Written by: Elena Breese, junior Dietetics and Sports Nutrition major, member of SDA
At Mansfield University the student organization that focuses on nutrition and wellness is known as the Student Dietetic Association (SDA). The main goal of SDA is to promote health and wellness on campus and within the local community. SDA is composed of students in a variety of programs that have a strong passion for nutrition, health promotion, and community engagement. Our students’ work closely with one another, are given opportunities for serving the community, and gain experience in many aspects of nutrition education and health promotion.
Each semester, SDA is involved in various events that are designed to educate students and community members about topics regarding health and wellness. In the 2018-2019 school year, SDA has participated in several community wellness events. These events include, the Hills Creek Triathlon as trail guides, the Race Past Cancer in downtown Mansfield as route guides, a nutrition presentation at Concern Counseling, and Relay for Life on campus to raise money for those effected by cancer. SDA has also hosted several events including an informational booth on eating disorders during National Eating Disorder Awareness (NEDA) Week, a badge-earning event for a local Girl Scouts troop performed our food science laboratory, and a 5K fundraiser where we collect nonperishable food items for our local food bank.
Our organization’s most successful event was a campus Health Fair. SDA worked with the Mansfield University Counseling Center to recruit vendors of various health-related professions from our community to come to campus and present information on health and wellness to the students and staff. SDA also developed our own demonstration to educate students and staff about specific aspects of nutrition. Another event the SDA organizes is the “Internship Talk”, which is a presentations that helps explain the dietetic internship application process to nutrition students. In the past, many students in Mansfield University’s SDA have been accepted into dietetic internships in pursuit of becoming a Registered Dietitian. Several students are interested in becoming nutritionists at WIC offices or nursing homes and others are looking into positions as Community Health Educators, Physical Therapists, Occupation Therapists, and Physician Assistants. Mansfield University’s Student Dietetic Association is very passionate about educating students and community members.
