Nicole Whatley has been hired as the new dietician at the Student Health Center. Whatley is the newest addition to the Wellness Education Department of the Student Health Center. As a registered dietician, she offers free counseling to students who are interested in losing weight, toning up or eating healthier. “It’s a free service for students,” said Kathryn Saichuk, a Wellness Education Coordinator at the Student Health Center. Whatley has already begun meeting with students. She said she encourages anyone with questions about nutrition to call her office and set up an appointment. “We have samples, information and offer programs,” Whatley said. One program is to analyze a student’s diet in order to show what they need to change to achieve better nutrition. They also offer a weight program that allows students to use a weigh-in scale in the office. Some students said they were unaware of the services offered by the Wellness Education Department. “I would definitely be interested,” said Shannon Canning, a computer science junior, of the services offered by Whatley. “I didn’t even know there was a dietician on campus.” Before being hired by LSU, Whatley was a dietician for the city of Birmingham and provided services to city employees. After last year’s hurricanes, Whatley, a native of Lake Charles, decided she wanted to be closer to home and moved to Baton Rouge. She also worked as a clinical dietician at a Baton Rouge city hospital. Whatley, a 2002 University graduate, also attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she did her internship and received her degree as a registered dietician. Whatley said she was excited about the prospect of returning to her alma mater and working with students. “It’s pretty much a dream job for me,” Whatley said. “Students don’t even have to come to the office. They can call or e-mail or get information mailed to them.” The Wellness Education Department is located in the basement of the Student Health Center.
—–Contact Caitlyn Scott at [email protected]