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The departments work to accelerate Latino students’ success in higher education this year. The recognition carries a $5,000 financial award of $5,000 to be used to support the winner’s efforts.
Dr. Fatma Huffman, the chair of the Department of Dietetics & Nutrition at FIU, is going to Washington.
Professor Huffman has been at FIU since 1995. She has chaired the Department of Dietetics & Nutrition for the past five years.
Professor Huffman will be in D.C. Sept. 29 to attend the 5th annual Celebración de Excelencia at the U.S. Capital Visitor Center.
There, Excelencia in Education – an organization that informs policymakers and institutional leaders how to best promote policies and practices that support higher educational achievement for Latino and all students – will announce the winners of this year’s Examples of Excelencia awards.
FIU’s Department of Dietetics & Nutrition is a finalist at the baccalaureate level for its work promoting the success of Latino students in higher education through its Coordinated Program.
“Our Coordinated Program offers our students one-on-one mentorship to ensure they are making progress,” said Huffman. “Through a selection process we place students with registered professionals from whom they can get practical training. We combine book learning with hands-on experience.”
Huffman notes that FIU students tend to be bilingual (if not multilingual), a quality that sets them apart once they graduate and enter the professional field.
“It’s essential, to receive good health care, to be understood,” she said. “FIU’s contribution is we produce students who can communicate with minorities and offer quality care.”
A “rich history,” Huffman says, also set the Dietetics & Nutrition apart, adding that winning the award would be “a nice recognition,” one that will continue to elevate the program’s profile. The department was established in 1972 and offers undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. degrees. It currently educates approximately 420 students, many of whom are international students “who have found us.”
“It will be great if we win,” she said. “The $5,000 award would make for nice scholarships or research grants for our students.”
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