EKU prepares future dietitians to help Kentuckians prevent and manage chronic disease through nutrition.
Kentucky faces major health challenges tied to chronic disease, creating a need for healthcare professionals who can help prevent and manage these conditions through nutrition. Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) Food and Nutrition program is preparing future dietitians to meet that need, with graduates working across the state in hospitals, clinics, community settings and beyond.
“EKU has long been committed to educating the healthcare workforce Kentucky needs most,” said EKU President David McFaddin. “Our food and nutrition program is a powerful example of that mission in action. As Kentucky deepens partnerships in nutrition education, our program and graduates are expanding access to evidence-based nutrition care.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and other chronic conditions are among the leading causes of death.
“Seven of the 10 leading causes of death have a relationship to nutrition, and obesity is a contributing factor in all chronic conditions,” said Dr. Rachel Harrington, EdD, RDN, LD, associate professor of food and nutrition at EKU. “There’s a nutrition component that we can use to prevent, treat, and certainly manage those diseases with food and nutrition.”
Diabetes presents a major chronic health challenge in Kentucky. For Jackie Miller, RDN, ’23, helping patients manage diabetes is personal. Originally from Estill County, she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 15, as were her two older brothers. Her experience with the disease shaped her decision to pursue dietetics.
“I love spending time with my patients and hearing them say, ‘That makes sense now,’ rather than getting a diagnosis and having no idea what it means for them,” said Miller. “Every person deserves to know how to take care of themselves beyond taking their medications.”
Jackie Miller, RDN, ’23
Miller works as a registered dietitian and diabetes educator, helping patients manage diabetes through nutrition and self-care to improve their quality of life. She guides patients in diabetes management, trains patients on technology such as continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps and leads a diabetes prevention program to delay or prevent the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
Miller is one example of the many EKU graduates who take their training into practice across Kentucky.
“Many of our students come from areas with a high prevalence of chronic disease and this is a strong motivator for these students to pursue dietetics and return to their home counties to make a difference,” Harrington said.
Through the food and nutrition program, senior Kylah DeVore, from Richmond, found a clear path to making an impact in her community. After graduating, she wants to become a registered dietitian in Kentucky and ultimately open her own practice in Richmond as a women’s health dietitian and lactation consultant.
“I chose this major because of a deep fascination with nutrition and a desire to strengthen my own relationship with food. Over the course of these last few years, it has turned into a passion for understanding women’s and pediatric nutrition,” DeVore said. “I want to help women feel confident in navigating their health and to encourage children with lifelong healthy eating habits.”
DeVore is gaining experience beyond the classroom through her work as a diet technician at Golisano Children’s at UK, her service as president of Phi Upsilon Omicron at EKU and volunteer work with EKU’s Colonel’s Cupboard, God’s Food Pantry and Food Chain.
“EKU and Richmond have given me so many amazing opportunities, and I am excited to use what I have learned to give back to my community,” she said.
That hands-on approach is a key part of EKU’s Food and Nutrition program. Students learn food service management and food science by running the Café Burrier restaurant. They collaborate with the Early Childhood Development Center at Model Lab to host a family engagement activity including food tasting and education to support positive eating behaviors. As part of their coursework, students practice interviewing at a residential care facility and job shadow professionals working in the field. Students take a field trip to Frankfort to learn about the legislative process and how nutrition policy can affect a community. Many students, like DeVore, also volunteer at food banks and participate in student professional organizations.
EKU’s bachelor’s degree in food and nutrition provides students with the foundational knowledge, hands-on experiences and faculty support as they pursue the next steps to becoming registered dietitian nutritionists through graduate education and supervised practice.
As Kentucky continues to face major health challenges, EKU’s Food and Nutrition program is preparing graduates to meet those needs where they matter most: in the communities, clinics, hospitals, schools and organizations where Kentuckians live and work.
By: Elise Russell
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