COM Outlook Summer/Fall 2020

48 | DR. KIRAN C. PATEL COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE Department of Nutrition: A Team of Superstars “What can I say about team nutrition? We have pulled together as never before. Our students were able to create a collaborative writing project, with the goal of producing credible nutrition website content, and our Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition courses were converted overnight to online with great student feedback. What has been most amazing is the way creativity bloomed in the face of challenges. It is the true essence of the human condition to rise and rethink the impossible. We were stirred as a team to do better, make our contributions matter, and protect everyone the best we could.” —Stephanie Petrosky Grief and Resilience “I had the privilege to teach exceptional students this year, with their true brilliance shining during this time. What has stuck out is their ability to handle grief. Many students have expressed heartbreak due to difficult situations, including the inability to walk for graduation, to say goodbye to friends, and visit family members in the hospital. However, these students have been able to survive and thrive like true Sharks. These are the professionals we are creating—professionals who will change the world.” —Petra Colindres Zooming: An Inside Look into Our Students’ Lives “I meet with my classes online every Tuesday and Wednesday night. What I find most interesting and humorous are all the “happenings” going on in the background of students’ homes. I have met mothers, fathers, kids, siblings, spouses, significant others, and pets. The arbitrary child’s questions, husbands looking at the computer screen, someone cooking in the background, and kitties and dogs making their presence known are all the good stuff we never really get to see. Class meetings have become so much more alive, and experiencing the everyday goings-on are somehow comforting in this unusual time.” —Melinda Luis Never Look Back and Regret “Things have gotten interesting during quarantine. I have been on a laptop all day, bouncing between Zoom calls. Fun fact: I am wearing shorts most days. I’m sure you all are guilty of something similar. I have cooked more meals recently than ever before. Additionally, I have not seen my son for this long since he was a newborn. A quote that resonates says, ‘We will never look back and regret that we spent too much time with our family.’ I am thankful for this time and the flexibility that NSU was able to allow.” —Nadine Mikati Transitioning with the Times NUTRITIONISTS Collective