Hope College

Generous funding from the Dana Foundation was used to continue supporting outreach events at Hope College. We introduced new activities while implementing participants’ favorite activities in order to increase public interest in neuroscience, to especially reach diverse populations (i.e., reaching underrepresented K-12 students and community members), to provide educational opportunities to local community members of all ages, and to provide educational experiences for undergraduate student volunteers and participants. Our focus this year on sport psychology and the positive benefits of engagement with sport to promote improved cognition in the brain was a HUGE success! Our in-person events were engaging, fun, and educational. We especially appreciated being able to engage with participants in person–there is nothing like experiencing the joy of neuroscience and the brain face-to-face (brain-to-brain)! We reached a total of 736 participants through our K-12 outreach activities (by visiting local schools), through after-school programs, a lecture by Dr. Matthew Pontifex, a career forum by Dr. Olufemi Oluyedun, a Hope College faculty member with expertise in the area of sport psychology, and Brain Day, where we invited families to the campus of Hope College to engage in activities relating to the brain and the nervous system.

K-12 participants that we reached through school visits and through our open house commented that they had so much fun. We increased enthusiasm for neuroscience and educated them at the same time. In addition, we successfully got participants moving through exercise, and we provided them with tools to continue to exercise at home to promote a healthy nervous system. Finally, we educated others about neuroscience, exercise, and cognition, including students, family members, and the community.

Advertise events early. Encourage active, hands-on activities from participants.