Nutrition Science & Dietetics News
Aziza Mustefa College Marshal Reflection
Good afternoon and congratulations to the Falk College Class of 2015. I want you all to know how honored I am to be standing here. Thank you to my family, my classmates, my friends, and the esteemed faculty and administration for joining us on this joyous day.
I can’t begin my speech without remembering our classmate Sabrina Cammock. Sabrina was one of my dearest friends, a stellar track runner, a brilliant student, and a woman who used her gifts for the greater good. Even though she is not with us today, she is in our hearts and I hope we can keep Sabrina’s memory alive.
Today we celebrate the triumph of completing our college education. Graduating from the David B Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics means that we will be using our education to give back to our communities. In a couple of days, we all are returning to our communities or joining new ones. As Falk graduates, I encourage you all to act on the vision of David and Rhonda Falk. To quote Mr. Falk,
“Global concerns for critical societal issues like childhood obesity, substance abuse, elder care, and malnutrition are at an all-time high. We need dedicated professionals who are committed and willing to give of their time and of themselves. The Falk College’s unique combination that pairs social responsibility and service with experiential learning means students will be well trained to address society’s most pressing issues, finding themselves both where the jobs are—and where they are most needed.”
Now we are the dedicated professionals moving into society to make a difference because, throughout our college careers, social responsibility and community service have been instilled in us. And, we have the tools and knowledge to make a difference. We all embody Scholarship in Action because we know that one person can change lives, neighborhoods and the world.
As we close this chapter in our lives, a new one begins. Before you leave here today, I want you all to recall your fondest memories and experiences at SU. Remember those who were there for you, remember the support from Falk College, and remember how special you are. We all have this bond that unites us.
I encourage you all to dare to dream big, and most importantly don’t shy away from using your gifts. You and I have the power to create positive change in the world and we will.
The benefits of gaining, sharing nutrition knowledge
By: Allison Milch ’18 is majoring in nutrition and dietetics. She is a blogger for What the Health Magazine and is a member of the Nutrition Education and Promotion Association (NEPA). She shares her perspectives below on the many benefits of blogging about health and nutrition
“Walking into my high school reunion brunch during Thanksgiving break, I didn’t expect bombardment of questions and compliments regarding the writing I was working on at school. “Hey, I’ve been reading the blog articles you’ve been posting!” my old classmates uttered. “Allison, I cited one of your articles for a paper I wrote,” said my friend, Katie, now a freshman at the University of Michigan. All semester I had been using social media as an avenue to promote my writing, a new hobby that I describe as my creative outlet. However, I was amazed by the magnitude of positive feedback and readers I obtained in a short period of time.
To this day, I submit blog articles once a week for What The Health Magazine’s website, providing analyses of student attention to health and nutrition, while also incorporating extensive research to support my suggestions and encouragement of a healthy lifestyle. My passion for writing blogs stems from my privilege of choosing my own topics, ranging from the gluten-free diet, a pertinent obstacle in my own life, to the health impact of late night snacking. I believe Syracuse students will perceive the issues I discuss as interesting and relatable, as they are hotly debated in daily conversation.
The greatest reward from writing blog articles, however, is my consistent expansion of knowledge about the field of nutrition. Applying course material in addition to broadening my horizons through research has clarified my interests and has made me more confident in my pursuit of becoming a registered dietician. My articles have also received rave reviews from my friends, classmates, and family, which have further stimulated my dream of writing professionally someday. I am grateful for the extensive opportunities Syracuse University has offered me and I plan to continue blogging and strengthening my writing skills.”
Read Allison’s work for What the Health Magazine’s website
Three Falk College Students Named 2015-16 Remembrance Scholars
Each year, 35 Syracuse University Remembrance Scholarships are awarded to undergraduate students on the basis of distinguished academic achievement, citizenship, and service. Three Falk College students have been awarded this prestigious honor for the 2015-16 academic year:
Julie Bengis, Sport Management
Chistina LiPuma, Nutrition
Hannah Visnosky, Sport Management
“To be named a Remembrance Scholar is one of the highest honors at Syracuse University that recognizes students’ outstanding academic achievement and service, which is consistent with the Falk College’s priorities for all students. We are very proud of Julie, Christina and Hannah—and all of this year’s scholars,” notes Diane Lyden Murphy, dean, Falk College.
The Remembrance Scholarships were established by Syracuse University to honor and remember the 35 students studying abroad with Syracuse University who were among the 270 men, women, and children killed in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988.
Sports Nutritionist Sarah Wick Speaks at Syracuse University April 8
Sports nutritionist, Sarah Wick, RD CSSD LD, will speak at Syracuse University on April 8, 7:00 p.m., in the Life Sciences Bldg., Room 001. She will focus on sports nutrition and how it affects performance. According to Wick, “this is such a growing and exciting field!”
Sponsored by Falk College’s Nutrition Education and Promotion Association (NEPA), a student-run organization that brings together Syracuse University students interested in nutrition and encourages them to share that interest with the surrounding campus and community, the event is free and open to the public. It will be of particular interest to those in the nutrition and athletics fields of study and work, as well as student-athletes.
As director of clinical sport nutrition for Ohio State University’s 37 athletic teams, including the 2015 National Champions in men’s football, Wick has been credited with leading a quiet revolution. Since Wick was hired, the results from players’ improved diets are dramatic. She stresses the importance of a balanced diet heavy on fruits and vegetables and provides players individualized guidance, reviewing body composition and matching it with the physical requirements of each player’s position.
For more information about the event, contact mebriggm@syr.edu.
View an event flier
March is National Nutrition Month
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ theme for national nutrition month, which takes place in March, is “Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle.”
The student group Orange Wrap is planning is a Plinko game where students in the dining halls come to the table, play the game by dropping a disk in one of the slots on top. It can land in one of four categories: sweet, salty, fruit, or vegetable. There will be pictures of snack foods (carrots and hummus, Doritos, lattes, Greek yogurt, etc. ) that fall into these categories that they will pick to answer a question about. They will then receive a giveaway for participating. The activity is designed to educate them on why fruit, vegetables, and whole grains are healthy (what nutrients they offer), and make them aware of portion sizes, fat, calories, and sodium content of the less healthy snack items. Hopefully as a result they will choose healthier snack options. Dining hall schedules will be:
3/16, Ernie Davis, 5:30-7:30
3/17, Brockway, 11:30-1:30 and Goldstein, 5:30-7:30
3/18, Graham, 5:30-7:30
3/19, Shaw 5:30-7:30
3/26, Sadler 11:30-1:30
Get The Lead Out
Falk nutrition students in Orange Wrap recently partnered with the Onondaga County Health Department in giving nutrition tours in local grocery stores to educate families on how to eat healthy to prevent lead poisoning. Foods high in iron, calcium, and vitamin C can protect against lead poisoning, which is a high risk for children residing in older homes within Syracuse. Orange Wrap students provide nutrition education to their peers across campus as well as the local community at-large.
Close-up on successful athletic performance: Sarah Skinner completes internship at St. Vincent Sports Performance
In January 2015, Sarah Skinner, a graduate student majoring in nutrition science in Falk College, secured a four- week unpaid internship with St. Vincent Sports Performance, a national and highly competitive nutrition internship with only four interns selected annually.
For Sarah, the St. Vincent internship allowed her to get a real-world glimpse of her career goal of working with a sport team (professional or collegiate level). The internship was a hands-on sports nutrition experience where she worked one-on-one with potential NFL players preparing to enter the NFL Combine, Pro Days, and the Draft. She was able to work under a registered dietitian (RD) as well as the dietitian for the Indiana Pacers NBA team. Working one-on-one with the RD, Sarah learned how to apply her Falk College nutrition knowledge and research background to real-life situations and clients.
Established in 1987, St. Vincent’s has defined the industry of sports performance by combining performance training, medicine, psychology and nutrition; creating a comprehensive service continuum and bringing an extraordinary level of service to amateur, elite and professional athletes. Currently, St. Vincent’s serves over 19,000 athletes and families annually.
In addition to applying the skills learned in the classroom to real experiences in the sports and performance industry, she was also able to learn new skills to prepare for a career in sports dietetics. She worked with a talented team consisting of a dietitian, strength and conditioning coaches, athletic trainers, physical therapists, and sports psychologists. This diverse group of professionals allowed her to see all of the different aspects of successful athletic performance.
Sarah integrated her nutrition knowledge into her internship responsibilities, creating individualized diet plans to suit each athlete’s specific needs. She performed body composition analyses, monitored hydration status, and created personalized daily recovery nutrition snacks. Sarah also learned how to use Nutribase (a diet analysis software) to analyze food logs. She created nutrition tips to be distributed to USA Track and Field, and still found time to perform literature searches to collect research articles on halftime nutrition effectiveness and hydration status in relation to injuries. Shadowing a respected RD and watching how she interacts with her clients, Sarah was immersed in the entire sports nutritionist’s life. For a short six week internship, Sarah learned more about sports nutrition than she ever thought possible.
“I think it is really important for undergraduate students to pursue what they love, even if there are barriers in place. I had no prior sports nutrition experience when applying for this internship with St. Vincent Sports Performance, and had limited confidence in my ability to get picked for it because of this. However, this experience ended up being something I feel is going to be incredibly beneficial for my future career, and I could not be happier that I pursued it!”
Falk College Community Meet-and-Greet with Dean Murphy
Dear Falk Undergraduate and Grad. Students,
Please join Falk College Dean, Diane Lyden Murphy, and your classmates for a Falk Student Community Meet-and-Greet. A date will be scheduled after Spring Break. Dean Murphy is interested in hearing your ideas about student needs in our new building. What would you like to see in the student lounge? What makes your study space ideal? Hear about renovations in-the-works, including space for student services, food services, and collaborative learning.
Pizza, salad and soda will be served!
Share your suggestions via email.
SUSN Class of 1964 Celebrates 50 Years
Syracuse University School of Nursing Class of ‘64 gathered in Seneca Falls to celebrate its 50th reunion in May, 2014. From the Carolinas, Florida, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Oregon, California, Texas and West Virginia, 17 members of the class of 24 gathered to reminisce, catch up on news, view pictures and memorabilia and just enjoy one another.
This class of only 24 have earned 3 PhDs, more than 10 master’s degrees, and 1 nurse practitioner. We have been directors of nursing in health care agencies, taught nursing, worked as clinical nurse specialists in numerous fields, and served in the military, working in almost every aspect of nursing.
Since graduation, only one of the class is deceased, three could not be located and several were unable to attend. One of the highlights of the event was having dinner with our physician instructor for obstetrics and gynecology, Phillip L. Ferro, MD, who is still practicing and teaching at SUNY Upstate in Syracuse. He traveled to Seneca Falls to surprise the group (only the reunion chairs knew he was coming.)
Since no SU reunion would be complete without Marshall Street memories, menus were obtained from the Varsity and Cosmo’s. Manny’s contributed some mugs and t shirts. Syracuse University and Falk College also contributed items to remind the ladies of their days at SU.
Endless memories were recalled such as females curfews, no slacks on campus, no alcohol on campus, freshman beanies, the Goon Squad, the strict rules and regulations of the Nursing School, snacking on M Street, going to The Orange with a date, and placard cheering in Archbold.
Many of our class lived in cottages that have long ago been demolished to make room for new buildings and parking lots. Our school was located at 107 Waverly Ave. in a metal Quonset hut. We had codes…dress codes, behavior codes and an honor code, all which were strictly enforced. While many of these things seemed a bit harsh at the time, each of the class agreed that our school equipped us well to be the caring professional women we became. It made us good citizens, volunteers, family members and most of all, friends.
Each of us remembered where we were and what we were doing the day President Kennedy was assassinated. Each of us remembered having to graduate in Manley Field House due to inclement weather. Each of us remembered our years at SU and all of the years that have passed at SU, our school, and one another… with a smile!
Prepared by Joan Martin Way, RN, MSN
Good things happen on Mondays
Orange Wrap students Mary Welkie, Laura Dragon and Rachel Mallory, provided samples of wild mushroom risotto to students in Sadler Dining Hall recently as part of the Healthy Monday’s ‘Try Me’ Initiative. Each month the “Try Me” campaign connects students to plant-based food alternatives that have health-promoting benefits. The project is a collaborative effort of Orange Wrap, SU Dining Services and the Healthy Monday ‘Meatless Mondays’ initiative.
Orange Wrap was created in 2005 as part of the Healthy Campus Initiative to provide nutrition education to students across campus. Orange Wrap educators are junior, senior and graduate nutrition majors who are selected, trained and supervised by a registered dietitian. The organization promotes pleasurable and in-tune eating, the adoption of nutrition guidelines for good health, and the prevention of eating disorders through a non-diet approach to nutrition and wellness on campus. Orange Wrap supports the Healthy Monday message through a variety of presentations on topics relating to nutrition and exercise. ORANGE WRAP members will give presentations in locations on campus, including in residence halls and classrooms. Orange Wrap is also available for presentations in the community.
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