Background: Dietary patterns affect both human health and environmental sustainability. Prior research found a ten-unit course on food systems and environmental sustainability shifted dietary intake and reduced dietary carbon footprint among college students. This research evaluated the impact of a similar, more scalable one-unit Foodprint seminar taught at multiple universities. Methods: We used a quasi-experimental pre-post nonequivalent comparison group design (n = 176). As part of the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative, research was conducted at three university campuses in California over four academic terms. All campuses used the same curriculum, which incorporates academic readings, group discussions, and skills-based exercises to evaluate the environmental footprint of different foods. The comparison group comprised students taking unrelated one-unit courses at the same universities. A questionnaire was administered at the beginning and end of each term. Results: Students who took the Foodprint seminar significantly improved their reported vegetable intake by 4.7 weekly servings relative to the comparison group. They also reported significantly decreasing intake of ruminant meat and sugar-sweetened beverages. As a result of dietary shifts, Foodprint seminar students were estimated to have significantly decreased their dietary carbon footprint by 14%. Conclusions: A scalable, one-unit Foodprint seminar may simultaneously promote environmental sustainability and human health.

The John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholars programs provide the opportunity for undergraduate students and recent graduates to explore pathways into the public health field. An important goal is recruiting and selecting students who will benefit from the opportunity. The programs use a variety of methods, including in-person recruitment events, an online and social media presence, and word-of-mouth through alumni and program contact networks. A combination of national and regional recruitment methods helps reach applicants across the country. A holistic application review process focuses on public health potential as demonstrated through essays, recommendation letters, and interviews. From 2023 to 2025, these efforts yielded 9607 applicants and 746 participants (8% applicant-to-participant rate). Participants represented 47 US states and territories, and almost all (98%) completed the intensive program. These findings suggest that a coordinated, multisite recruitment and holistic review model can generate a large applicant pool, support high program completion, and ultimately strengthen the future public health workforce.