Advancing Nutrition Development through Alliance for Education and Leadership (ÁNDALE) Latino Research Training Program

Hispanics/Latinos Hispanics/Latinos continue to be impacted by alarming rates of obesity and chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Launched in 2020 and housed in the CSULB Center for Latino Community Health, Evaluation, and Leadership Training, ÁNDALE was designed to fill a gap in research opportunities for students in the food, agriculture, natural sciences, and human sciences. While the university provides paid research opportunities, the majority target STEM students, require a 1-2-year commitment, and/or require the student to pursue a doctoral degree. Therefore, the

ÁNDALE Program was designed for students in the behavioral sciences who might not be eligible for existing campus research and training programs, while providing the unique opportunity to receive culturally responsive training to address the high rates of nutrition-related chronic conditions among Latino populations. Program practices include (1) common intellectual experiences through a 35-hour training on nutrition and chronic disease prevention in Latino communities, (2) undergraduate research with 90 hours of faculty-led work across nine weeks, and (3) learning experiences that explore Latino culture, health disparities, and inequities.