Sara Murphy is a graduate student in our Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetic Internship (MSDI) program, and she recently won a Graduate Student Teaching Award. The award recognizes graduate students who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, including enthusiasm for teaching and learning, mastery of subject area, effectiveness in communicating subject to students, use of creative and innovative teaching techniques and overall effectiveness.
Winners and nominees are honored at a public awards ceremony held during Graduate Student Appreciation Week and receive a commemorative certificate and a monetary prize of $500.
Sara earned her bachelor’s degree in dietetics from Nicholls State University and says she chose the program at UNH because of it’s focus on sustainable food systems.
Sara Murphy: Dietetics is the study of food and the role it plays in your body and in your life.
Sara: I am committed to bettering the health of the communities that I am a part of, specifically the LGBTQ+ community. I want to make our food system and health care system more equitable and accessible for LGBTQ+ folks.
Sara: The thing I would say I am most proud of was the first time I taught a concept to students. The lesson was with a 2nd grade class and was on pollination. Getting to witness the learning objectives actually click for them was empowering.
Sara: I chose UNH because the program I am in (MSDI) has an emphasis on sustainable food systems. Sustainability is something that is personally important to me and I wanted to learn about the ways that I can bring that into my career professionally.
Sara: I plan on working as a registered dietitian in the community setting. I would like to focus on nutrition education for youth and adolescents. Eventually, I would like to pursue a PhD and teach in the university setting.
Sara: I successfully completed the hot ones challenge* twice without drinking anything. The first time was for a friendly competition with classmates, and I won a chicken trophy. The second time was for fun!
*The hot ones challenge involves eating chicken wings, each prepared with a progressively hotter hot sauce.
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