Working to dismantle systems through committed partnerships, workforce development, and grounded research
For more than 30 years, UConn Husky Nutrition & Sport has worked alongside children, families, educators, and students to advance health equity through nutrition education, sport, and place-based partnership. Our work bridges community engagement, applied learning, and research to create lasting impact in Hartford and across Connecticut.
3,000+
Participants Per Year
engage in 1000+ educational sessions part of 50+ community partnerships
10,000+
Hours Per Year
leading community-based engagement by 150+ UConn HNS personnel
200+
Academic Contributions
including publications and presentations from 100+ UConn HNS collaborators
Greater Hartford Community Impact
UConn HNS has maintained decades long relationships with Hartford Public Schools, Early Childhood Education Centers, and Community Organizations in Hartford and the surrounding towns. These partnerships have been built around collective efforts to improve health and wellness through a range of educational programs and systems level interventions. We believe that lasting impact requires long-term presence and partnership – building trust through consistency and accountability.
College to Career Development
Our long-term partnerships provide the grounding for transformative educational experiences for UConn Students. Undergraduate and Graduate students across a range of disciplines engage in hands-on, community-based learning that support foundational skill development necessary for effective careers in public health, education, sport, and community development. Through applied leadership, program delivery, research, and evaluation, students gain practical experience while contributing to community impact. This model strengthens both workforce readiness and long-term sector capacity.
Community Invested Research & Evaluation
As part of the University of Connecticut, HNS is uniquely positioned to connect research, direct service, and systems change—contributing to statewide and national conversations on health equity. Our work integrates scholarship with practice. Through community-based action research and evaluation, we generate knowledge that meets peer-reviewed standards while remaining grounded in partner voice.
“I don’t end up in a PhD program—let alone finish one—without UConn Husky Nutrition & Sport. As a firstgen college student from a working-class immigrant family, I didn’ t see people like me in academic spaces. What changed that was being part of a program rooted in community, grounded in equity, and committed to young people. These programs don’t just change individual lives—they shift systems."
Dr. Michael Corral (2019 Ph.D., Educational Leadership, University of Connecticut - Research Scientist, UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools)
“Essential, Impactful, Indispensable, Rooted. These are but a few words that come to mind when I think about the UConn HNS program at Wish School. Run by a team of dedicated professionals with ties to the community, UConn produces a top-tier program that instructs students in healthy eating habits, and physical activity amongst other things. Students at Wish have the pleasure of being supported and mentored by future policy makers, engineers, teachers and leaders. This relationship has a two-fold blessing. Students get to see what they aspire to be, and UConn students get reminded of their “why” daily."
Latoya Martindale (Classroom Teacher at Wish School, 14 years with Hartford Public Schools)
"Our partnership with UConn HNS has been nothing short of transformative for our afterschool program through The Village for Families & Children. UConn HNS has provided our students with handson nutrition and health activities that not only teach the fundamentals of healthy living but also make learning fun and engaging. We’ve seen students develop healthier habits, become more mindful about their choices, and carry these lessons beyond the classroom.”
Gelda St. Juste (Community School Director, Village for Children and Families)
