Results from student-facilitated roundtable discussions at PACE Great Streets townhall meeting in Memphis, TN. This project represents an experiential learning activity at The University of Memphis, Health Promotion concentration in the Department of Health and Sport Sciences.

1. Enhancement of Health Counseling Skills
through Applied Experiential Learning
STOCKTON, M.B., MCCLANAHAN, B.S., & CLARK, S. (2011).
E N H A N C E M E N T O F H E A LT H C O U N S E L I N G S K I L L S T H R O U G H
APPLIED EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING.
2 1 S T A N N U A L A R T A N D S C I E N C E O F H E A LT H P R O M O T I O N
CONFERENCE. COLORADO SPRINGS, CO.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The project was supported by Award Number R21ES016532 from the
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Corresponding Author: Michelle Stockton, PhD
University of Memphis, Department of Health and Sport Sciences
(901) 678-4435 | mstocktn@memphis.edu

2. Background
 Experiential learning is an important training
element yet there is limited research on
engaged scholarship in health promotion.
 Students served as facilitators for a ‘townhall’
meeting of interdisciplinary stakeholders
hosted by the Partnership for Active
Community Environments (NIH-funded) and
the Urban Land Institute. This meeting focused
on the identification of supports and barriers
to building activity friendly environments.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate
engaged scholarship of students
enrolled in a Health Counseling course.

3. Methods: Students
 22 graduate students and 18 undergraduates
enrolled in a health counseling course
participated in this study.
 During classes, students were trained on
counseling skills and focus group facilitation.
 Three additional subject-specific trainings and
practice sessions were conducted prior to the
event.

4. Methods: Townhall Meeting
 During the event a moderator introduced
questions to the entire group. This was
followed by simultaneous table discussions
facilitated by students. Co-facilitators recorded
all comments which were subsequently
submitted to a “theme team.”

5. Methods: Evaluation
 Engaged scholarship was evaluated by two
surveys:
1) self-reported student assessment of course
objective achievement, and
2) attendee perception of meeting discussions.
 Data were analyzed through descriptive
statistics and content analyses.

6. Results
 20 simultaneous focus groups were successfully conducted.
 Meeting attendees reported that participants were engaged
in focused conversations at least 90% of the time.
 Attendee feedback indicated that 97% of the respondents
were “very pleased” with the overall meeting and 98% were
“very pleased” with their table facilitators.
 Content analyses revealed that students (100%) felt better
prepared to conduct a focus group after participating in this
opportunity.
 The majority of students (38 of 40) reported that this
experience improved their ability to apply basic health
counseling skills.

7. Conclusions
 Integrating experiential learning through
engaged scholarship in a health counseling
curriculum will foster students who are
better prepared to work effectively as focus
group facilitators.

8. About PACE

9. What is PACE?
 Funded by a two year grant from The National
Institutes of Health, PACE is a participatory based
grant focused on the incentives and barriers to
building active community environments.
 PACE has engaged key stakeholders of the built
environment (land developers, builders, realtors, residents,
policy makers, designers, and lenders) in discussions to
gain understanding of barriers, supports, and
recommendations for building activity friendly
neighborhoods. It is our hope to work toward enhanced
community involvement and shared vision for healthy
living in the greater Memphis area and beyond.

10. PACE Research Team
 Barbara McClanahan, Ed.D., Ph.D., leads the PACE initiative and serves as the project's
Principal Investigator. She holds terminal degrees in Exercise Science and Leisure
Management and in Interdisciplinary Higher Education. She currently serves as Unit Chair
for the Health Promotion Program in the department of Health and Sport Sciences at the
University of Memphis.
 Michelle Stockton, Ph.D., is a Co-Investigator on the PACE initiative. She is currently an
Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Sport Sciences at the University of
Memphis. Dr. Stockton has a background in clinical psychology, group facilitation,
formative research, and qualitative and quantitative research methodology.
 Kenneth D. Ward, PhD is Faudree Professor and Director of the Division of Social and
Behavioral Sciences in the School of Public Health at The University of Memphis. He also
serves as Adjunct Professor of Preventive Medicine at University of Tennessee Health
Science Center, and Intervention Director of the Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies. Dr.
Ward is a clinical health psychologist and a fellow of the American Academy of Health
Behavior and the Society of Behavioral Medicine.
 George Relyea, M.A., M.S., is currently Assistant Research Professor of Applied
Mathematics in the Center for Community Health and directs Data Management Services
(DMS) and statistical consulting in the Center. He has 28 years experience as a statistician,
programmer, data manager, instructor, and research consultant.

11. PACE Advisory Board
 Connie Binkowitz, Staff Coordinator, Obesity & Diabetes, HMCT
 Rusty Bloodworth, Executive Vice President - Boyle Investment Co.,
 Shunji Brown-Woods
 Jon McCreery, President - Chamberlain & McCreery
 Rick McClanahan, Director Engineering and Utilities - City of Bartlett
 David Parsons, President - David Parson's Construction
 Art Sutherland, III M.D. FACC
 Cristie Upshaw Travis, CEO, Memphis Business Group on Health
 Mark Wofford, President, Dimension Construction, Inc
 Ted Simpson, EVP and Chief Lending Officer - MAGNA BANK

12. Connect with PACE
http://www.memphis.edu/pace/
https://www.facebook.com/PACEforHealth
@PACEforHealth
pace.memphis@gmail.com