On March 3, 2015 I was invited by the Resident Assistant of Hull Hall (which was formerly located on the south side of the Millersville University campus before being torn down) to discuss the problem of negative body image with the dorm residents.
On October 22, 2015, I was again invited by Meadow B, if I would provide an updated program, but this time, for the students that lived in the South Villages A & B.
At the time, Meadow was a junior studying Special Education and Early/Middle School Education. Both times, we planned the event around the theme of “Better Than Barbie.” Based on student feedback, the program was successful and increased student-awareness.
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- Oct 2015 program
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- Oct 2015 program
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- Oct 2015 program
The “Better than Barbie” program included both a photo booth where students wrote positive statements explaining why they were better than the popular doll Barbie which often promotes unrealistic and unhealthy messages. After writing their statements, students took photos in the photo booth.
An informative PowerPoint presentation (with handout) was also given. Near the end the PowerPoint, we included a thought-provoking video followed by a roundtable discussion whereby students shared and reflected on their various viewpoints regarding body image problems, eating disorders and how social media effects behavior.
In my faculty role, I assisted Meadow in designing her program and with facilitating the lobby conversation in Hull Hall. We worked together on how she could best develop an engaging approach that would raise awareness about the issues of negative body image and disordered eating for the students who reside in her dormitory.
For the past several years, I have taught a professional development course titled: “Eating Disorders and Body Image Anxieties” (EDW 752) that I originally proposed and obtained approval for. The popular course is offered annually during the spring semester.