- Where are you from?
I am originally from Iran. I left my country for Canada in 2005 to accompany my husband, who was pursuing his Ph.D. We moved to Atlanta, in 2012 and I have been living here ever since. - What do you like to do outside of school? What are you passionate about in life? - tell us about yourself!
Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my husband and my 2 children, taking the boys to the soccer field, and spending time outside in nature. I also love hanging out with my sisters and friends. - Why did you choose to study nutrition? Was there a specific person, experience, or event that sparked your interest?
I’ve always had an interest in nutrition and how it impacts our health. Talking about food has always been part of my family routine conversation due to my father’s health complications related to diabetes. My personal interest in nutrition and my father have fostered my drive to choose to study nutrition. - What made you choose the Coordinated Program in Nutrition program at GSU?
I graduated with a bachelor’s in food science from Iran and worked as a food scientist in the food industry in Canada for years. After moving to the USA, I began asking myself what I wanted to do with my life. I realized that I wanted to take my education to a higher level. I started looking for something that could align with my background and experience and allow me to expand my knowledge in the area of nutrition and health. After doing lots of research, I realized that the CP program at GSU was exactly what I was looking for. - What is your favorite thing about the Coordinated Program?
What I like about the CP program is that I get to see and explore everything from community nutrition to clinical nutrition. During my dietetic rotations, I have had the opportunity to work with different populations and learn about various nutrition pathways. - Did you have any assistantships while you were in the program that helped offset the cost of tuition? If so, tell us a bit about what you did for these assistantships.
Yes! Since the second semester of the program, I have been a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) with the Department of Nutrition. I create exams, quizzes, and assignment questions for students. I also grade assignments and answer students’ questions. - Where do you see yourself after graduation? What type of career would you like to have?
As far as nutrition, I’m interested in everything, and I would like to keep the career path open for myself. However, I see myself working in clinical nutrition and outpatient setting and serving populations living with chronic diseases. I would like to use the education and knowledge I receive in this program to provide nutrition education to this population and help them to foster a healthier lifestyle. - If you could give advice to someone considering studying nutrition, what would you tell them?
I would tell them that there are so many opportunities, needs, and room for growth in the nutrition field. Nutrition is a vast field, and you can take your knowledge in any direction you want and not only in your career but also in your personal life.