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.
8000+
Hours of community-based engagement by 150+ Faculty, Professional Staff, Graduate Assistants, and Service-Learning Students annually
3000+
Participants engaged in 1000+ educational sessions alongside 50+ Community Partners annually
200+
Academic Presentations and Publications, with more than 100+ UConn HNS student and alumni collaborators
“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)