Framingham State University was well represented at the Massachusetts Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics annual conference in March, as faculty member Suzanne Neubauer and graduate student Taelyr Hair G’19 took home two of the biggest honors.

Dr. Neubauer, who is retiring at the end of the academic year, was recognized with the Outstanding Dietitian of the Year award for her commitment to educating and mentoring dietetic students over the past 40 plus years. She has directed FSU’s Coordinated Program in Dietetics since 1985.

“It absolutely means a lot for me to get this award,” says Dr. Neubauer. “The annual meeting is very special to me, because I have a connection to so many people in the room. I also enjoyed being honored alongside Taelyr, who is an outstanding student.”

Hair, who is set to graduate this spring, received the Outstanding Dietetics Student of the Year award during the event. She received her undergraduate degree at Boston University in Film and Television, but decided her passion was in health and food. She spent two years taking pre-requisite courses in order to get into Framingham State’s competitive master’s level Coordinated Program in Dietetics.

“I am very interested in pediatrics and have done a lot to angle myself into that field,” says Hair, who is a Faculty Graduate Assistant and former president of the University’s Nutrition Club.

Hair did her internship at South Shore Hospital and took on an extra rotation beyond what was required of her in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care) unit in order to gain additional experience. She also volunteered with the Head Start program over the summer.

“Suzanne and Taelyr exemplify why Framingham State has one of the most highly regarded coordinated dietetic programs in New England,” says Dr. Yaser Najjar, Dean of Graduate Studies at Framingham State. “They are both well-deserving of this tremendous honor.”

During her career, Dr. Neubauer supervised 760 registered dietitian-eligible students and has overseen major changes to the program, including expanding it from 16 to 24 students, and adjusting to a new mandate in 2011 that students complete 300 additional hours of internship experience. More recently, she has helped the program transition to a 4+1 opportunity, where entering students can earn both their bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in five years. This important change was made after the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) announced that by 2024, any candidate interested in taking the national registration exam for dietitians will have to possess a master’s degree.

To learn more about Framingham State’s Food and Nutrition Program, visit www.framingham.edu/food-and-nutrition.