CHBS students collaborate to bring movement, nutrition, and joy to Family Engagement Night
College of Health and Behavioral Studies
Students from three College of Health and Behavioral Studies (CHBS) academic areas came together this spring to design and deliver a community‑centered Family Engagement Night in partnership with the Gus Bus, a program housed within JMU’s Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services (IIHHS).
Graduate and undergraduate students representing Kinesiology, Health Sciences, and the Applied Nutrition graduate program collaborated through the Morrison Bruce Center to plan and lead an interactive evening focused on physical activity, nutrition education, and joyful movement for families in the Harrisonburg community.
The Gus Bus Family Engagement Night is designed to support families in developing healthy habits through fun, accessible activities that engage children and caregivers together. The event emphasizes movement and shared learning, aligning with the Gus Bus mission to inspire learning and well‑being in the communities it serves.
“This partnership really highlights what happens when students from different disciplines work together toward a shared goal, in terms of interprofessional learning, student leadership, and community impact,” said Cathy McKay, associate professor of Kinesiology and Executive Director of the Morrison Bruce Center.
Planning and implementation were led by Samantha Holbrook, Morrison Bruce Center graduate assistant, with support from faculty collaborators McKay; Jill Lassiter, associate professor of Health Sciences and Associate Director of the Morrison Bruce Center; and Jeremy Akers, professor and graduate coordinator in the Department of Health Professions. The faculty team intentionally created space for students to apply classroom knowledge in a real‑world, community setting while learning from one another across disciplines.
Students designed stations and activities that blended foundational nutrition concepts with inclusive, family‑friendly movement experiences. Activities were intentionally adaptable to engage children, caregivers, and extended family members together, reinforcing the idea that health and wellness are shared experiences across generations. “For our students, this was more than an event- it was an opportunity to practice collaboration, communication, and community engagement,” Lassiter said.
Students collaborated to translate evidence‑based concepts into engaging, hands‑on activities. For many students, the event served as an introduction to community‑based programming and interprofessional practice.
“Planning for activities where grownups worked alongside their children allowed me to see the impact of family and community physical activity planning.” said Alexis Downey, Morrison Bruce Center student staff member and Kinesiology senior. Fellow staff member and Health Sciences senior, Sitara Soeb added, “It was so great to see families fully engaged together, which was a result of the time and effort our staff took to make sure we focused on 100% engagement.” Applied Nutrition graduate student Kary Hales shared, “Our cohort worked together to plan activities for both parents and children, which was a great challenge! We focused on engagement and key nutrition content and executed it really well!”
Families who attended the event participated in interactive learning stations and shared activities designed to promote joy, connection and confidence around healthy behaviors. One participant shared, “I’ve come to all of the Gus Bus events, and this was by far the best of the year!” The evening reflected the Gus Bus commitment to creating welcoming spaces where families can learn together in ways that are fun, practical and meaningful. “This kind of collaboration allows us to meet families where they are and focus on strengths, joy and togetherness,” Akers said.
The partnership underscores CHBS’s commitment to experiential learning, interprofessional collaboration and community engagement- core values reflected across programs housed within CHBS, the Morrison Bruce Center, and the Gus Bus initiative.
