BGSU’s Food & Nutrition Faculty Honored

Three members of BGSU’s food and nutrition programs have been recognized by the Ohio Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for excellence in the industry.

Christine Haar2020 Recognized Dietitian of the Year
Christine (Chris) Haar, MS, RD, LD

Christine Haar is the clinical coordinator and program director for BGSU’s Dietetic Internship Program, a position she has held for 22 years. During her tenure, Haar has expanded the number of interns in the on-site option, increased community partnerships and shepherded the launch of a distance option. Haar has been a registered dietitian for 33 years, serving in numerous leadership capacities including president of the Northwest Ohio Dietetic Association and chair of the Ohio Nutrition & Dietetic Educators & Preceptors.   

christina gardner2020 Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year
Christina Gardner, MFN, RD, LD

Christina Gardner is an adjunct faculty member in the food and nutrition program, where she teaches courses in clinical and sports nutrition. Gardner is a bariatric registered dietitian at ProMedica Toledo Hospital and often precepts students in BGSU’s Dietetic Internship. Gardner earned a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics at BGSU in 2015 and a master’s degree in Food and Nutrition in 2017. Gardner is an ACE Certified personal trainer and a member of the Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitian Association. Gardner leads nutrition education for athletes at St. Francis De Sales High School.

Mary Jon Ludy2020 Outstanding Dietetic Educator
Mary-Jon Ludy, PhD, RDN, FAND

Mary-Jon Ludy is an associate professor in the food and nutrition program and interim chair of the Department of Public and Allied Health. She has received numerous awards for her innovative teaching, including the Blinn Award for Faculty-Undergraduate Student Basic Research in 2018 and the Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship’s Faculty Mentor of the Year Award in 2017. Ludy has been a registered dietitian for 15 years. She is president-elect of the Ohio Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and was recognized nationally as the Research Dietetic Practice Group’s Member of the Year in 2018.

The Ohio Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (OAND) is an affiliate of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), the nation's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals.

This is the first time three BGSU faculty members have been honored in the same year.  

“We are incredibly proud of our faculty and this recognition,” said Dr. Jim Ciesla, dean of the College of Health and Human Services. “Our faculty are experts in their field, offering the highest quality of care. Our students benefit greatly from that kind of instruction and mentorship in the classroom.”

BGSU’s food and nutrition program offers a bachelor’s, graduate certificate and master’s. The program has a 93 percent placement rate for students who apply for dietic internships, a necessary step to becoming a registered dietitian nutritionist, compared to the national average of 62 percent.

BGSU’s Didactic Program is Dietetics is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Updated: 02/27/2020 12:49PM