Slow Food Lessons in the Fast Food Midwest

During the latter half of the twentieth century, the American food system was transformed by a technological revolution in American agriculture. While these changes provided benefits such as lower-cost food, it also generated concerns that the unconditional embrace of technology would harm rural communities and the environment. Additional concerns were raised about food quality and food safety. Through a case study of a rural Midwestern farming community, this paper examines how direct consumer to producer marketing strategies such as community supported agriculture (CSA) and the public’s current fascination with the heritage of farming may offer a subset of producers and consumers a sustainable alternative to large-scale production agriculture and the “fast” foods resulting from such production

Crossroads: A Shifting Landscape

Catalog for the exhibition Crossroads: A Shifting Landscape held at the Seton Hall University Walsh Gallery, January 17 - February 17, 2012. Curated by Jesse Gordon and Emily Ozga. Includes an essay by Jesse Gordon and Emily Ozga. Includes color illustrations

Motivational Coaching Improves Intrinsic Motivation in Adult Fitness Program Participants

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(5): 1167-1178, 2020. The purpose of this study was to measure intrinsic motivation following the implementation of motivational coaching strategies in a semester long personalized adult fitness program. Sixty individuals (40 female/ 20 male, age= 48 ± 15 yrs) participated as clients in an undergraduate exercise training program led by student trainers at Taylor University. The program took place during two consecutive semesters, therefore subject participation ranged from one to two semesters. In addition to personalized exercise prescription, student trainers implemented motivational strategies using a motivational coaching guide aimed at increasing individuals’ overall intrinsic motivation. Trainers utilized a coaching checklist to record the motivational strategies used with their client each session. Intrinsic motivation was assessed before and after each program semester using an Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) and Motivational Client Scale (MCS). Clients’ scores on the IMI increased from 3.38 ± 0.37 to 3.58 ± 0.31 (p\u3c0.001; d= 0.587). Particularly, perceived competence increased from 3.01 ± 0.52 to 3.41 ± 0.49 (p\u3c0.001; d= 0.793). Correspondingly, MCS scores also increased from 3.47 ± 0.72 to 3.87 ± 0.60 (p\u3c0.001; d= 0.608). Specifically, clients’ response to challenge increased from 3.48 ± 0.98 to 4.15 ± 0.65 (p\u3c0.001; d=0.809). Our data indicate that it is possible to improve intrinsic motivation by implementing motivational strategies into a supervised adult fitness program. This finding suggests motivational coaching may be an important part of a standard training protocol for fitness trainers to help combat a public health concern: initiation and adherence to exercise