We are pleased to announce this year's Mary Eliza Parker Award for Excellence in Nutrition and Dietetics Education recipients, Isaac Alexander and Caleb Tan. Both recipients demonstrated an outstanding commitment to scholarship, research, and volunteerism. Each student is featured individually below so you can learn more about the work they've done and ways to become more involved in these areas. Congratulations, Isaac and Caleb!
Information regarding the application process for future graduates will be disseminated in early 2025.
Mary Eliza Parker, scholar and creative thinker, was a pioneer in college curriculum planning and a leader at Western Reserve University. She was a native of Boston and graduate of Wellesley College with a major in classics. She came to Cleveland to help establish a Department of Household administration and to serve as Head of that Department from 1913 to 1937. Nutrition was an essential component in the Department. The first student identified as a dietitian graduated in 1918. Graduate programs in nutrition were instituted in 1929 under Miss Parker. The Department of Household Administration later became the Department of Home Economics and then, in 1963, the Department of Nutrition.
Learn more about the award here.
Isaac Alexander
Nutritional Biochemistry & Metabolism Major, Biology and Chemistry Double Minor
During my time at CWRU, I founded and led CWRUfit, a health and wellness club aimed at fostering a fitness community on campus. As President, I revitalized the club, establishing its mission to promote healthy lifestyles and fitness education. We provided resources on our website, including nutrition advice and workout routines. Expanding our impact, we partnered with AdvantageCle to educate local Cleveland youth on health and fitness.
I faced challenges in defining and executing our vision, but I learned to set achievable goals each semester. We laid the foundation in the first semester, launched the website in the second, and established a partnership in the third. Despite setbacks, I prioritized adaptability and resilience, guiding the team through obstacles.
Through this leadership role, I gained valuable insights into goal-setting and collaboration across diverse backgrounds. Most importantly, I learned that leadership is about responding effectively to adversity. I'm proud that during my tenure, we successfully achieved our goals and advanced our mission at CWRUfit.
Caleb Tan
Nutrition and Chemistry Double Major
My involvement with University Hospitals' "Addressing Cardiometabolic Health Inequities by Early PreVEntion in the Great LakEs Region" (ACHIEVE GreatER) initiative has been an extremely meaningful and transformative journey. This opportunity has not only allowed me to witness firsthand the disparities in cardiometabolic health among the African American communities in Cleveland (and in Detroit on paper), but it has also made me extremely aware of how close these issues are to our university. As a student, seeing such health inequities within our neighboring communities in the Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) has been a profound awakening. Engaging in various meetings and workshops, I've had the unique opportunity to dive into the lives of these communities. I've seen their strong desire for improved physical health, even with the numerous challenges they face, ranging from access of necessary resources to dealing with the complexities of health literacy. These experiences have highlighted the many factors contributing to health disparities, emphasizing the critical role we as students can play in driving change. Being able to provide guidance and support to these individuals has been incredibly fulfilling. Listening to their stories, witnessing their resilience, and sharing in their moments of joy and progress, every interaction has deeply enriched my understanding of the current state of health in these communities and strengthened my commitment to this cause. The project has enabled me to immerse myself in community engagement, transforming my academic knowledge into practical, empathetic action. Volunteering with ACHIEVE GreatER has given me something that just being a student alone could never truly do. It has allowed me to contribute in person to a project that not only collects data but makes a difference by addressing the early stages of pathogenesis by focusing on the social determinants of health. Integrating innovative REDCap technology with the efforts of community health workers and nurses, we are pioneering a coordinated approach to health management in the African American communities of Cleveland and Detroit. Our strategy prioritizes individualized care, recognizing that each person's journey towards health is unique. By tailoring our approach to meet specific needs, we are more effectively tackling heart health issues, reducing their prevalence, and in many cases, preventing them altogether. The project's potential for growth is immense, and I am hopeful that our successes will pave the way for an expanded impact, reaching more communities in need. Looking forward, I am eager to see ACHIEVE GreatER grow from a local project into a model for larger scale health initiatives. The lessons we've learned here—about the power of technology, community engagement, and personalized care—could serve as a blueprint for addressing similar health inequities around the world. As I continue my journey with this project, I am continually inspired by the strength and resilience of the communities we serve, and I am motivated by the prospect of contributing to a healthier, more equitable future for all.