Nutrition and Food Service Education Foundation Awards LaGuardia’s Nutrition and Culinary Program “Innovator of the Year”
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (July 17, 2024) — LaGuardia Community College/CUNY recently earned the “Innovator of the Year” Award from the Nutrition and Food Service Education Foundation (NFEF), during a ceremony in Reno, Nevada.
Dr. Nicolle Fernandes, professor and director of the Nutrition and Culinary Program and chair of the Health Science Department, attended the ceremony and accepted the award on behalf of the college.
“Receiving this honor is a testament to the outstanding quality of the Nutrition and Culinary Management curriculum and the commitment of its dedicated faculty,” said Dr. Nicolle Fernandes.
LaGuardia was recognized for offering students in the associate degree of the Nutrition and Culinary Program to be selected to the first cohort to attempt the Certified Dietary Manager, Certified Food Protection Professional (CDM, CFPP) credential as a group. The cohort was promised ANFP exam preparation study materials, including textbooks, the CDM, CFPP Credentialing Exam Study Guide, CDM Credentialing Exam Flash Cards, Math Workbook Practice, the CBDM CDM Self-Assessment exam, and a $399 voucher to cover the cost of the CDM, CFPP Credentialing Exam. The grant additionally covered the cost of review sessions conducted by skilled instructors (Registered Dietitians) for credential preparation.
The funding for this program was obtained through a scholarship grant awarded to Dr. Fernandes titled 2022-2023 Health Careers Credentials (HC2) Scholarship Grant.
Fifteen students participated in the program and 12 appeared for the CDM, CFPP Credentialing Exam. Study materials were distributed promptly, and review sessions were conducted as fully immersive hybrid meetings via Zoom. Students were encouraged to meet in smaller study groups, and the instructors provided additional quizzes and tip sheets to assess student progress. All content material, including Zoom recordings, were neatly organized in a shared folder by week and topic for all participants to access. The three instructors conducting the review also appeared alongside students preparing for the CDM, CFPP Credentialing Exam.
“At LaGuardia, we focus on a well-rounded, immersive learning experience offering practical culinary skills, a solid nutritional science foundation, and management training, preparing students to excel in various roles within the food, culinary, and health industries. LaGuardia’s Nutrition and Culinary Management Program students earn four ManageFirst Professional certificates, the Food Protection certificate from NYC Health, the national ServSafe Manager certification, and a Communication Digital Badge from Credly,” Dr. Fernandes said. “As graduates, they qualify to sit for the national Certified Dietary Manager credential through the Association of Nutrition and Foodservice Professionals and receive the Manage First Professional credential upon documenting 800 hours of paid or unpaid industry experience, the first 180 of which are accrued in the required internship of the program.”
Students completing the (CDM, CFPP) credential program unanimously indicated that they would recommend this opportunity to future students. When asked how prepared participants felt before sitting for the national CDM, CFPP Credentialing Exam, eight indicated they felt confident, two indicated adequately prepared, and one indicated somewhat prepared. Overall, participants found the combination of study materials (two textbooks, Study Guide, Flash Cards, Math Workbook, and the CDM Self-Assessment exam) and the review sessions very beneficial.
Participating in this program has not only added a defining career achievement early in the career path of LaGuardia Community College graduates but also created insatiable confidence in their role in culinary nutrition and foodservice. Future students attempting to take the CDM, CFPP Credentialing Exam can also use the materials and recordings created for the review sessions as part of this grant. Instructors who also become CDM, CFPP credentialed as part of this program now serve as examples for students to aspire to get credentialed while also providing first-hand guidance in the steps involved in achieving the credential. Dr. Fernandes will continue to try to secure funding for future program students.
“I hope that, like LaGuardia, the Nutrition and Culinary Management Program will position itself as a nutrition and culinary management education leader, attracting a diverse group of passionate and talented students,” Dr. Fernandes said. “This acknowledgment will inspire continued innovation within our program and underscore the importance of integrating nutrition and culinary education with culinary skills training to address the growing demand for health-conscious culinary professionals.”
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LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC), a Hispanic-Serving Institution, located in Long Island City, Queens offers more than 50 associate degrees and academic certificates, and more than 65 continuing education programs to prepare New Yorkers for transfer to senior colleges and rewarding jobs and careers. An institution of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his advocacy of the underserved. Since 1971, LaGuardia’s academic programs and support services have advanced the socioeconomic mobility of students from Queens, NYC and beyond.
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