Student Corner

Student Corner

Student members are an essential group to our profession and are at the heart of what makes SCAN tick.  Many of our events, programs, and activities would not be possible without the countless volunteer hours put in by dedicated student members. Mutually, SCAN offers many incentives to its student members. These include relevant academic and certificate information, peer-to-peer networking, mentoring, an annual Graduate Student Grant, a Student Award and free or discounted education materials on key topics. Above all SCAN leaders are committed to encouraging and leading students toward successful careers beyond graduation.

SCAN student corner interviews are an opportunity for students to share their nutrition interests, experiences, and goals in any of SCAN's areas: cardiovascular health, sports performance, or wellness.

If you are a SCAN student member and have an experience you would like to share please contact our coordinator, Patti Steinmuller, MS, RD.  If accepted, Patti will contact you and arrange an email interview with you regarding your education, experience, goals for the future, and thoughts about dietetics as a career.  You will be asked to submit your resume and a Web quality photo, if available.  Become a student member of SCAN here.

Request a student interview:

Patti Steinmuller, MS, RD
Student Corner Coordinator

Email: psteinmul@msn.com

     

Congratulations 2019 FNCE Student Stipend Winners!

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Katarina Smiljanec, University of Delaware (Student Council)

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Samantha Kostelnik, Virginia Tech (Student Council)

Careers Paths

The Career Paths were developed by SCAN members who work in sports dietetics, wellness, cardiovascular health, and the prevention and treatment of disordered eating and eating disorders.

Looking to find a SCAN Dietitian in these areas? Search here.

Internship Advice

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17 Ways to Get the Most out of Your Dietetic Internship

Career Information

For more career information, check the ADACareerLink section of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website: www.eatright.org.

Online Continuing Professional Education

SCAN offers a variety of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) opportunities to both members and non-members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Once you have completed the activity, you may take the required quiz online. 

Sports Nutrition Education Programs

Looking for a sports nutrition education program? SCAN maintains an up-to-date list of BS, MS, PhD, and online programs as well as dietetic internships that have a focus on sports nutrition. Access the list here.

For general information about becoming a registered dietitian (RD) or a dietetic technician (DTR), contact the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) here.

Recent Interviews

Ecem Yuksel
Online Didactic Program in Dietetics
Kansas State University

I’m currently an undergraduate student in Kansas State University’s Distance Dietetics Program. I was born in 2001 Istanbul, Turkey. I’ve been ballet dancing since I was four years and after ballet training at a conservatory in Istanbul, I studied ballet for two years at Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet Academy.  I was already interested in the nutrition field and decided to pursue this career. My other interests include cooking and traveling. I’ve also been practicing yoga, the Gyrotonic Method, and Pilates.

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Nicole Thelan
Graduate Student, MS/DI
Graduate Programs in Human Nutrition
Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)
Portland, Oregon

I grew up in a small suburb near Seattle, WA and earned my BS in Food and Nutrition from Seattle Pacific University. I’ve always loved cooking and while at Seattle Pacific I was part of the Community Kitchen program. This program is a student led endeavor with a mission of providing affordable meals to community members and enhancing self-efficacy by teaching meal planning and cooking skills.

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Abby Rudlong, BS Dietetics
Dietetic Intern, Wellness Workdays
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Menomonie, WI

I grew up in Spring Valley, MN on a hobby farm that includes cattle, chickens, a horse, cats, and dogs. I love being on the farm, spending time with my family, four-wheeling, gardening in the summers, and enjoying the peace and quiet that the rural area offers. I also love sports and spending time outside hiking or biking.

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Parker Ackerman
Dietetic Intern
Texas Woman's University
Denton, Texas

I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas and have always loved food, the competitive nature of sports, and how they intertwine. I graduated from Texas A&M University's Didactic Program in Dietetics in December and am currently a Dietetic Intern and Graduate Student at Texas Woman's University in Denton, Texas. Although life is busy, I really am loving the program and have already gained lifelong friends and valuable knowledge that I can apply to my future career.

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Katy Figel, RDN, CD, CDE
Sports Dietitian and Graduate Teaching Assistant
Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA

I attended Washington State University and earned my BS in Food Science and Human Nutrition. I then completed the Coordinated Program in Dietetics through Washington State University in Tacoma, WA. Following, I worked as dietitian for nine years in a variety of roles including eating disorders, corporate wellness, and diabetes. Then, after much thought and deliberation, I made a substantial change and quit my job, moved to Ellensburg, Washington and enrolled as a full-time student at Central Washington University to earn my master’s degree in human physiology.

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Olivia Foote
Undergraduate dietetics student
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI

I am happy to head into my final year in my dietetic program at Western Michigan University. I started my college career solely interested in exercise science, but as I took classes, nutrition stood out to me instead. I switched my major to dietetics and it was easily the best decision I have made for myself.

I enjoy staying active in my college community as President of our Student Dietetic Association, and as a fitness instructor at our student recreation center. Staying busy is something I enjoy, I keep my plate very full as a student but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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Jillian

Jillian Rohlfs
Undergraduate, Nutrition and Dietetics
Rowan University
Glassboro, New Jersey

I am a student at Rowan University of New Jersey studying nutrition and specializing in dietetics. I am in the second year of the program at Rowan and plan to graduate with my BS in Nutrition and Dietetics in spring 2019. I am fortunate that I will be enrolled in a (soon-to-be) accelerated Coordinated Program that allows me to earn my MS degree in Nutrition while completing my supervised practice.

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Madeline Engelking

Madeline Engelking
Dietetic Student
Miami University of Ohio
Oxford, Ohio

Nutrition has been a passion of mine since high school. Studying nutrition is a little easier when you love it so much! I chose dietetics as a major because I believe that it is extremely important for one to study where their interests lie in order to have a gratifying profession.

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JarenSoloff

Jaren Soloff, BS
Dietetic Intern
Utah State University
Logan, UT

I'm currently a dietetic intern with Utah State University, completing a distance education program. I completed my undergraduate training, earning my Bachelor of Science at San Diego State University. I’ve had a wide variety of experiences during my undergraduate in community, clinical, research and outpatient settings. My professional interests include eating disorders, prenatal and lactation nutrition and child feeding practices.

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Heriberto Cruz Guzmán
Dietetic Intern
University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus
San Juan, Puerto Rico

I am currently a Dietetic Intern at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus. I graduated this past May from the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus, having completed my Bachelor’s in Nutrition and Dietetics. I have lived in Puerto Rico my whole 23 years of existence, although I have traveled for academic purposes. In 2011 I took part in a summer internship in Australia (talk about a change in scenery), and I have also been to FNCE and Minorities in Agriculture, Related Resources and Natural Sciences conventions.

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Madison Linek

Madison Linek
Dietetics Student
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH

I am a third year dietetics student at the University of Cincinnati and I hope to become a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) after I become a Registered Dietitian.  I resistance train regularly and believe exercise and nutrition go hand in hand. I would also like to write an article for the SCAN’s “The BEAT” student newsletter.

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Niki Alai

Nicole Alai
MS/Internship Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (M.S./IPND)
California State University
Long Beach, CA 

My name is Nicole. I just finished the DPD program at San Francisco State University and recently began an MS/DI program at Cal State Long Beach. I’m originally from Huntington Beach, California. In 2011, I completed my first bachelor’s degree in Public Health at University of California Irvine where I was also a cross country and track and field athlete. I became a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) before I decided to apply to a DPD program. Actually, I had never heard of a registered dietitian until 3 years ago.

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Mickinzie Lopez, MS
Dietetic Intern
Meredith College
Raleigh, NC

I recently graduated with a Master’s degree in Nutrition from Bastyr University and have relocated to San Diego, California as a distance intern with Meredith College. My interests change frequently, but I am currently enjoying learning how to surf and training for various races in the year ahead, including the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco, Ragnar Relays in Las Vegas, and the Raleigh Half Ironman.

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Jessica Isaacs
Dietetic Program
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN

I am a non-traditional student (29-year-old mother and wife) in my junior year in the Dietetics Program at Purdue University. After high school I joined the Air Force where I spent 3 years before having my daughter and separating from the military. After leaving the Air Force, I started pursuing my degree with the intention of becoming a nurse—until I fell in love with nutrition.

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Zack

Zachary Grunewald
Graduate Student/ Dietetic Intern
Department of Foods & Nutrition University of Georgia
Athens, GA

I am a Master’s student and dietetic intern at the University of Georgia (UGA). In spring 2014, I graduated with honors from Florida State University (FSU) with degrees in dietetics as well as food and nutrition. Through exploring nutrition and research at FSU, I found that the field of nutrition was great for me. I applied for combined MS/DI programs in 2014 and was accepted into the combined MS/DI at the UGA.

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Kelly Sloan

Kelly Sloan
Dietetics Student
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Honolulu, HI

I am a senior in the dietetics undergraduate program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. I am a staff writer for the university newspaper, Ka Leo O Hawai’i and have my own food blog: www.kellyfoodparadise.com. I enjoy food, nutrition, hiking and writing. In my spare time I love to sing, play soccer and bake healthy goodies. I am from Long Beach, southern California, and I am excited to start the next chapter of my life next year when I apply for a dietetic internship or graduate school.

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Kristina Comer

Kristina Comer
Graduate Student
Sports Nutrition at the
University of Colorado - Colorado Springs, CO

I am currently at candidate for an MSc in Sports Nutrition at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS), where I will graduate later this year! I grew up in Georgia and received my BS in Dietetics and a Minor in Dance from the University of Georgia (UGA). I love ballet, running, yoga, hiking, and just completed my first full marathon! I love living in Colorado around the beautiful mountains, exploring new areas of the state, and am excited to move to Denver this summer to begin my Dietetic Internship at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO.

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Gavin Van De Walle

Gavin Van De Walle
Dietetic Student
Nutrition and Food Science
South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD

Currently I am a junior studying nutrition and food science with a specialization in dietetics at South Dakota State University (SDSU). In addition to the full time responsibilities as a student, I stay very active in the fitness industry. I am a current International Sports Science Association – Certified Fitness Trainer, a student member of the American College of Sports Medicine, and compete as a natural competitive bodybuilder in the North American Natural Bodybuilding Federation. This combination of nutrition and fitness experience has opened a variety of opportunities. I write articles and blogs for a variety of websites – including SCAN’s Blog – focusing on fitness and sports nutrition. I also contribute to SDSU’s student newspaper as a nutrition and fitness columnist.

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Oliver E. Lopez
Graduate Student,
Nutrition and Food Science
Hunter College, New York, NY

My name is Oliver Lopez and I have a BA in sociology. I am currently working on my BS-MS in Nutrition and Food Science at Hunter College in New York City. I’m interested in sports nutrition and in learning how eating the right foods can fuel better performance and recovery. I am currently wrestling for the New York Athletic Club where I compete in the Greco-Roman style of wrestling in national tournaments.

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Christin Chan

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.

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Christa Petersen

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.

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Rachelle Ausman

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.

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Jessica Alvarez

Jessica Alverez
Dietetics Student,
Lehman College,
Bronx, NY

My name is Jessica Alvarez and 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).

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Laura Moretti

Laura Moretti
Dietetic Internship,
New York-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.

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