Students recognized for leadership and service

Congratulations to Nutritional Sciences Program graduate students Divya Pahwa and Kelsey Kinderknecht for being recognized this year for awards given to students exhibiting excellence in leadership and service. 

Divya Pahwa

Recipient of the 2020 Carrie Cheney Student Leadership Award 

Divya Pahwa, an MPH student and dietetic intern in the Graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics is the 2020 recipient of the Carrie Cheney Student Leadership Award, an award established in memory of Carrie Cheney, a former faculty member who was a leader and mentor for NSP students for many years. The award is awarded to one student each year based on the nominations from their peers in recognition of demonstrated leadership. 

Divya represents our program in many differing governing bodies on campus including the Graduate and Professional Student Senate and the Student Advisory Committee. Divya strives to push the practice of dietetics to the best that it can be, say peers who nominated her for this honor.  She demonstrates this by her involvement on several student leadership committees, and her involvement in the production of several community educational sessions promoting health equity and social justice. She also was the driving force behind the creation of the student organization, Food System Coalition (FSC) in 2019. Since starting FSC, she has worked to expand the reach of the group to bigger and better actions than originally planned. She actively works to make sure all group members’ voices are heard. 

Read more about Divya Pahwa

Kelsey Kinderknecht

2020 Recipient of the Beverly Winter-Eben Student Service Award

Kelsey Kinderknecht, also an MPH student and dietetic intern in the Graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics is the 2020 recipient of the Beverly Winter-Eben Student Service Award which recognizes students who contribute to the program through meaningful service done in a spirit of caring, concern and generosity. The award was established in 2014 in memory of Bev Winter-Eben who served the program as the program manager for 20 years. Students may be nominated for this award by their peers, faculty, or program staff. 

Those who nominated Kinderknect say she consistently contributes to the Nutritional Sciences Program and helps foster a positive student experience through meaningful service. She inspires by her generosity of time, expedient efficiency, exemplary work ethic, humanity, professionalism, and positive spirit throughout setbacks and uncertainty. She displays a genuine caring and concern for others and is wholeheartedly deserving of this award. She is an excellent ambassador for the program and is kind to all she worked with, and handled each challenge with grace. She supports her peers through calm leadership, always willing to support the team and the mission and creating a positive atmosphere.

Read more about Kelsey Kinderknecht 

May 26, 2020