. The 2015 event will be held March 18 during the PREPS-MAPE State Conference at Pearl River Resort in Choctaw, Miss.
Dr. Leslie Griffin, Dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences, is thrilled with the recognition.
“Our steadfast commitment is to providing every opportunity for programs in our college to partner with agencies such as the Blue Cross & Blue Shield Foundation of Mississippi to enhance the lives of our region’s citizens — in this case through sharing information that will enable individuals to live healthier lifestyles,” said Griffin.
“We know that attention to appropriate nutrition and exercise returns significant health benefits,” she added. “The Coahoma County Higher Education Center is the perfect venue for expanding this program throughout this community.”
HCCI, led by Delta State’s College of Education and Humans Sciences, began in 2009 thanks to funding from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation.
Last year, HCCI expanded outside Bolivar County to Clarksdale after the foundation contributed a five-year $502,000 grant to provide programming at the Coahoma County Higher Education Center, a Delta State satellite campus.
Through this program, Delta State aims to transform the culture of its campus and become the flagship health and wellness university in the state. The goals of the initiative are not limited to Delta State, however.
Delta State’s faculty and students are working with local school districts, municipal leaders and the medical community to improve the health and wellness culture of the service areas.
As part of the commitment of the initiative, the Coahoma County and Clarksdale Municipal School Districts are major collaborators in spreading the message of health and wellness.
New programming provides free nutrition, health and academic curriculum, a fitness club, after school activities, leadership training and more.
For more information on HCCI’s impact, visit www.deltastate.edu/college-of-education/healthy-campus-community-initiative.
