Farquhar Honors Student Combats Food Insecurity

Farquhar Honors College student Amber Gulau helped underprivileged communities in South Florida combat food insecurity with nutritional education and resources. Completed as part of the Honors in Major program, she worked with organizations like Meals on Wheels South Florida and Florida Impact to pursue her passion for community nutrition.

During her time with these organizations, she hosted educational sessions on nutrition and food safety, created meal menus, and proposed a pilot program to provide the elderly with nutritional supplements not covered by the Older Americans Act (OAA).

“My favorite part of this experience was seeing how eager and appreciative the community members were to learn when I delivered education,” said Gulau, a senior biology and nutrition major. “The members were always interactive and asked many questions, which was great! I also enjoyed learning about the community members’ cultural traditions and how they impacted their food safety practices and intake.”

Upon graduating, she plans to further her education through NSU’s Master of Science in Nutrition program and concentrate on Functional Nutrition and Herbal Therapy. Afterward, she will pursue a D.O. in Osteopathic Medicine to become an endocrinologist and use her knowledge of nutrition to help people with hormone-related health conditions.

“The Honors in Major program [provided] me with opportunities to interact with the community and strengthen my leadership skills,” she said. “Without the program, I would not have had the opportunity to [connect] to wonderful organizations like Meals on Wheels and Florida Impact. Through the Honors in Major [program], I have grown professionally in my ability to provide appropriate and relevant education to people aged five to 80 years old. I also improved my cultural competency, which will continue to develop and be applied in my future endeavors. Upon completing the requirements for the program, I feel inspired to continue the work I have done and strengthen my impact within community nutrition!”

The Honors in Major program is an exclusive opportunity for high-achieving NSU seniors to participate in research or an applied experience within their academic discipline under faculty guidance.

Learn more about the Honors in Major program.

Posted 01/21/23