Dietetics
Curricular Special Options
ACUHO-NACUFS Summer ExperienceIndependent Study and Practicum Experience
Olin Health Advocate Program
Foodservice Experience
Service Learning Center, Volunteer Services (Not for pay experience)
ACUHO-NACUFS Summer Experience
The ACUHO-NACUFS Foodservice Management Internship sponsored by the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International (ACUHO-I) and the National Association of College and University Foodservices (NACUFS) is an eight- week program designed to give students an opportunity to learn and experience one part of the foodservice industry through exposure to a college/university setting.
Purposes of the Program
- Introduce aspiring young professionals to the many challenging opportunities
available in the profession that has experienced tremendous growth and
exciting technological change. - Provide an on-the-job experience that will better qualify the student to assume
responsibilities related to college and university foodservice. - Make available a program that will attract outstanding young people in sufficient
numbers to meet the demand for professional trained staff in this field, and
to make their final academic year more meaningful.
Who May Apply
- All college students in their sophomore, junior or senior year pursuing a program in hotel and restaurant management, foodservice administration, institution management, dietetics or related fields. Students with foodservice experience may also apply.
- Dates will be set by the participating schools for the program to coincide with their summer sessions. Accepted applicants may not be assigned to the school that they are attending.
Students from Michigan State University have found the ACUHO/NACUFS Program to be an exceptional experience. MSU students successfully completing this program can substitute the experience for HNF 445 "Foodservice Management Experience," a course required in the Dietetic Program. Qualifying students would enroll in HNF 445 and pay the tuition fee, but would use the summer experience in lieu of attending HNF 445 class.
For an application, contact Cherie Perkins in the Career Center at 106 G.M. Trout FSHN Building.
Independent Study and Practicum Experience
Independent study is available to students in nearly all departments. For food science and human nutrition, the course number is HNF 490, or it can be taken as an honors option under HNF 490H. Independent study allows students to explore interests in a particular area outside of a normal classroom setting. The professor helps with the exploration by guiding and offering expertise to the student. Overall, this experience can enhance an undergraduate program, experiences and references.
Students wanting to obtain professional experience in selected settings and organizations under faculty supervision may enroll in a 494 Practicum course. Students receive a pass/fail in 494 courses rather than a specific grade. For example, in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, students would enroll in HNF 494 and would work with specific faculty.
Meeting with an adviser is the first step in the process of establishing an independent study or practicum experience. Once the student decides what area to explore, the adviser refers to professors with expertise in a given area. A student’s interests, past experiences and courses completed will be considered when the independent study or practicum experience contract is made.
The following independent studies are available with specific agencies and/or areas of interest as indicated below:
- Olin Health Advocate Program - Lorraine Weatherspoon
- Community Nutrition Practicum - Sharon Hoerr
- Women Infant and Children's Program - Sharon Hoerr
- Foodservice Management and/or Food Industry - Nancy Johnson
- Health Promotion/Worksite Wellness
Students may also work with faculty in other areas.
Olin Health Advocate Program
The Olin Health Advocate Program provides students opportunities to utilize health education/promotion and primary prevention theory and principles to create campus/community awareness of student health issues and concerns. Any student, who can meet the program's training and service commitment, is eligible for enrollment in the Olin Health Advocate Program. It is set up as a three-semester series of 1 credit independent study experiences with Olin Health Center's Health Education Service.
Training for the program is conducted every spring semester. Students train a minimum of three hours per week for the fifteen weeks of the academic semester. Students who successfully complete the training program are eligible for selection into the service component. During the fall and spring semester following training, students selected for service component work four to six hours per week delivering health education and primary prevention services to the Michigan State University student community.
Students selected into the Olin Health Advocate Program become involved in one of four team focus areas: (1) Community Action, (2) Exercise, (3) Nutrition or (4) Sexual Health. Olin Health Advocates facilitate health-awareness workshops, speak out on health issues, promote campus/community activities that enhance health, become involved in health advocacy and policy structures, and provide individual awareness and referral services.
Involvement in the Olin Health Advocate Program is a good way to increase marketability. It provides an excellent experimental learning opportunity that serves to enhance both personal and professional development. Orientation sessions describing Olin Health advocate placement are conducted during fall semester. For more information regarding the Olin Health Advocate Program, contact Olin Health Center’s Health Education Services at (517) 353-0718, or contact Lorraine Weatherspoon in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at (517) 355-8474, Ext. 136, or weathe43@msu.edu.
Foodservice Experience
Students may obtain foodservice experience by employment "for pay" in one of the residence halls foodservices on campus, including Brody, Wonders, Case, Holden, Wilson, Holmes, Akers, McDonel, Hubbard, Owen, Shaw, West Circle (Landon and Yakeley), Snyder/Phillips, and Mason/Abott. Through this experience, students will be exposed to various aspects of foodservice. This experience in foodservice will lay an essential and excellent foundation for success in HNF 445, the foodservice practicum course. Diligent students, exhibiting potential and an excellent work ethic, are eligible for promotion to student supervisor in the residence halls foodservices. Apply in the foodservice manager’s office at the residence hall of your choice and mention that you are a dietetics student.
Service Learning Center, Volunteer Services (not for pay experience)
The Volunteer Services Program at Michigan State University is located in the Service Learning Center, Room 27 of the Student Services Building. Volunteer experiences are very important to a student in planning for the future. The more diet-related work experience one has, the better the chances of receiving a dietetic internship appointment. The experience may help students decide if they have chosen the right major. The Volunteer Services Program at MSU has positions available in hospital and nursing home dietary departments that provide experience in the clinical setting as well as in community programs. Placement in nutrition education programs is also available.
Students must sign up for volunteer experiences online or in the Service Learning Center at the Student Services Building. Check with the Service Learning Center about sign-up dates. The most popular experiences go very fast.
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