| Bastyr University » Academic Degree Programs » Interviews » Dean Spotlight | July 3, 2009 |
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Dean of Nutrition and Exercise Science Offers Advice to Future Nutritionists
Dr. Kestin's pursuit of knowledge and professional development has taken him across the globe from his native Australia to Boston (for a Masters of Public Health from Harvard) and on to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Now at Bastyr, he maintains a focus on educating globally and socially conscious leaders in nutrition and exercise science. We sat down with Dr. Kestin to find out what advice he might have for prospective and incoming students. Editor: What are the advantages of coming to Bastyr for a degree in nutrition or exercise science and wellness versus attending other schools? Dr. Kestin: I'd say we have three main advantages. The first is our focus on a whole-foods based approach. Other schools focus almost solely on nutrients as the basis of nutrition. For them thiamin is thiamin — it doesn't matter if it comes from white or wheat bread. We say it does matter, and you should look at how the whole food affects the body. The second is that, because we're a smaller school, it's much easier for us to update our curriculum and remain on the cutting edge. And you really get to know the faculty here. You're not just a number or a face. Thirdly, we look at nutrition from a very broad perspective. We want our students to understand how food choices affect not only individuals, but families, economies and politics. Editor: Other than those program-specific points, in what ways would a student benefit from attending Bastyr? Dr. Kestin: Firstly, in many ways we're similar to other schools. We are accredited, we focus on grades and studying, and classes are a lot of hard work. Our program is as rigorous as a degree program at a conventional school. Secondly, the whole University community is focused on improving human health. Therefore, we can afford to shape our classes around the idea of wellness. If you go to a large state university to earn a similar degree, you'll end up taking science classes that are much more generic. Here, the sciences are applied more to what the students in this program are interested in. Editor: What advice would you give students preparing to enroll in nutrition or Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) programs? Dr. Kestin: If you're really interested in becoming a dietitian, it would be a good idea to gain some volunteer experience. Volunteer at a food bank or a comparable organization, or contact a dietitian or nutritionist in a hospital, community health center or private practice to ask if you can shadow them. Editor: What is one specific thing students should consider before they enroll? Dr. Kestin: If it's been a while since you have taken science classes, it would be good to brush up on them. The faculty basically assumes you know your sciences and they jump right into the course. Expectations are high. Editor: What's one bit of non-academic advice that you could give students before they arrive? Dr. Kestin: First, if you're moving from far away, get here a little early before your classes start and give yourself time to adapt. And be sure to attend the orientation. A lot of new students have questions about how they'll be able to find a job and work outside of school, and there are students here who can offer advice on those things. Editor: How do you see the Bastyr nutrition program evolving? Dr. Kestin: We want to move toward giving students more options (career-wise) with their nutrition degree. We recently began offering a joint Master of Science in Nutrition and Clinical Health Psychology (MSNCHP) degree, and we get great reviews from organizations that hire those students as interns. As far as I know, we're the only school in the country offering this degree. We're also thinking of adding a more culinary-arts-focused track in the near future. What we would like to do is offer many opportunities for employment as nutritionists. Editor:How effective is the Bastyr program at preparing students to go out in the world and establish their careers? Dr. Kestin: We have a fairly competitive DPD program, and we push students pretty hard. We also work diligently with students to help them obtain internships. As a result, over 90 percent of our DPD students get placed in internships at their first try, compared to a national average of about 70 percent. We know students ask: "What's the point of doing all this work and paying all this money, if I can't get an internship?" They know if they study at Bastyr and make an effort, they will succeed. That's why students want to come here. For students not doing dietetics, we try to make the skills they learn here highly marketable to employers. Interviewed November 2008 |
On Dr. Mark Kestin's first day as a Bastyr University faculty member in 1996, the nutrition program had nearly 50 students and two full-time professors. Now dean of the School of Nutrition and Exercise Science, Dr. Kestin heads a program that boasts nearly 200 students and eight full-time faculty members. The department's growth underscores the increasing public understanding of nutrition as a critical component of wellness and health care, and the emergence of Bastyr University as one of the premier nutrition programs in the country.