Mentoring philosophy yields nutrition professor Outstanding Dietetics Educator Award

It’s not every day a student writes a letter of recommendation for a professor. Unbeknownst to associate clinical professor of nutrition Tania Rivera, she received several, and the reward was, well, outstanding. Literally.

Rivera, a clinical registered dietitian and Ph.D. candidate in the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, received the Outstanding Dietetics Educator Award from the American Dietetic Association (ADA) in March. One of only 20 educators selected nationwide, the award recognizes “the teaching, mentoring, and leadership activities of faculty and preceptors,” in accredited dietetics programs across the country.

Rivera was nominated by her students for the award at the state level, and then was selected by the Florida committee for consideration at the national level. She is the only educator from Florida to receive the award, which was mentioned in the September issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Rivera, who teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in clinical and medical nutrition, credits the distinction to a true pride for her profession and a strong mentoring philosophy.

“I do love what I do. I have only been fulltime faculty for five years, so I was quite honored because many of the people who get these awards are much older, and have been at their jobs for a long time,” said Rivera.  “And it means even more that this award was because of my students and from not other professionals.”