Investigating How the First Year Eats Program Affects Students Mentally and Academically

Abstract

The First Year Eats Program (FYE) provides first-year university students among select dorms across Texas A&M University with the option to participate in learning about and taking with them nutritious and delicious recipes including the ingredients to their dorm rooms. By comparing students with similar demographics in the same dorms who did not participate in FYE to students who participated, we wanted to note any significant results between the two populations in terms of their academic success measured by their GPA scores as well as the retention rate along with their mental health which was measured by two surveys: The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the University Belongingness Questionnaire (UBQ). Both last academic year’s batch of FYE students and this academic year’s batch of FYE students have been investigated in this project. Comparing the midterm GPA scores for last year’s students FYE vs. NFYE (Non-First Year Eats) have shown that FYE students showed a statistically significant increase from their Fall 2019 Midterm GPA scores to their Spring 2020 Midterm GPA scores while NFYE students did not show any significant increase to their GPA scores within the same time. For students this year, results have shown that those who participated in FYE have shown a statistically significant and remarkable increase to their GPA scores as well as their mental health compared to those who did not participate once the effects of the program could be seen after a full semester of the program. Some future areas of interest for study regarding the program would be to further investigate other effects outside of GPA scores and mental health.