Matich honored with Outstanding Dietetics Educator of the Year Award
Renee Matich
Demonstrating long-term commitment to teaching, mentoring, service and promotion of dietetics and nutrition, Mississippi State University’s Renee Matich is the recipient of the 2024 Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Outstanding Dietetics Educator of the Year-Dietetic Internship Award.
Matich, from New City, New York, is a registered dietitian and coordinator of the Dietetics Program at MSU. She shares what it means to her to win this award.
“It is a prestigious award that I am absolutely thrilled and humbled to receive. I am very grateful and honored and it was especially meaningful because I was nominated by former students, many of whom are now mid-career. They recognized me as having an impact on their careers and lives, which is very special,” she said.
To qualify for the award the educator must have been in a leadership position with an accredited dietetics education program, demonstrated mentoring experience and completed community service opportunities. Matich shares the leadership roles she has participated in over the years.
“I have been in practice for 40 years now, so I have upheld numerous leadership positions. I have done research and published in international journals, aided in licensures and Medicare reimbursement for dietitians, where I advocate to legislators to support bills and programs to help promote the profession. Lastly, I am a member and have served on committees of the National Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, as well as the Mississippi Academy of Nutrition, Dietetics and the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior,” Matich said.
She also discussed the MSU Dietetic Internship.
“The MSU Dietetic Internship is an accredited post baccalaureate education program which prepares students for careers as registered dietitian nutritionists. Students must complete a Didactic Program in Dietetics and at least a bachelor's degree before entry. We offer a master’s degree in conjunction with a minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised practice. Interns obtain experience and training outside the classroom from site preceptors. Through experiential learning, interns develop skills and competencies required to become entry level dietitians. Their experiences help them expand their critical thinking and foster professional attitudes, which are essential and beneficial to their future practice,” she said.
Matich values nutrition but she also values giving back to her community.
“I have led students and service-learning activities such as school gardening programs, community health fairs, volunteering at food banks and serving meals at our local casserole kitchen. Serving others with love and compassion to help individuals and communities solve their problems is very fulfilling to me. That is also why I love MSU, because I really think that community service is now a way of life at our university and among our students,” Matich said.
For more information on MSU’s Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences visit www.fsnhp.msstate.edu. For more information on the Dietetics Internship visit www.fsnhp.msstate.edu/students/dietetic_grad.php.
Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.
Chloe Madison | Agriculture and Natural Resources Marketing
