Three from ETSU Rehabilitative Sciences Dietetics Program receive state honors
JOHNSON CITY (May 11, 2021) – Two faculty members and a student from the East Tennessee State University Department of Rehabilitative Sciences Dietetics Program have received honors from the Tennessee Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (TAND), state affiliate for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
- Dr. Whitney Bignell, assistant professor of Rehabilitative Sciences, was recognized as “Outstanding Dietetic Educator of the Year.”
- Dr. Elizabeth Hall, adjunct Rehabilitative Sciences assistant professor, was awarded “Emerging Dietetic Leader.”
- Peter Malanowski, dietetic intern and graduate student, was recognized as “Outstanding Student in a Dietetic Internship Program for Tennessee.”
“These honors are very prestigious in the dietetics profession,” said Dr. Michelle Lee, vice chair of the ETSU Department of Rehabilitative Sciences. “Nominations are made from across the state, which comprises more than 1,400 highly-skilled, multi-talented professionals and students committed to improving the health of Tennesseans and advancing the profession of dietetics. This year, ETSU and Tri-Cities Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (TCAND) have been well represented at the state level with the announcement of these awards.”
Local nominees for TAND awards may be self-made, or eligible after winning their respective award from local district affiliate, TCAND. Awardees are determined by a committee of designated members on the TAND Board of Directors.
Bignell holds a doctoral degree in foods and nutrition. Prior to joining ETSU, she served as a post-doctoral research associate and limited-term faculty member at the University of Georgia’s Departments of Health Policy and Management and Foods and Nutrition. She currently serves as TCAND secretary.
“I feel incredibly honored and humbled by this award,” said Bignell. “I value our students as the future of the dietetics profession, and I feel grateful to have the opportunity to mentor and encourage them to become leaders in the field of nutrition. I am also excited to connect students with work in our community, as we are developing nutrition education initiatives to serve older adults in partnership with the First Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability.”
Hall has worked as a registered dietitian in clinical care, food service and behavioral health. In addition to her responsibilities at ETSU, where she is also an alumna of the clinical nutrition program, she is a corporate/retail registered dietitian for Food City and serves on the board of directors for TAND and TCAND. Her research focuses on novel methods for nutrition education and interventions in food environments, specifically retail.
“I am passionate about empowering individuals to improve their quality of life through food,” said Hall. “It is an honor to be recognized as a leader in our state for something that I love to do!”
Malanowski is a first-year clinical nutrition master’s student. With an undergraduate degree in education focused on physical education and health promotion and a decade of work in the food service industry, he merged his passions for health and teaching with his food and nutrition interests and returned to school, pursuing dietetics and nutrition. While completing his bachelor’s degree in general dietetics at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), Malanowski shadowed registered dieticians at Jewish Hospital in Louisville. He also has taught nutrition education and cooking skills to youth throughout Kentucky. During this time, he served on the board of the EKU Student Dietetics Association and was an active participant at the Louisville Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
“In my first undergrad, a professor said, ‘a person can’t use exercise and commit to weight loss and being healthy. If they want to see changes, they also need to change their diet,’” said Malanowski. “Health is like a puzzle and has many pieces. Some are easier to see, but all are important. I want to help people realize the impact of changing and making choices that will impact their lifestyle.”
The mission of the ETSU Department of Rehabilitative Sciences is to develop practitioner-scholars who enhance the quality of life for others and communities through interprofessional education, service, and scholarship in the fields of habilitative and rehabilitative sciences.
Both accredited nutrition and dietetics programs are housed in the Department of Rehabilitative Sciences, which recently added two new programs, an undergraduate minor in nutrition and a sport nutrition graduate certificate.
To learn more about the ETSU Department of Rehabilitative Sciences or the nutrition and dietetics program, visit etsu.edu/crhs/rehabilitative-sciences/default.php, on social media at facebook.com/etsurehabsciences, call 423-439-7405, or email rehabsciences@etsu.edu.