The Student Dietetic and Nutrition Association (SDNA) encourages and engages students in nutrition related community service. SDNA accomplishes this through social and professional contacts between students, faculty, and other nutrition and dietetics professionals. In addition, the organization regularly participates in University and community outreach projects in effort to place emphasis on volunteering and expanding food related experiences.
To serve the Big Blue Nation, SDNA focuses on outreach through campus events and the Big Blue Pantry. During the fall 2015 semester, SDNA donated over 80 pounds of food to the Big Blue Pantry from Can Castle as well as over $300 to The Kentucky Academy in Ghana from chocolate sales and pepper jelly sales. Volunteer activities with God’s Pantry Food Bank, the Ronald McDonald House, Seedleaf and many other organizations are common as well. These volunteer efforts serve as a great resource for connecting with classmates and learning about the field both on and off campus.
SDNA is involved on the national level with the Universities Fighting World Hunger (UFWH) organization. UK SDNA students are strongly encouraged to participate at the UFWH annual summit which is held every February at a varying location. The UFWH summit provides students with an exciting opportunity to network, exchange ideas and learn knowledge about fighting hunger and hunger-related issues from international experts.
Although SDNA members are primarily from the dietetics and human nutrition degree concentrations, any UK student is welcome to join. Membership dues are only $4 a semester with an encouraged $1 donation to the chosen cause. In the past, SDNA member donations have gone to support The Kentucky Academy in Ghana and The Campus Kitchen at UK. Students interested in joining SDNA can contact Amy Williams, SDNA Advisor, at amy.wwilliams@uky.edu.
The SDNA currently meets every other Monday at 2:00 p.m. in Erikson Hall room 305. The meeting schedule is set each semester depending on class schedules of dietetics and human nutrition classes. Meetings often involve a guest speaker from the field and are led by SDNA officers. The current officers are as follows:
President Mary-Lauren Shelton: marylauren.shelton@uky.edu
Vice President Olivia Hoelker: olivia.hoelker@uky.edu
Secretary Caitlyn Brown: crbr235@uky.edu
Treasurer Alexa McLaughlin: alexa_mclaughlin@yahoo.com
Volunteer Chair Jevincio Tooson: jevincio.tooson@uky.edu
Public Relations Laura Cloud: laura.cloud@uky.edu
Hunger Chair Bridgette Boyer: bridgette.boyer@uky.edu
Hunger Co-Chair Katie Pierce: katherine.pierce@uky.edu
Ag Student Council Representative Brynnan Jacobs: brynnan.jacobs@uky.edu
Big Blue Pantry Representative Alexa Kuziel: alku224@uky.edu
Diversity Chair Lindsay Thoman: lindsay.thoman@uky.edu
The fall 2015 semester chapter of SDNA.
SDNA members (from left to right) Laura Cloud, Caitlin Brown, Denise Schaeffer
and Hannah Bellamy work the Chocolate Sale during the fall 2015 semester. The Chocolate
Sale proceeds exceed $300 and were donated to The Kentucky Academy in Ghana.