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EMU DIETETICS AND HUMAN NUTRITION NEWSLETTER Summer 2022

Late Spring and early Summer bring new growth to Eastern Michigan University (EMU), in Southeast Michigan. As introduced in our Winter newsletter, eating local is explored in our Coordinated Program (CP), with area farmer's markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and local food hubs providing ways for customers to support local food growth by farmers and production by local food producers. This trend toward local and farm to table is dominant and here to stay ~ and discussed in some of our Dietetics courses, as well. The practice of No Mow May was introduced to Southeast Michigan as well this year, to help strengthen the bee population and improve plant pollination in the area. As food and nutrition-related trends start and take root, so does our education of nutrition and dietetics students. We invite you to scroll through the remainder of this newsletter to see more of what's been happening in and around the EMU Dietetics CP and MS in Human Nutrition Program.

Newsletter Content

Congratulations to the Class of 2022!

Spotlight on Faculty and Lecturers

Student Highlights and Alumna Updates

MSHN Career Updates

Gratitude for UDIM

Dr. Judi Brooks Scholarship Fund

A Student's Tribute to Dr. Judi Brooks

Congratulations to the Class of 2022

Congratulations to our Dietetics and Human Nutrition graduates (and soon-to-be graduates) of 2022! We're so proud of all of you and hope you'll stay in touch.

Those able to travel to EMU's graduation and stop by the Dietetics and Human Nutrition Open House in late April were able to visit and share stories with peers, friends, family, faculty, and staff. A slideshow provided opportunity to reminisce about "favorite memories" in the Programs, along with career plans. Our new and soon-to-be graduates' plans are exciting and expansive ~ everything from starting a business ~ Root & Fruit Nutrition and One Fork at a Time LLC (website coming), as examples ~ to securing employment in an area of interest at a Program experience site, to working toward additional credentialing, and more!

Our Dietetics and Human Nutrition faculty and staff have enjoyed sharing and working with our new and soon-to-be graduates and wish them well, as they move forward toward their credentialing RDN exam and burgeoning careers!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”  Attributed to Mark Twain.

Spotlight on Faculty and Lecturers

  • Dr. Olivia Ford was selected as trustee of the Michigan Nutrition and Dietetics Institute for a three-year term starting in July.
  • Dr. Alice Jo Rainville and Dr. Olivia Ford published in the Journal of Human Lactation: Reducing Lactation Support Disparities for a Marginalized Community Through a Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change Approach: A Case Study in Michigan, https://doi.org/10.1177/08903344211066836
  • Dr. Alice Jo Rainville and Dr. Olivia Ford provided the following poster presentations: 1) Views on the COVID-19 Pandemic and Vaccine Acceptance among Immigrant Asian Americans in Michigan; 2) Development of a Virtual Listening Sessions Toolkit; and 3) Health Communication Messaging among Asian Americans; at the Xavier University Health Disparities Virtual Conference on March 30-April 1, 2022.
  • The Gold Medallion Award was presented to Darlene Bellers MS, RDN, CSOWM and Eagle Nutrition Services (see below)
Eagle Nutrition Services/Darlene Bellers, MS, RDN, CSOWM, received a Gold Medallion award from Student Affairs for "Outstanding Campus Partner 2022."
  • Eastern Michigan University was named a top school for online master’s degrees in 2022, including Best Online Master's in Dietetics (use this link to learn more).

Student Highlights and Alumna Updates

Sara Amidon (Dietetics, class of 2022) was published in Food for Thought, and stated that for this article "...It was a pleasure to cite 2 RDs and a nutritional biochemist that I've gotten to know personally - Amanda Archibald of The Genomic Kitchen (who was also Sara's private practice preceptor), and Greer McGuinness of Biomedical Healing for Kids, along with Dr. Christine Houghton, PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry and founder of Cell Logic out of Australia. They are such pioneers in this field and I really appreciate their work." See the cited publication below.

Amidon S. Nutritional Bioactives, the Seventh Nutrient: An Opportunity for Your School Nutrition Program. Food for Thought: Indiana School Nutrition Association. 2022;59(3):30-31.

Donna Shannon (Dietetics, class of 2022) has been selected to serve a three year term on the Board of Directors for the Academy's Political Action Committee, ANDPAC.

Donna states "I am incredibly honored to be nominated to one of only nine voting seats, among a board whose members include three past presidents of the Academy."
Anneliese Vogler (Dietetics, class of 2022) presented a poster at the EMU Undergrad Research Symposium.
Patricia Terhaar (Dietetics, class of 2022), was part of the EMU Forensics Team that won 3rd place nationally.

Outstanding Student Awards (class of 2022): Nickie Kaetzel for MSHN, Luke Platt for MSCP, and Anneliese Vogler for BSCP. Congratulations, all!

Marc Giant, RD (Dietetics, graduating class of 2016) reached out to update us: I ended up leaving the nursing home setting to start my own virtual online Dietitian business. Through the 12 months that it took to get the business up and running, I truly believed that if I worked through the hard times, the good times would follow. I now run a successful online 1:1 nutrition coaching business helping yo-yo dieters finally find something that works for them to help them lose and keep the weight off forever.I encourage those that want to set up their own business to figure out who their ideal client is and get it down to a niche so that you stand out from others. And to figure out why it is on a deep level you want to go into business for yourself so that when times get tough, you have that “why” to keep you motivated during the tough times. Lastly, repeat affirmations to yourself daily, such as “I hear, see feel and know I AM an entrepreneur” so that you truly believe you can run our own business and work for yourself. Facebook Nutrition Support Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/giantitian. Questions? Feel free to shoot me an email at GiantitianRD@Gmail.com.

MSHN Career Updates

The following MSHN graduates reached out to provide us with the following career updates...

Robert Pastore, PhD, CNS, graduated Fall 2013: "I completed my PhD at Rutgers University in 2018 in biomedical informatics, nanomedicine and clinical informatics. My last publication was right before the pandemic in Nov. 2019 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31063433/). I also have a very successful biomedical/nutrition consulting company.”

Clisty Kinlin, MS, RDN, CDCES, Dip ACLM, graduated Winter 2014: "I have been with St. Joseph Mercy Center for Diabetes, since 2007 as the program coordinator. In 2019, I became certified as a Lifestyle Medicine practitioner with several other colleagues and we are developing the health systems first Lifestyle Medicine program. Our initial class launch was successful, however due to COVID we are restructuring to online asynchronous modules.”

Roxanne Villanueva, MS, RD, LD, CNSC, FAND, graduated Fall 2013: "I was conferred Fellow Status September 2018 and am currently working towards my Doctorate of Clinical Nutrition through the University of North Florida.”

Charles Zeiher, graduated Winter 2021: "I am in year 7 of teaching and year 5 at Saline High School… Please make a note that if I can ever be of help for school-based nutrition work to please reach out!”

Michelle Heimke (nee Sawaya), graduated Fall 2017: No major updates on my career. I continue to work as an RDN inpatient at the University of Wisconsin Hospital in their Burn ICU and Trauma general care units. I recently passed my CNSC recertification and continue to serve on the hospital’s Surgical Nutrition Support Team writing TPN prescriptions.”

Sarah Tutor, graduated Fall 2018: "In addition to continuing to work full time in food service leadership, I obtained a real estate salesperson license in 2020. Additionally, over the last few months I have been slowly working on a website and blog that combine my dietetics and real estate interests: https://www.domestictutor.com I would be happy to help fellow dietitians and students with their real estate needs.”

Anthony Giordano, graduated Summer 2018: "An exciting development in my career is that I just passed the RD exam in December, 2021, so now I'm a credentialed dietitian!”

Tobi Ekunsanmi, graduated Winter 2020: "I currently work as a WIC public health nutritionist”.

John Athamanah, graduated Winter 2017: "Not much new with my career, I am an adjunct instructor at 4 different institutions. My LinkedIn gives a good sense of my recent work history.”

Mary Hrabonz, graduated Summer 2016: "The only thing that is new in my career is that I retired in April and will be recognized by Mi AND in May for 50 years as an RDN.”

Gratitude for UDIM

We express gratitude for the United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM) on our students' behalf. UDIM sponsored three Dietetics students' attendance at the MAND (Michigan Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) conference this spring! The conference was held in Ann Arbor at the Sheraton Ann Arbor Hotel & Conference Center on May 12th and 13th.

Dr. Judi Brooks Scholarship Fund

In loving memory of Dr. Judi Brooks, professor of Dietetics and Human Nutrition for 23 years at EMU. She served in the capacity of Program Director for 6 years and spent the remainder of her tenure doing what she loved best, teaching, mentoring, encouraging and guiding young people into their future professions. Judi’s professional service was far reaching, her accomplishments were many, and she was blessed to have been touched by the lives of countless students and colleagues. A memorial scholarship has been established in Judi's memory to support nutrition and dietetics students. To make a gift of any size visit https://www.emich.edu/foundation/give/index.php?fund=02727 or mail a check to the EMU Foundation c/o Judi Brooks Memorial Scholarship, PO Box 972057, Ypsilanti MI 48197. We hope to reach a $10,000 level for an endowed scholarship fund. Thank you for remembering Dr. Brooks and her contributions to our programs and the university. For questions about this fund, reach out to Christa Reid, Director of Development at CReid20@emich.edu.

Dr. Judi Brooks was respected, dearly loved, and is truly missed by her family, friends, students, and colleagues. Her obituary can be found at this link.

The enamel pin (which is pictured on this faculty member's gown), was created by Dr. Brooks' daughter, Sarah, as a way to honor her memory at the 2022 EMU graduation commencement and beyond.

Dr. Judi Brooks and the and the blueberry sloth pin that embodies Judi's warmth, joy, kindness and character.

Credits:

Created with images by Maya Kruchancova - "strawberries in baskets on wooden table outdoor" • chamillew - "Green growing seedlings of garden plants for planting, shovel, rake and gloves. Sprouts of arugula on foreground." • Dušan Zidar - "Cherry" • gitusik - "Asparagus on the wooden background." • KEA - "radish vitamin salad, sliced fresh radish on wooden Board. salad recipe with seasonal vegetables, healthy diet food. selective focus" • barmalini - "English garden peas plants, ripe yellow pod with shine through peas close up" • Iva - "Lavandula angustifolia bunch of flowers in bloom, purple scented flowering plant" • Volker Loche - "Rietheim Weilheim im Sommer" • Сyrustr - "Lupinus, lupin, lupine field with pink purple and blue flowers" • Blue Planet Studio - "Church of the Good Shepherd, Tekapo, New Zealand" • kuarmungadd - "Cosmos flowers blooming in the morning" • stokkete - "Nutritionist meeting a patient in the office" • Prostock-studio - "Close up of dietologist and patient hands over doctor workplace"