Dr. Robert Jackson Welcoming Participants and Dietetic Internship Directors for the 2016 Dietetics Program Open House
Our dietetic students work extremely hard for four years and in their senior year, they prepare for the Dietetic Internship program application. The internship is extremely competitive, with a national acceptance rate of 50%, requiring that students understand and are well equipped for the application process. With the Support of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science, the Director of the Dietetics Program, Dr. Margaret Udahogora, RD, is dedicated to helping our students succeed and our matching rate remains more than 20% higher that the national average.
Every year, we host an Annual Open House and invite Dietetic Internship Directors from the area, who come to speak with students about their programs, the application process and how to prepare for success. We extend the invitation to neighboring dietetic programs with students interested in applying to the Dietetic Internship. This year, the event was held on Dec. 9th at the National Agricultural Library. We were very pleased to have students attend from UMD, University of District of Columbia, James Madison University, and University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Students are extremely grateful for this event during which they are able to build their network and take home valuable information to support them in the application process.
The Chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Dr. Robert Jackson held the opening remarks and expressed our gratitude, on behalf of the Department and of the University, for the continued support and invaluable commitment of the Internship Directors in preparing students for internship and as excellent entry level registered dietitian. The following Directors were present during the Open House Event:
Marcy Kane, MBA, RD (Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center Dietetic Internship); Janet Debelius, MA, RD (Sodexo Dietetic Internship); Jessica Representing Marilou Wieder, MS, RD (Cedar Crest College, Dietetic Internship); Amy LaFalce, MS, RD (Virginia Tech, Northern Virginia Site Dietetic Internship); Merel Kozlosky, MS, RD (NIH Dietetic Internship); Cathy Ferraro, MS, RD (University of Maryland, Eastern Shore Dietetic Internship); Avis Graham, PhD, RD (Howard University, Clinical Coordinated Dietetic Internship); Phyllis McShane, MS, RD (University of Maryland, College Park Dietetic Internship); Ellen Loreck, MS, RD (University of Maryland, Medical Center Dietetic Internship)
Internship Directors: Marcy, Marcy, Janet (with Mic), Jessica (Representing DI Director), Amy, Merel, Cathy, Avis, Phyllis, Ellen
Students asking questions to the directors and interns.
We are also grateful to the following : Kirsten Zambell, PhD, RD (NIH Clinical Center) and our Alumni: Leila Crosby ( Virginia Tech Intern), Douglas Kerr (Sodexo Intern), and Melissa Roberts (Sodexo Intern) who kindly came to assist in responding to students questions. We can not miss to acknowledge and thank Lauren Pavone who coordinated this event and Gwyneth Hazel who assisted her in preparing tasty refreshment. Their contribution was essential for the success of this event.
Douglass and Melissa - NFSC Dietetic Program Alumni and Interns at Sodexo Dietetic Internships
Some of the students from UDC
Dr. Margaret Udahogora (second on the right) with UMES, UMD Senior Dietetic Students
