Program Awards and Distinctions

8/2010 - 8/2013

Grant provided support to:

• Develop an undergraduate Lactation Education Accreditation and Approval Review Committee (LEAARC) recognized breastfeeding course that is part of the permanent CSUN undergraduate curriculum.
• Develop and implement over a three-year period a semester long internship opportunity for undergraduate nutrition students to provide one-on-one breastfeeding education to mothers prior to their discharge from the hospital.

10/2010 - 10/2013

Grant provided support to conduct a research study that evaluated the impact on breastfeeding rates of lactation educators, who completed CSUN’s LEAARC recognized breastfeeding course, delivering prenatal and postpartum phone-based breastfeeding education to Latina mothers.

9/2013 - 9/2016

Grant provided support to develop and implement over a three-year period a semester long lactation education practicum for graduate nutrition students to provide phone-based breastfeeding education to pregnant women at local community health centers.

10/1/14 - 10/1/19

Grant provide support to increasing Hispanic graduate students’ career opportunities in the field of lactation. Activities included:

• Developing a graduate level LEAARC recognized breastfeeding educator course that is part of the permanent CSUN graduate curriculum.
• Developing internship opportunities for graduate students at organizations that promote lactation in the community.
• Hosting a breastfeeding continuing education seminar at CSUN for graduate students and lactation professionals in the community.

9/1/17 – 8/31/21

Grant provides support to:

• Develop and implement over a three-year period a lactation education service learning project for undergraduate nutrition students providing them with the opportunity to: a) shadow a breastfeeding peer counselor and a lactation consultant while she provides breastfeeding education and support to pregnant or breastfeeding mothers at a WIC clinic; b) provide WIC clients breastfeeding education in both a one-on-one and group setting.
• Facilitate a speaker’s series where lactation professionals in the community share with students their experience promoting, protecting, and supporting breastfeeding in the community.

3/1/18 - 2/28/21

Grant provides support to:

• Expand CSUN’s curriculum to enable students to complete the 6 unit/90-hour lactation specific coursework requirement to be eligible to sit for the exam to become an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).
• Expand opportunities for human sciences undergraduate students to complete internships opportunities in organizations that promote breastfeeding in the community.

10/1/16 - 9/30/21

Grant provides support for promoting among first-generation low-income nursing transfer students career preparation in the field of Human Lactation. Activities will include:

• Outreach to first-generation low-income community college nursing students regarding credentials in Human Lactation available at CSUN that can complement a RN license
• Customize CSUN’s 6-unit lactation specific coursework curriculum for RN to BSN students.
• Convert 6-unit lactation specific curriculum from face-to -face delivery mode to fully online courses accessible and tailored to nursing students.