Nutrition Alumni

5th Annual CHHS Farm To Table Dinner Celebrates 10th Anniversary of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies

eander6 — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 13:04:20 +0000

5th Annual CHHS Farm To Table Dinner Celebrates 10th Anniversary of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies eander6 Thu, 10/21/2021 - 09:04

In This Story

Kerri LaCharite, PhD

Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD

The College’s Development team and the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies hosted its 5th Annual Farm To Table event on Friday, October 15^th, with the support of the CHHS Alumni Chapter Board and student volunteers. The event celebrated the bounty of Fall as well as the Department’s 10^th anniversary. Guests enjoyed a jazz ensemble, nutritious appetizers, and a variety of drinks as they mingled outdoors and in the multipurpose room of the Population Health Center. Attendees, including alumni, faculty, staff, and other guests enjoyed a buffet style dinner, including an array of local treats: butternut squash soup, spinach salad, Capon Chicken, beef tenderloin, wild mushroom strudel, and assorted vegetables. Sacher Torte was served for dessert with seasonal apple cider.

Following a brief introduction from Dean Germaine Louis, attendees enjoyed a 10th-anniversary video for the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies. In the video affiliated faculty members reflected on the growth and success of the department.

Constance Gewa, associate professor, talked about how the program become a formal department within the College back in 2011, recalling just how far the department has come in just 10 years. “Because there was no space on campus, we had our offices located on Democracy Blvd, and our kitchen was a former Silver Diner,” remembered Gewa. The first graduating class had 21 graduates.

“…I don’t think that many other programs in this country have such a range of expertise and specifically focus on community nutrition and sustainable food systems,” said Kerri LaCharite, assistant professor. Presently, the department enrolls 57 students who participate in a host of field placements across Northern Virginia.

Members of the nutrition faculty were able to reconnect with alumni.

To conclude, the Chair of the department, Dr. Lawrence Cheskin, discussed the future of the program. “As we become a College of Public Health, it’s very important that nutrition continues to play an important role.” There are 217 alumni in the department to date.

After the presentation, the Vice President of Advancement and Alumni Relations, Trishana Bowden, highlighted the importance of the department. Dr. Cheskin also presented alumni awards to Jaianna Johnson (MS Nutrition ’20) and Jessica Reilly (MS Nutrition ’20), in acknowledgment of their continued support to the department and the College.

See the 10th-anniversary video for the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies here.

All COVID safety protocols were followed at this event.

Topics

College of Health and Human Services Department of Nutrition and Food Studies

CHHS News

Ashley Shaw, MS Nutrition '15

tguingab — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Ashley Shaw, MS Nutrition '15 tguingab Sat, 06/01/2019 - 06:00

Ashley Shaw, MS '15, is a Retail Dietician at ShopRite.

The MS in nutrition program is great if you are interested in community nutrition, policy, and research. I really enjoyed my time at Mason and working as a research assistant for the department made me feel like part of a family. I could always go to my professors for help with anything; they were encouraging and friendly. The diversity of the professors and their backgrounds offers an additional depth to the courses. The projects we did where we were able to interface with people outside of the classroom and apply what we were learning were the most beneficial to me.

Lindsey Seegers, Graduate Certificate in Nutrition '12

tguingab — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 09:00:00 +0000

Lindsey Seegers, Graduate Certificate in Nutrition '12 tguingab Sat, 06/01/2019 - 05:00

Lindsey Seegers, CERG '12, is a Nutrition Educator, Manna Food Center.

My time as a student in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies program allowed me to become further qualified and competitive in the job market, while still working full-time. I had the opportunity to go to Head Start to perform nutrition assessments for children from low-income households. I had the opportunity to research the ramifications of international hunger and malnutrition issues alongside projects on food insecurity among Washington, D.C. families. These contrasting pictures now help me serve as an advocate for Manna Food Center, educating the public on the importance—and the difference—of malnutrition verses food insecurity. Grad school is a wonderful place to explore and discover the field that truly speaks to you. In high school, I never imagined I would be a nutritionist serving families in the region where I was raised. But my studies at Mason made me realize the pressing need right here in my neighborhood.

Brian Head, MS Nutrition '15

tguingab — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Brian Head, MS Nutrition '15 tguingab Sat, 06/01/2019 - 04:00

Brian Head, MS '15, is a Food Services Operations Specialist, Fairfax County Public Schools.

As a food services operations specialist with Fairfax County Public Schools, I believe that the knowledge I gained from many of the program's classes will be very beneficial moving forward in my career. Leaning how to properly research, read, and understand scientific articles and studies will benefit me greatly, as will the ability to write thoughtful and educated reviews of such articles. Being able to go in to a multitude of different communities and work with them to further their knowledge of nutrition is one of the best things I got out of the program. I also believe that the classes that were science-heavy forced me somewhat out of my comfort area and taught me so much when it came to the functions of nutrition and the human body.

Amialya Durairaj, MS Nutrition '15

tguingab — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 07:00:00 +0000

Amialya Durairaj, MS Nutrition '15 tguingab Sat, 06/01/2019 - 03:00

Amialya (Mia) Durairaj, MS '15, is a Nutrition and Health Writing Consultant at Little Octopus

I chose Mason's Nutrition and Food Studies program because it was more interdisciplinary than most traditional dietetics programs. I learned how to critically evaluate scientific literature, which is crucial to my current work. In addition, my professors taught me how to frame a research question and answer it using rigorous methodology. Throughout the program, I honed my public speaking, writing and quantitative analysis skill sets which have all been very important to my current consulting practice. Every day I apply my degree by researching, writing, and facilitating knowledge exchange around topics I studied in many of my classes.

Mengyi Dong, MS Nutrition '15

tguingab — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 06:00:00 +0000

Mengyi Dong, MS Nutrition '15 tguingab Sat, 06/01/2019 - 02:00

Mengyi Dong, MS '15, is a Manager, Goma Tei Ramen.

I chose the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at Mason because I felt the program had room to grow and evolve since it’s still a relatively new program. The professors in the department are very helpful and supportive. I believe I was able to utilize what I learned in my classes in the projects that we completed, and I have taken the skills I learned in nutrition education, food safety, and menu development and applied them to my current job as a restaurant manager. I hope I can contribute to the program’s continuing growth.

Holly Childs, MS Nutrition '15

tguingab — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Holly Childs, MS Nutrition '15 tguingab Sat, 06/01/2019 - 01:00

Holly Childs, MS '15, is an Adjunct Professor, Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, George Mason University.

I had recently moved to DC, so I was looking for a master’s program in nutrition in the area. Once I read the department’s mission and its well-rounded view of nutrition and health, I knew it was the right program for me. I currently teach nutrition education as an adjunct professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies. Through the MS in nutrition program, I gained experience designing and implementing a nutrition education initiative, which has helped me fulfil my job as an adjunct professor. I would encourage students to take full advantage of the opportunities that Mason has to offer. The MS in nutrition program is unique to the area, and the partnerships with local nutrition and health organizations, both in the government and private sector, are boundless. I would also encourage students to start thinking about the practicum vs. thesis option soon after starting the program. Meet with your advisor to get started, and it is helpful to have some ideas of your thesis or practicum project early in the program.