Nutrition Science

I currently work at Children’s Minnesota as an inpatient dietitian on the cancer and blood disorders unit. Most of the patients I see have a pediatric cancer or hematological condition. I help patients and families navigate a challenging time in regards to nutrition whether they are eating by mouth, via feeding tube or receiving parenteral nutrition.

During my time at NDSU I learned about nutrition throughout the life cycle, which has been especially helpful as I see patients from infancy through early adulthood. The strong focus on medical nutrition therapy for a wide array of disease states has helped me assist patients with anything that may arise during their treatment.

The foundation of my career was laid by the NDSU Dietetic program and I owe them a great deal of gratitude. I could not be more thankful for the faculty who have always been there to support me, well beyond graduation. The small class sizes make the faculty very accessible and makes it possible to form a working relationship. I felt well prepared to enter the job force in a leadership role thanks to the guidance of the faculty and real-world education. I loved the well-rounded and comprehensive program that NDSU had to offer. I went into dietetics thinking I would love one route but life took me in a different direction and I ended up finding myself engulfed in healthcare specializing in weight management which is a place I did not initially imagine myself. Because my degree from NDSU encompassed all aspects of dietetics, I could seamlessly transition from one aspect of food and nutrition to a whole different industry. Career options in nutrition are diverse and it is great to be in a career field that has so many options. I love my job and I get to help people change their lives for the better through nutrition. I could not imagine myself anywhere else.

I am starting my fifth year as an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at the University of Jamestown. In my current role, I teach a variety of Exercise Science, Nutrition and physical activity courses. A few of my favorite courses to teach are Sports Nutrition, SPINSANITY, and Exercise Physiology. NDSU prepared me to be successful in this current role by giving me the proper education and hands on experience. After completing my undergraduate Dietetics degree, I realized that I wanted to go on for my Master’s degree in Nutrition and Exercise Science so that I could better understand the relationship between nutrition and exercise. I often think back to and pull content from what I learned in Food Principles and Metabolism. Being able to practice having our own restaurant was such a fun experience that not only taught food management skills but also social skills. I have also learned that reciting the full Krebs cycle in Metabolism may have been stressful at the time however I am now better prepared to teach it to my students with the education NDSU provided.

In summary, NDSU provided me with the proper education to excel in my career. I felt as though the professors in the Nutrition Science department truly cared for me not only as a student but as a person. I still have kept those relationships and have the upmost respect for my past professors as fellow educators in the field.

My name is Ashley Krogfus and I currently work as a dietitian and diabetes educator at Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater, MN. I work in the outpatient care setting and collaborate with healthcare professionals ranging from social workers, nurse diabetes educators on my team, Endocrinologists and Primary Care Providers. My goal is to achieve my Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist credential in hopes of working with individuals with diabetes to improve their quality of life. My professional career and growth I've experienced as a dietitian are a direct reflection on the foundation I built while attending the Dietetics (former Nutrition Science) program at NDSU.

My path to becoming a dietitian included graduating from NDSU's Didactic Program in Dietetics and earning a master's degree in Exercise/Nutrition Science while completing my internship hours. In my current position I use several skills that I learned while attending NDSU's dietetics (former Nutrition Science) program including multi-tasking, writing professionally, translating research into patient recommendations, and most importantly, the ability to think critically. In addition, this program has a valuable student organization that is involved around campus and the Fargo-Moorhead community. The relationships I built while volunteering were influential on my growth both as a dietitian and healthcare professional.

In summary, NDSU's dietetics (former Nutrition Science) program filled my cup with knowledge, relationships, and the ability to cope with the ever-changing challenges I faced both in the past and present. I am thankful for the time I spent in this program and hope others will experience the same sense of enlightenment.

Go Bison!

As part of my role as a Nutrition Program Consultant, I conduct on-site reviews of schools that participate in federal meal programs to monitor for Child Nutrition Programs compliance. When schools are found to be out of compliance with federal or state regulations, I work with them to develop a plan that ensures measurable improvement in the many areas of school food service operations, including food safety, nutritional quality, and special diets. Another part of my role is presenting concise, accurate, and organized information through technical documents and training presentations.

The coursework I completed at NDSU greatly helped me prepare for my work in this position. The individual attention I received from the Nutrition Science faculty helped guide me to the area of dietetics I was meant to work in, which is a combination of community nutrition and food service. My role requires robust communication skills, which were strengthened during my time at NDSU. The practical experience I received through coursework and supervised practice prepared me to communicate with and teach individuals with various levels of experience in nutrition. I love sharing what I know as a food and nutrition expert with school nutrition service professionals to promote the health and well-being of children and help fight hunger and obesity.

I work as a Child Nutrition Specialist with the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. In my role, I provide training, technical assistance and conduct reviews for Schools and Child Care Sponsors that participate in USDA Child Nutrition Programs (National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program). I have held previous roles in Long Term Care as a Clinical Dietitian and Director of Dining and Nutritional Services. Two exciting events have recently occurred: 1) passing the credentialing exam for the SNS credential of School Nutrition Specialist and 2) being awarded a Team Nutrition Grant to provide training for School Nutrition Professionals Readiness & Retention, I hold the role as Grant Project Director.

The experiences I obtained from NDSU have stacked to supply stairs to where I am at today. Although the list could be much longer, here are a few examples to share: managing the 800 Café provided practical tasks which helped to prepare me for the professional roles I held in food service management while starting a restaurant in the facility I managed. While completing community food service hours at NDSU Dining, I became a MyPlate Ambassador, promoting ‘MyPlate’ in the Campus Dining Hall. Fast forward to the current day, I have the direct opportunity to work with USDA meal programs promoting meal pattern compliance. Lastly, NDSU encouraged us to give back, and I have been fortunate to be a preceptor for students.

NDSU Dietetics (former Nutrition Science) Program encouraged me to become a lifelong learner and become locally involved. Soon after graduation, I realized I missed the connections available on campus and became involved with the Fargo Moorhead Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (FMAND), which I am still involved with today. Being a Dietitian in North Dakota is like living in a small town; you get to know those ‘living’ in your community.

I am thankful for my education at North Dakota State University. I am proud to be a Bison and proud to give back as a team member of the State of North Dakota.

Since graduating from NDSU I have worked in a variety of settings. Clinical inpatient at a rural hospital, outpatient at a community health center, and now as a virtual dietitian. NDSU's dietetics (former Nutrition Science) program exposed me to many different settings and ways in which we can use our nutrition knowledge to help others. I also learned the importance of advocating for the profession of dietetics, which has prepared me well for working in the medical field.

I have learned a lot from each of the positions I have held, and I am very excited to be where I am now. My current position allows me to form deep, long-term relationships with clients. We focus on identity-based goals rather than outcome-based goals and know that our food choices are affected by a variety of factors. In addition to my full-time job as a virtual dietitian, I also started my own meal prep business and cook between 60-70 meals per week for people in my community. I feel that NDSU provided me with a well-rounded education and gave me the confidence to work in multiple settings and areas of dietetics.

My name is Brittany Twiss and I am a Registered Dietitian at Sanford Health. I am currently specializing in outpatient pediatrics as well as endocrinology nutrition education. My educational background consists of: a BS in Dietetics (former Nutrition Science), and MS in Exercise/Nutrition Science (thesis plan).

I started working for Sanford in December of 2018. My journey began as an inpatient RD seeing adults only. I worked part time for 2 years while completing my MS degree at NDSU and graduate assistantship with Dr. Elizabeth Hilliard (she is the BEST!). In early 2021, I moved to an outpatient role and started seeing gestational diabetes patients at the Maternal Fetal Medicine clinic and pediatrics at Veterans Square Pediatric clinic.

In pediatrics, I see various disease states and provide nutrition counseling. Most frequently visits are: type I & II diabetes mellitus, celiac disease, weight management, picky eaters, underweight/failure to thrive, hyperlipidemia, Prader-Willi, and Sickle cell disease. I also work at three various pediatric coordinated treatment clinics (CTC) including: Healthy Lifestyles clinic; focused on weight management and prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus; Lipid clinic; centered on hyperlipidemia, and Myelodysplasia clinic; concentrated on Spina Bifida patients.

NDSU Dietetics (former Nutrition Science) program and HNES graduate degree assisted in preparation for my current role(s) in countless ways, for the sake of time three are highlighted. First, Medical Nutrition Therapy and Metabolism provided a solid base for understanding multiple disease states and how to treat them. Second, having a strong education on the nutrition care process supports understanding where patients currently are and how to best do my job and move forward. Third, the undergraduate, as well as graduate degree, focused on science-based research has ingrained the importance of ensuring to always provide research-supported, science-based nutrition information to patients. Many times there are patients and families that have their own nutrition ideals and it is our job as RD’s to discuss any misinformation that may be impacting their health and healing.

There are countless ways the NDSU programs and faculty assisted in my current role. Best of luck in future endeavors!