dietetics

�� Nutrition and Dietetics graduate program receives full ACEND reaccreditation

Taylor Thomas — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 15:37:31 +0000

�� Nutrition and Dietetics graduate program receives full ACEND reaccreditation Taylor Thomas Fri, 10/31/2025 - 11:37

In This Story

Melissa J. Perry, Sc.D., MHS, MBA

Sapna Batheja, PhD, RDN, LDN

Allison McKay

Allison Miner, EdD, MS, RDN

Martin Binks PhD, MBA

The College of Public Health at �� is proud to share that the Graduate Program in Nutrition and Dietetics has been granted full reaccreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), certifying the program’s status as premier for preparing the future generation for successful careers as registered dietitian nutritionists or nutrition and dietetic technicians.

Registered dietitian students prepare healthy meals for local firefighters. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding.

“Continual full ACEND accreditation is a rigorous process that reflects achieving the highest standards in academic quality and professional preparation in nutrition and dietetics education,” said Melissa Perry, inaugural dean of the College of Public Health. "This achievement is a testament to the dedication of our faculty, staff, and students, whose joint efforts have strengthened not only the program but also our college’s mission to prepare the next generation of public health and nutrition leaders."

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Associate Professor Sapna Batheja, Assistant Professor Allison Miner, Department Manager Allie McKay, and Professor and Department Chair Martin Binks were instrumental throughout the reaccreditation process.

The decision to grant reaccreditation was based on a comprehensive self-study, site visit, and demonstration of the program’s adherence to standards of excellence in accordance with ACEND criteria. The reaccreditation is a seven-year term, through June 30, 2033.

The Graduate Program in Nutrition and Dietetics prepares students to meet the nutritional needs of communities in a diverse, changing world through evidence-based, collaborative practice, are engaged in the professional community, and are dedicated to lifelong learning.

Topics

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies

Registered dietitian students cook nutritious meals for local firefighters

Shayla Brown — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 19:31:36 +0000

Registered dietitian students cook nutritious meals for local firefighters Shayla Brown Wed, 04/10/2024 - 15:31

Students from ��’s Department of Nutrition and Food Studies recently visited the men and women of Fairfax Fire Station 33. They taught the firefighters about responsible nutrition habits and cooked nutritious meals for them in the station’s kitchen.

Marcus Brick (left) and Mark Radish prepare a meal for local firefighters. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The experience was part of the master of science in nutrition degree program with a dietetics concentration in the College of Public Health. The program is a pathway to becoming a registered dietitian nutritionist. The seven graduate students in the MS/RD program will be the first to graduate from this program in May.

“The meal preparation is 100 percent student led, and it has to be a completely original and healthy recipes suitable for the firefighters’ needs,” said Sapna Batheja, program director and an assistant professor of nutrition.

The students were split into three groups and prepped meals during three different shifts at the firehouse following the department’s ABC shift pattern, which covers a three-day cycle.

Master of nutrition students Marcus Brick and Mark Rudich worked on this project together, and their dish was a Green Chili Turkey Chili. Rudich had previously made the dish for his family and wanted to recreate it for the firefighters.

“The parameters of the project focused on firefighter performance,” said Brick. “A big part of the meal was making sure that the firefighters had an adequate amount protein—about half a pound of meat [per person]—for a good amount of energy so they're fueled and ready to go for whatever emergency may come.”

Green Chili, Turkey Chili prepared by registered dietitian students. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

In their research, the students found that cardiovascular disease is one of the largest issues facing the American population, especially firefighters, said Brick. “But you can reduce that risk by eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and supplementing them in any meal that you have,” Brick added.

College of Public Health faculty members Batheja, Lilian Dejonge, Allison McKay, and Allison Miner and registered firefighter dietitian Megan Lautz also attended the dinners.

Lautz has been a registered dietitian since 2015 and has a unique position as many fire departments don’t have an in-house dietitian. She works with dietitian students across the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, including Brick, Rudich, and the rest of their cohort.

Lautz met with the students regularly and provided them with Excel templates to guide them throughout the process, said Brick. “They were really handy to have and made our workload a lot easier to handle.”

“They not only had to research and develop recipes in a professional format, but they also cooked meals for six to nine people, including the fire chief,” said Lautz.

Marcus Brick (top left), Mark Radish (top right), Allison McKay (bottom center left), Allison Miner (bottom center right), and the firefighters from Station 33 pose in front of firetrucks. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

After the meal was prepared, the students gave presentations to the firefighters about the importance of a healthy diet. Brick and Rudich’s presentation featured the myths and cons of green powder diet supplement.

“Public speaking is a big part of being a dietitian, and throughout the course of this program, we’ve had a lot of opportunities to practice educating others on nutrition,” said Brick. “I've tried to stick with topics that I don't know much about to fill in my knowledge gaps as I teach others.”

“Without Megan and this program, I wouldn't have known that firefighter dietitian was a niche that I could go into. I can work with airline pilots, doctors, and so many other patient populations, and the program really helped me prepare for that,” said Brick.

In This Story

Allison McKay

Allison Miner, EdD, MS, RDN

Sapna Batheja, PhD, RDN, LDN

Topics

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies

Students

Registered Dietitian Helps Prepare Mason Dietetics Students to Lead Population Health Through Nutrition

Mary Cunningham — Sun, 28 Aug 2022 21:08:45 +0000

Registered Dietitian Helps Prepare Mason Dietetics Students to Lead Population Health Through Nutrition Mary Cunningham Sun, 08/28/2022 - 17:08

Mason’s new Master of Nutrition dietetics concentration, commencing in fall 2022, will prepare Registered Dietitians to protect the public, remain competitive, and increase recognition of the field.

Registered Dietitians (RDs) play a leading role in population health through nutrition, and new requirements to become an RD will make the profession even more important. This fall, Mason’s first cohort of Master of Science in Dietetics students begins their education to become RDs with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) Future of Education Model curriculum. In the new full-time program, students will earn their master’s degree and complete their internship in two years. Mason is the only program with a main campus in the Washington, D.C., area whose curriculum follows this new best-practice model.

Starting in 2024, a master’s degree is required to take the RD licensing exam. These new professional requirements seek to elevate the field to better protect the public, remain competitive, and increase recognition of the field. Additionally, the changes will improve career satisfaction, professional involvement, and compensation among dietitians, according to the Commission on Dietetic Registration, the credentialing agency for the ACEND, who recommended the changes.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment of dietitians is expected to increase 11% from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations. RDs are the only licensed nutrition professionals in the United States and are held to the highest professional standard of any nutritional profession.

A didactic internship, another requirement to take the licensing exam, has always been a key component to being licensed; however, it is now included in the Dietetics curriculum. A great internship can help students explore different aspects of the dietitian nutritionist field and help them feel more prepared to begin their career. It can also provide a direction for where they want to focus their RD skills.

Lauren Fay, RD, Mason Dietetics preceptor

"One of the best parts of the internship is having opportunities to work in different areas and getting a feel for what branch of dietetics interests you,” says Oncology Dietitian Clinical Specialist at Inova Cancer Institute Lauren Fay, RD. “There are so many different specialties you can work in within this profession. Being able to get a taste, no pun intended, for what might be the best fit for you is an awesome opportunity and really helps when entering the profession.”

The internship requires 280 hours in a clinical setting with a current dietitian. Future preceptors, like Fay, are eager to begin working with Mason students.

“It’s our responsibility as practicing dietitians to ensure the future of our profession is well-trained and it would be crazy for me to miss out on that opportunity to pay it forward,” says Fay. “The difference between in-class learning and internships is that you get to see the application of your knowledge in a real-life setting. I don’t think that can ever be taught out of a book. Seeing a practitioner apply knowledge into a real-life situation gives you a much better understanding of how that information is actually helping individuals and how to apply it in the future.”

The program already has 15 preceptors in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland dedicated to guiding students through their internships. Internship opportunities range from hospitals and private practice to the Center on Aging and sports nutrition.

“Knowing some of their future preceptors, I know students are going to have access to some of the best medical training opportunities that DC has to offer. Being in the DC area is such an amazing experience that benefits Mason students,” says Fay, who is a part of the Advisory Board for Mason’s dietetic internship.

Fay is also a current Mason Master of Public Health (MPH) student with a concentration in Health Policy. She feels that earning this degree will make her a better dietitian and help her further professionalize the field of dietetics. For example, she would like to see RDs present at the table for policy discussions, she says, and she knows the MPH can help her do that.

From obesity to food insecurity and sustainability, Fay and other dietitians are key leaders in public health. Once Fay got involved with Mason, she was inspired to become a student herself, and is thrilled to continue sharing her knowledge with the next generation of dietitians, Mason RDs.

Learn more about Mason's Master of Nutrition, Dietetics concentration that prepares future Registered Dietitians here.