Students in the News

• Randi Vargason
• Randi traveled to Bulgaria for two weeks to take part in Give the Gift of Sight, a mission to provide eye care and recycled eyewear to more than 25,000 people who are underprivileged. The volunteers go around Bulgaria and hand out eyeglasses to people who cannot afford them. The eyeglasses are obtained from retail stores, optometrists' offices and Lions Clubs across the United States. They are then taken to Bulgaria where optometrist's try and match the perscription of the eyeglasses to the patient's needs. Give the Gift of Sight has helped more than 5 million people on five continents through free vision exams and glasses. For more information about this program, visit www.givethegiftofsight.org. The IUP Food and Nutrition Department is proud to say that Randi is a true "Student Star".

• Frances Lechak, M.S., RD, LDN
• Fran is a registered dietetian for Windber Medical Center. She works specifically with the Dr. Dean Ornish Program at the Windber Research Institute. Fran has worked to not only inspire the participants of the Ornish program but also her co-workers. "Her energy is legendary as she seems tireless in her service to otheres, whether she is leading the singing in church, consulting with a patients, assisting a family, mentoring an intern, or deucating students" says Dr. James Vizza, who nominated Ms. Lechak to be one of Our Town's Women of Distinction. The IUP Food and Nutrition Department is proud to say that Fran was not only an undergraduate in our program but a Dietetic Intern here as well. Congratulations Fran!

• Jennifer Pyles, MS, RD and Jennifer Lobick, MS, RD
• Jennifer and Jennifer are registerd dietitians who while finishing their masters here at IUP, published an article in Nutritional Anthropology entitled, "Examination of the National School Lunch Program" in the fall of 2001. In this breif article, they talked about how the National School Lunch Program originated from congressional concern due to "the number of World War II recruits who did not qualify for active duty due to malnutrition". Jennifer and Jennifer specifically studied participants in this program and the nutrient composition of the lunches provided by this program versus non-participants. To read the full article, click on the word "link". The IUP Food and Nutrition Department congratulates both of these women for their achievement!

 

American Dietetic Association (ADA) Outstanding Dietetic Students

The American Dietetic Association joins with its state and district associations to salute the Outstanding Dietetic Students from each state. The recent awards received by IUP students representing the Pennsylvania Dietetic Association include the following:

• Leigh Ann Morgan, 2002 Outstanding Undergraduate Student
• Sandy Bowser, 2001 Outstanding Undergraduate Student
• Michelle L. Lafever, 1999 Outstanding Undergraduate Student
• Wayne V. Strauss, 1999 Outstanding Dietetic Intern
• Ann R. Bresnock, 1998 Outstanding Undergraduate Student

• 2007:
  • Kimberly Stewart, Dietetic Intern, class of 2007-2008. She is an undergraduate alumni class of 2007
• 2006:
  • Ashley Greenberg, IUP undergraduate alumni class of 2005
  • Pao Ying L Hsiao, graduate student
• 2003:
  • Leann Klatt, graduate student
• 2002:
  • Melissa Fabina, undergraduate student
  • Nicole Kinter, undergraduate student

• 2005:
  • Pao Ying L Hsiao, graduate student

 

The Alumni Ambassador Award

The Alumni Ambassador Award is designed to make current students aware of the outstanding achievements of our recent graduates. Each year the Deans of the six undergraduate colleges and the Awards Committee appoint one ambassador to represent each college for the year. Selected alumni ambassadors are welcomed back at Homecoming to hold seminars, presentations, and panel discussions on their professions.

Samuel N. Cheuvront, B.S. 1994, M.S. 1996 1999 Alumni Ambassador, College of Health and Human Services

• 2005:
  • Carla Mancuso, MS, RD (class of 2004)

 

Student Publications

• Pyles, Jennifer and Lobick, Jennifer , both from the intern class of 2001; MS degree 2002.
  • "Examination of the National School Lunch Program", Nutritional Anthropology (Fall 2001; volume 24, number 2), the Official Publication of the Council on Nutritional Anthropology.

• Lauren Melnick, Class of 2005
• Lisa Contella, Class of 2002
• Carrie Race, Class of 2002
• Lisa M. DeCriscio, Class of 2000
• Jennifer Otto, Class of 2000