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Professor
Health Sciences Majors Club Advisor
B.S.-Nutrition and Food Science, Auburn University
M.S.-Nutrition and Food Science, Auburn University
Ph.D.-Nutrition and Food Systems, The University of Southern Mississippi
(864) 294-3224
alicia.powers@furman.edu
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Alicia Powers, assistant professor in the Health Sciences Department, joined the Furman faculty in 2007. Powers teaches the Research and Evaluation course as well as the Advanced Nutrition Course for the Health Sciences Department. In addition, she serves as the Health Sciences Majors Club advisor and involves more than 25 students each year in her research and service projects.
Powers also serves as the principal investigator for LiveWell Greenville. LiveWell Greenville is a partnership of dozens of public and private organizations that aims to make Greenville County a healthier place to live, work and play. Formed five years ago by a partnership between YMCA of Greenville, Furman University, Greenville Hospital System and Piedmont Health Foundation, the coalition has engaged more than 100 key partners in crafting plans to create policies, systems and environments in our community to make living well easier. From grassroots efforts, to specific partner projects, to county-level initiatives, LiveWell Greenville works on all levels to improve the health of Greenville residents. Powers serves as the evaluation consultant for all projects associated with LiveWell Greenville and has helped garner more than $3 million dollars in funds to support LiveWell’s work.
Powers graduated summa cum laude with a BS in Nutrition and Food Science from Auburn University. She then completed her MS in Nutrition and Food Science with an emphasis in Sports Nutrition at Auburn University. Her thesis research was entitled, “Investigation of Nutrition Education’s Influence on Student Nutrition Knowledge and Behavior.” While pursuing her MS, Powers served as a Graduate Research Assistant with the Alabama Cooperative Extension Nutrition Education Program where she assisted in the evaluation. Powers received her PhD in Nutrition and Food Systems with a focus in Public Health Nutrition and Community Based Participatory Research at The University of Southern Mississippi. Her dissertation research was entitled, “Process Evaluation of Fit for Life Steps, a Community Based Participatory Research Project.” While pursuing her PhD, Powers served as a graduate Research Assistant with the Lower Mississippi Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative and served as an adjunct instructor for the Department of Nutrition and Food Systems. She also served as an adjunct instructor for the Department of Biological Sciences at Pearl River Community College, Forrest County Campus. Her husband, Sam, is a firefighter for the City of Greenville. They have a son, Cole, and a Golden Retriever, Timber.
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o Research and Evaluation in Health Sciences – HSC 201
o Prerequisites
- HSC 101
o Offered
- Fall – 2 sections
- Spring – 2 sections
o Description
- Introduction to principles of research relevant to health and exercise science focusing on methodology,
measurement and statistical techniques used in the analysis and interpretation of health and exercise
science data. The integration of statistical software applications and communication technology will be
used for problem solving.
o Course objectives
- Identify the significance of research
- Identify characteristics of various types of research
- Understand the research process
- Design a research project using the research process
- Evaluate and interpret research reports in literature and presentations
- Conduct appropriate statistical analysis for data and interpret findings
- Communicate research information in the appropriate format
o Syllabus
o If you are currently enrolled in this course, please log in to see the course webpage here:
http://courses.furman.edu/
o Advanced Nutrition Principles – HSC 415
o Prerequisites
- HSC 101 and HSC 315
o Offered
- Fall - 1 section
o Description
- In-depth continuation of the study of nutrition as presented in Fundamentals of Nutrition (HSC 315), which
will include integration of principles of nutrition, etiology of prevalent chronic diseases, exercise
physiology and physiology of aging with the purpose of preventing and managing prevalent
chronic diseases, optimizing human performance and maximizing quality of life throughout the lifecycle.
o Course objectives
- To gain further understanding of
the relationship between diet and physical performance, with an emphasis on macronutrients
and micronutrients involved in energy systems, timing of macronutrient and micronutrient intake
- to optimize performance and special considerations for certain groups of athletes,
the relationship between diet and diseases, with an emphasis on basic pathophysiology, risk factors,
protective factors and the nutrition care process for certain diseases and
- the relationship between diet and specific stages in the lifecycle, with an emphasis on pregnancy,
infancy, toddler and preschool age, childhood, adolescence and older adults.
o Syllabus
o If you are currently enrolled in this course, please log in to see the course webpage here:
http://courses.furman.edu/
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Research/Service
Students can get involved with any research/service I am conducting by volunteering with my current research/service projects and by working during the summer. If you are interested in any of these options, please contact me.
My current research/service focuses on policy, system and environmental approaches to combat obesity rates in Greenville County. As a result, the majority of my professional activity occurs in partnership with LiveWell Greenville (www.livewellgreenville.org). LiveWell Greenville is a comprehensive policy, system and environmental approach to combat childhood obesity in Greenville County. This coalition’s work focuses its efforts in eight workgroups:
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At Mealtime (Access to Healthy Foods)
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For Fun (Access to Parks and Other Recreation Facilities)
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Around Town (Active and Public Transit)
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At the Doctor (Healthcare)
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At Worship (Faith-based)
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Out of School
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At School
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At Work
In addition, the leadership team and communications team oversee needs of all workgroups. Powers serves in multiple capacities for this organization, but will highlight her work as the evaluation liaison. Some examples of evaluation activities associated with LiveWell Greenville and its workgroups are highlighted below.
At Mealtime. Evaluation efforts of this workgroup have focused on determination of food deserts in Greenville County as well as evaluation of a specific project associated with workgroup activity.
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The Nutrition Environment Measures Survey (NEMS) project measures availability, pricing and quality of specific healthy and regular items within stores and restaurants. A composite score is computed for each store or restaurant, which can then be used for comparisons and mapping. The County of Greenville NEMS will be completed in Summer 2013. Presentations have been made at the South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Scientific Obesity Retreat, Piedmont Health Foundation Board Meeting, and Furman Engaged.
- Lipham, L., Powers, A. (2012). Determination of food deserts in Greenville County. South Carolina
Clinical and Translational Research Scientific Retreat on Obesity, Charleston, SC.
- Lipham, L., Powers, A. (2012). Determination of food deserts in Greenville County. Piedmont Health
Foundation Board Meeting. Greenville, SC.
- Edmonds, C., Powers, A. (2012). Evaluation of food accessibility in a community in Greenville, South
Carolina. Furman Engaged Poster Presentation. Furman University, SC.
- Edmonds, C., Schill, B., Powers, A. (2012). Determination of food deserts in two communities in
Greenville, South Carolina. Furman Engaged Poster Presentation. Furman University, SC.
- Hassen, A., Lyerly, R., Mattox, J., Pearman, S., Powers, A. (2011). Determination of Food Deserts
in a Community in Greenville County, South Carolina. Furman Engaged Oral Presentation. Furman
University, SC.
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LiveWell Greenville Access to Healthy Foods workgroup, the Greenville County Recreation District (GCRD), Rhino Concessions and Furman University partnered to increase the number of healthy menu options and marketing of healthy menu options at waterparks operated by GCRD. After receiving a grant from the Piedmont Health Foundation, the partners worked together to identify healthy products, highlight these products with the LiveWell Greenville logo on newly designed menu boards, and advertise these products through point-of-purchase promotions. The purpose of the study was to determine if an increase in the variety, menu labeling, targeted advertising, taste testing and/or coupon promotions of healthy menu options at waterparks influenced the purchase of healthy menu options. Results from this study were presented at the South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Scientific Obesity Retreat. This work will be expanded to other settings in the near future.
- Burt, D., Powers, A. (2012). Healthier concession options at Greenville County water parks. South
Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Scientific Retreat on Obesity, Charleston, SC.
Out of School. The LiveWell Out of School pilot initiative was launched in August 2011 in nine facilities operated by five of the largest out of school providers in the County. A pre-assessment and post-assessment framed this pilot. After modifying the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC), a front line staff member and administrator of the out of school providers involved in the pilot initiative completed the NAP SACC as the pre-assessment. This particular instrument gauged environments and policies that might support or deter healthy eating and physical activity while at the out of school facility. Based on the report from the pre-assessment findings, LiveWell Greenville provided technical assistance during an action planning stage to determine policies or environments that could be changed to promote healthy eating and active living at the out of school facility. After a one year period of implementation for the action plan, a front line staff member and administrator of the out of school providers involved in the pilot completed the NAP SACC as a post-assessment in September 2012. Findings from the post-assessments will be used to gauge success of each facility but also success of the pilot initiative. Plans are underway to expand this pilot to 60 out of school providers in the County of Greenville as a result of the funding received by the Community Transformation Grant Small Communities Program.
At School. Assessment activities are just beginning for the efforts occurring the Greenville County School District (GCSD) concerning healthy eating and active living. LiveWell Greenville recently garnered support from GCSD to conduct a repeat of the 2008 Greenville County Childhood Obesity Study that provided the impetus for LiveWell Greenville. At the beginning of the 2011 academic year, Culinary Creations Initiative (CCI) was implemented in 11 elementary schools. This effort focuses on improving the school nutrition environment through policy changes targeting the cafeteria, classroom incentives and fundraising events in elementary schools. At the beginning of the 2012 academic year, CCI was implemented in an additional 18 elementary schools. The Elementary Student Body Mass Index (BMI) and School Environment Study will begin in October 2012. Presentations of training protocols were provided to physical education teachers and school nurses, who will be assisting in data collection for this study.
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Powers, A. (2012). How to do a BMI. The Epidemic of Obesity: What Can a School Nurse Do? Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center, Greenville, SC.
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Powers, A., The, N. (2012) BMI and the school environment. Greenville County School District Physical Educator Summer Training, Greenville, SC.
LiveWell. The following presentations were provided in various settings to describe the scope of LiveWell’s work, the evaluation framework used for LiveWell Greenville and other projects that resulted from work associated with LiveWell Greenville.
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Powers, A., Dunlap, E. (2012). LiveWell Greenville: Making the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice. South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Scientific Retreat on Obesity, Charleston, SC.
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Powers, A. Lyerly, R., Manley, M. (2012). Sociodemographic, health and environmental characteristics of a minority, low income community in suburban southeast. Active Living Research Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.
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Powers, A. (2012). LiveWell Greenville Evaluation. Furman University Board of Trustees Committee on Academic Affairs, Furman University, SC.
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Powers, A. (2012). LiveWell Greenville Evaluation. Furman University Faculty Retreat, Furman University, SC.
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Powers, A. (2011). The evolution of Gardening for Good. Launch of Gardening for Good – Greenville’s Community Garden Network, Greenville, SC.
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Perry, L., Powers, A. (2009). Activate South Carolina’s impact on weight, body mass index and physical activity participation. South Carolina Public Health Association Annual meeting, Myrtle Beach, SC. Awarded Delta Omega Outstanding Abstract and Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health Outstanding Student Abstract.
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Perry, L., Powers, A. (2009). Activate South Carolina’s impact on weight, body mass index and physical activity participation. Furman Engaged Poster Presentation. Furman University, SC.
Much of my previous research included an emphasis on influencing obesity rates but with a greater emphasis on program development, implementation and evaluation. Some of these projects included:
- Many student research assistants assisted in this work in which we partnered with a local supermarket
chain to obtain data on any items purchased in March 2008. The local supermarket chain provided
information on frequency of purchase of items by SNAP participants and non-SNAP participants.
Student research assistants gathered nutrition information on all food items purchased. Currently,
analysis to allow for comparison of food groups and nutrient density within the food groups between
SNAP participants and non-SNAP participants is underway. This research will provide information that
has not yet been reported in order to better inform policies influencing SNAP distribution.
- Cooke, A., Gunasekera, A., Byess, M., Mangum, J., Powers, A. (2011). Access to Food in Greenville County,
SNAP. Furman Engaged Oral Presentation. Furman University, SC.
- Cone, L., Smith, S., Powers, A. (2009). Food purchasing choices of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) participants in Greenville County, South Carolina. Society of Nutrition Education Annual
Meeting, New Orleans, LA. Juried abstract published in: Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.
- Cone, L., Smith, S., Power, A. (2009). Food purchasing choices and subsequent nutrient density of Food
Stamp Program participants in Greenville, South Carolina. Furman Engaged Poster Presentation. Furman
University, SC.
- Other research at Furman University with colleagues or undergraduate students
- Reed, J., Powers, A., Greenwood, M. Smith, W., Underwood, R. (2011). Using point of decision messages
to intervene on college students’ eating behaviors. American Journal of Health Promotion, 25, 298-300.
- Carlson, M., Powers, A. (2010). Environmental factors within the home associated with lack of physical
activity in children. Furman Engaged Poster Presentation. Furman University, SC.
- Blankenship, B., Mackey, L., Powers, A. (2010). Visual acuity training in softball players. Furman Engaged
Poster Presentation. Furman University, SC.
- Holmes, T., Yu, D., Powers, A. (2009). College student awareness of energy drink ingredients, ingredient
amounts and ingredient effects. National Conference on Undergraduate Research, University of Wisconsin
– LaCrosse, WI.
- Holmes, T., Yu, D., Powers, A. (2009). College student awareness of energy drink ingredients, ingredient
amounts and ingredient effects. Furman Engaged Poster Presentation. Furman University, SC.
- Greenwood, M., Smith, W., Bare, B., Reed, J., Powers, A. (2008). Using point of decision messages to
intervene on college students’ eating behaviors. National Conference on Undergraduate Research,
Salisbury University, M.D.
- Powers, A. (2010). Physical Activity: A Complement to Healthy Eating. Upstate Nutrition Consultants
Spring Workshop.
- Powers, A. (2009). Nutrition for Active Living, Concepts and Controversies. National Strength and
Conditioning Association South Carolina State Clinic, Furman University, SC.
- Powers, A. (2009). Healthy Living. Furman University Bridges to a Brighter Future Life Skills Night.
Furman University, SC.
- Powers, A. (2008). Nutrition for Running. Furman Institute for Running and Scientific Training (FIRST)
Running Retreat, Furman University, SC.
- Powers, A. (2008-2010). Nutrition for Healthy, Active Students. Furman University ROTC. Furman
University, SC.
- Powers, A. (2008). Eating well at FU. Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Furman University, SC.
- Powers, A. (2008). Eating well at FU. Delta Delta Delta sorority. Furman University, SC.
- Products from work Powers assisted with or completed during her time at The University of
Southern Mississippi are listed below.
- Zoellner J., Connell, C., Powers, A., Williams-Avis, A., Yadrick, K., Bogle, ML. (2010).
Does a 6-month pedometer intervention improve physical activity and health among
vulnerable African Americans? A feasibility study. Journal of Physical Activity and
Health, 7, 224-231.
- Zoellner, J., Powers, A., Avis-Williams, A., Ndirangu, M., Yadrick, K. (2009). Compliance
and acceptability of maintaining a 6-month pedometer diary in a rural, African American
community-based walking intervention. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 6, 475-482.
- Powers, A., Yadrick, M., Connell, C., Zoellner, J., Molaison, E., Williams, A., Ndirangu, M.
(2008). A comprehensive process evaluation of a community based participatory research
intervention, Fit for Life Steps. International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical
Activity Annual Meeting, Banff, Alberta Canada. Juried abstract to be published in The
International journal for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
- Zoellner, J., Connell, C., Santell, R., Fungwe, T., Strickland, E., Avis, A., Yadrick, K., Lofton,
K., Rowser, M., Powers, A., Lucas, G., Bogle, M. (2007). Fit for Life Steps: Results of a
community walking intervention in the rural Mississippi Delta. Progress in Community Health
Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 1, 49-60.
- Bounds, W., Powers, A. (2006). Behavioral and cognitive predictors of body mass index in
African American females. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Annual
Meeting, San Francisco, CA. Juried abstract published in: Federation of American Societies
for Experimental Biology Journal, 20(4), A1311.
- Products from work Powers assisted with or completed during her time at Auburn University are listed
below.
- Powers, A., Struempler, B., Guarino, A., Parmer, S. (2005). Effects of nutrition education on second
and third grade students’ dietary behavior and nutrition knowledge. Journal of School Health, 75,
129-133.
- Struempler, B., Powers (Raby), A. (2005). Pizza Please: An interactive nutrition evaluation for
second and third grade students. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 37, 94-95.
- Eck, S., Struempler, B., Powers (Raby), A. (2005). Once Upon a Time in America: An interactive
nutrition evaluation. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 37, 46-47.
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Vitae
o Vitae
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