Student Corner

Christin Chan
MBA, Dietetics Undergraduate
Kansas State University's Distance Dietetics Program
Manhattan, KS

I am a non-traditional college student, looking for a career shift to become a Registered Dietitian (RD) after spending several years in another field. I have a BA in English Literature and Chinese from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a MBA with the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater. While working on my MBA, I studied abroad in the summer of 2007 in Madrid, Spain and have completed a travel study course in International Marketing in India during the spring of 2008. I am currently working on a BS in Dietetics at Kansas State University's Distance Dietetics program.

Read Full Interview

Rachelle Ausman
Student, Coordinated Program in Dietetics
University of Idaho
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Student Liaison
Eat Right Idaho Student Blog Coordinator

Hello everyone! My name is Rachelle Ausman. I am from the east side of Washington State, which is home to apples, huckleberries, steelhead trout and small towns. Even though I come from a small town, I have a big heart in helping others lead healthier lives through nutrition and wellness. This passion started early in my high school years, where I was able to help others as a swim team captain, a swimming lesson instructor, a 4-H nutrition presenter, and a Family, Career, and Consumer Science leader.

Read Full Interview

Jackie Yacenda
Student - Foods & Nutrition BS/MS
'09-'11 President - Nutrition & Wellness Club
The College of Saint Elizabeth Morristown, New Jersey

I am a 30 year-old student-for-life! This is my third time back at school. I initially received my undergraduate degree, a BA in Graphic Arts/Digital Design, in 2003 from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. I played both soccer and basketball there at the Division III level. After graduation I moved home to New Jersey for 6 months but I knew I needed to branch out, so I returned to DC. I had missed being in a team setting and I craved being on a soccer team (soccer was my #1, despite my mother's effort to make me the female version of Shaq). I contacted my former coach at Catholic U. and started as the assistant coach for the women's soccer team. I went back to school at George Washington University for event planning and management and in two years received a master’s certificate. 

Read Full Interview

Maria Pugliese
DPD Student
University of Alabama

I was born and raised in Texas, but have been living in Buenos Aires for the past 5 years. I obtained my Bachelors of Science in International Business from Trinity University in 2006, but have since decided to go back to school to follow my passion of nutrition. I am currently a student at the University of Alabama working towards my Masters in Human Nutrition while finishing the DPD coursework. I plan to graduate this May and am in the process of applying for dietetic internships. I enjoy traveling, cooking, running and spending time with close friends and family.

Read Full Interview

Laura Moretti
Dietetic Internship,
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital,
New York, NY

I received my Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a minor in English in 2004 from Rutgers University. After working in financial services for five years I decided to change my career and become a Registered Dietitian. I completed my DPD curriculum at New York University. During this time, I also worked as an Office Manager and Nutrition Research Assistant at Columbus Park Collaborative Eating Disorder Treatment Center in New York City. I am currently enrolled in my Dietetic Internship at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and will complete my internship at the end of August. I plan on taking the RD registration exam this fall and will also return to New York University to pursue a Master’s Degree in Clinical Nutrition. My other interests include traveling, skiing, triathlons, cooking, reading a good book on the beach, and spending time with my family and friends.

Read Full Interview

Christa Petersen
DTR, DPD Student
Montclair State University,
Montclair, NJ

I am a Dietetic Technician, Registered (DTR) with an Associate's Degree in Dietetic Technology. I'm currently a full-time student completing a Bachelor’s degree from Montclair State University's Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) and am applying to dietetic internships for this fall. I am a student member of SCAN and enjoy reading the entire SCAN DPG website, and especially the many “how to tips” about RD career paths in weight management and sports dietetics.

Read Full Interview

Kelsey Wallour
Nutrition Sciences
Baylor University
Waco, TX

I am currently a senior nutrition major at Baylor University in Waco, Texas set to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences in early August. Only a few days later I will start orientation for the DI/MS program at University of Tennessee Knoxville, where Karen Wetherall, MS, RD, LDN, is the internship director. My faculty thesis advisor will be Hollie Raynor, PhD, RD, and in January 2013 I will begin serving as a graduate teaching assistant for one of Lauren Gellar’s, PhD, RD, undergraduate nutrition courses.

Read Full Interview

Angela Luciani
Undergraduate Student
Nutrition Major
Drexel University

My name is Angela Luciani and I am 21 years of age. My hometown is York, PA. Presently, I am a junior at Drexel University studying Nutrition and Foods. Drexel offers a co-op program, which offers students the opportunity to spend 6 months out of the school year to gain on-the-job-experience in the student's area of interest. Currently, my co-op cycle runs from April 2012-September 2012. Outside of co-op and the traditional school setting, my other interests include: working out at the gym or running along boathouse row on the Schuylkill River, spending time with friends, and sorority sisters as well as attending various sporting events! In addition, I hold the position of social chair for my sorority Delta Phi Epsilon.

Read Full Interview

Jessica Alvarez
Dietetics Student
Lehman College

I am an undergraduate in the didactic program in Dietetics, Foods, and Nutrition at Lehman College. I am 23 years old from Astoria, New York. I come from a very ethnic background being Colombian, Greek and Egyptian. My family is quite the opposite from most; my mother is the sport fanatic and father doesn't care for it, so sport was always a big deal. With three brothers and a mother following sports, it was only a matter of time before I did, too. I have always liked sports, basketball and baseball (Celtics and Yankees), but it wasn't until recently that I learned and loved football (Steelers & Panthers).

Read Full Interview

Eric Meredith
Graduate student, Masters of Human Nutrition Coordinated Program,
University of Illinois at Chicago

Over the course of my career, I have done many exciting things which include being a Russian linguist in the US Navy, selling Internet software for IBM and managing multiple restaurants at McDonald’s Corporation. Although I am very proud of my past accomplishments, my true calling is to help people improve their lives through nutrition, fitness and lifestyle education. In preparation for my journey to become America’s healthiest chef, I attended culinary school at the Illinois Institute of Art in Chicago. After culinary school, I gained valuable food service experience at McDonald’s Corporation as a Restaurant Operations Consultant and later as a Director of Business Development for ARAMARK.

Read Full Interview