HIPs Case Study

Nicolle Fernandes

Chair of Community Health and Wellness, and Nutrition and Culinary Management Program

HIPs Practice Area: Undergraduate Research, HIPs Intersections

Growing Future Leaders: The IMODEL Approach to Experiential Learning

“HIPs are not just pedagogical tools—they’re acts of access and inclusion. They create structured opportunities for students to connect what they’re learning to real-world issues, reflect on their identities and goals, and collaborate meaningfully with peers, faculty, and community partners.”

Case Study by Nicolle Fernandes

What is your experience with HIPs? How did you come to HIPs, and how have they influenced your work?

High-Impact Practices were part of my own academic journey, allowing me to experience their transformative power firsthand. They helped me connect learning to lived experience, engage deeply with my peers, and find a sense of purpose in my studies. That foundation has profoundly shaped my work as an educator and leader.

Today, HIPs are a central part of my approach to teaching, curriculum development, and program design, particularly because many align closely with my values around community engagement, experiential learning, and equity-focused pedagogy. I’ve seen how HIPs can close opportunity gaps, build belonging, and inspire lasting growth inside and beyond the classroom.

How would you define “High Impact Practices” in the context of your teaching at LaGuardia?

At LaGuardia, I would define HIPs as intentionally designed, equity-driven teaching and learning strategies that deepen student engagement, foster critical thinking, and promote a strong sense of purpose and belonging—especially for our diverse, often first-generation student population.

In our context, HIPs are not just pedagogical tools—they’re acts of access and inclusion. They create structured opportunities for students to connect what they’re learning to real-world issues, reflect on their identities and goals, and collaborate meaningfully with peers, faculty, and community partners.

For example, in my work around food insecurity and justice, I’ve seen HIPs come to life through collaborative assignments, ePortfolios, and community-based learning. Whether it is students participating in the Annual Hunger Banquet, I initiated at LaG in 2015, analyzing local food access data, being immersed in sustainability and food justice practices at spaces like the Smiling Hogshead Ranch, The Connected Chef, The Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture to name a few, or students reflecting on their personal narratives through writing in our Food and Culture course, these experiences make learning relevant, personal, and transformative.

What HIPs have you used in your course(s)/ program? What does it look like in action?

I have used several across the years at LaGuardia, I’ll list a few below:

Campus-wide events:

Expert Speaker Series:

Off-campus visits through Campus grants:

Off-campus visits through Club Activities:

Curriculum/Course-based HIPs:

External grants-based HIPs:

What motivated you to incorporate this HIP into your teaching? Was there a particular goal or student need that shaped your approach?

Project IMODEL (Inclusive Model for Developing Future Nutrition, Food, and Culinary Leaders) is a 5-year USDA-funded undergraduate training initiative that promotes innovative leadership development and mentored experiential learning for underrepresented students through an inclusive pedagogy framework.

Three cohorts (seven students from each of three institutions, the University of Rhode Island, LaGuardia Community College, and New York University) participate in a year long fellowship that includes:

Spring: Weekly virtual workshops on leadership, professional growth, and industry knowledge

Summer: A 10-week, 20-hour/week mentored internship with experts in nutrition, food, or culinary fields

Fall: Poster presentation at a virtual IMODEL symposium and funding to attend a professional conference

Fellows receive:

$4,000 stipend for the internship
$1,000 for travel and expenses to a professional meeting
Up to $200 for supplies or transportation

Participants may earn academic credit and gain real-world experience, mentorship, and exposure to career pathways in food and nutrition.

Project IMODEL was developed to address systemic gaps in diversity, mentorship, and career preparedness in the fields of nutrition, food, and culinary, especially at the undergraduate level. It responds to the underrepresentation of diverse students in leadership roles, the lack of culturally responsive mentorship, and the need for leadership development at the undergraduate level. By offering real-world, career-aligned experiences and removing financial barriers, IMODEL promotes equitable access to professional growth, helping to build a more inclusive future workforce.

How did students respond or engage with this practice? What kinds of outcomes did you observe — academically, personally, or otherwise?

IMODEL is currently in its first cohort. Students have engaged in active and reflective assignments, enabling them to apply their knowledge and strengthen their critical thinking. Additionally, they foster a sense of connection and belonging through collaboration with peers within and across institutions, as well as with mentors, building supportive communities while developing real-world skills such as communication, teamwork, and professionalism through hands-on experiences. IMODEL also encourages self-discovery, helping students connect their academic pursuits to their identities and goals.

The goal of IMODEL is to empower students to grow into confident, capable, and purpose-driven leaders in the fields of food, nutrition, and culinary arts.

What kind of planning or preparation went into making this practice successful? Did you adapt it over time?

The grant-writing process was highly collaborative and deeply gratifying, particularly as I worked alongside faculty with extensive grant experience across three institutions. While rewarding, the process was also time-intensive and required meticulous attention to detail and sustained focus. In the first year of the grant, we conducted focus groups with key stakeholders—including employers, program directors, alumni, and current students—which played a crucial role in shaping the year-long curriculum for the student fellowships across the three upcoming cohorts.

What challenges did you face — and how did you address them?

For IMODEL, the college was extremely supportive. I worked closely with our Grants Office. They were very knowledgeable and timely, which made for an easy and seamless process between the three institutions.

For other HIPs, such as the internal grants funded through Campus Life, the technical process could be improved to make it easier on both sides, the applicant and the grantor. I did my best to secure the experience for my students by working with Campus Life staff and the external partners. For example, one set of trips was held hostage to payment on the trip day, which was embarrassing and unnecessary. Another received payment after the trip, and as a result, we lost that partnership.

We have learned to no longer work with parties that are not flexible in receiving payment after, if and when that occurs.

How do you assess student learning or growth in relation to this HIP? Have you changed your assessment practices as a result?

For IMODEL, we have two IRBs on file: one for the focus groups conducted with stakeholders and the other for the year-long IMODEL program involving the three student cohorts over a three-year period.

The following pre and post surveys are being conducted on the student participants in the three cohorts:

How do you think LaGuardia could better support or scale the use of HIPs across disciplines?

Are there other HIPs you’re exploring or would like to try? What’s next for your teaching practice in this area?

I would like to introduce a High-Impact Practice (HIP) into the HSF090 First-Year Seminar (FYS) that supports students in making informed decisions about their major—particularly in relation to the limited candidacy seats available in Health Sciences.

This HIP will focus on guided career exploration, experiential learning opportunities, and structured reflection to help students assess their strengths, interests, and alignment with various program pathways. The goal is to empower students early in their academic journey with the insight and tools needed to choose a major that is both personally meaningful and strategically realistic.

What advice would you offer to a colleague who is interested in incorporating this HIP into their course for the first time?

Preparing for an externally funded HIP grant is a tremendous undertaking—it requires significant time, coordination, and thoughtful planning. However, the rewards are truly priceless. Watching students blossom through the experience and having the opportunity to engage with them as whole individuals has been especially meaningful. We’re now in the exciting phase of making conference bookings, which marks a new chapter in showcasing their growth and achievements.

Courses Targeting High Impact Practices

Other High Impact Practices Used

About

Dr. Nicolle Fernandes, PhD, RDN, CDM, CFPP, is the chairperson of the Community Health and Wellness Department and a professor in the Nutrition and Culinary Management Program at Fiorello H. LaGuardia Community College, the City University of New York. She holds an M.S. in Foods, Nutrition, and Dietetics from the University of Mumbai and a Ph.D. in Nutrition from Texas Woman’s University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship on Aging Care at the Nestlé Nutrition R&D Centers in Minnesota.

Her research interests include the impact of nutrition in cancer, falls and fractures in the geriatric population, the therapeutic effects of herbs and spices, culinary nutrition, hunger and food insecurity, and food sustainability.

She is currently the principal investigator of a study titled “Familiarity, Knowledge, and Consumption of Herbs and Spices among Colon Cancer and Melanoma Patients and Survivors” and serves as co-director of the USDA NIFA-funded project “IMODEL: Inclusive Model for Developing Future Nutrition, Food, and Culinary Leaders.”

She previously served as co-director of two USDA-funded initiatives: Climate-friendly, Healthy, Efficient Food Service (CHEF) Credential and Project Sembrar: Diversifying the Next Generation of Urban Agricultural STEM Leaders.