COMMENCEMENT
Dietetics student prepares for a career she loves
Published May 2018
Brittany Twiss spent a lot of time at the public library, searching for an answer to a question everyone asks. “What is the right career for me?”
She was in her 20s. She had just moved to Fargo-Moorhead from Aberdeen, South Dakota, where she had grown up. She had tried college right after high school, but wasn’t passionate about what she was studying. She decided to take a break to work and to find a career direction that excited her.
After hours of browsing the library stacks, a book on plants and nutrition caught her interest. Soon she was paying close attention to food labels. “This is interesting,” she thought as she learned more about nutrition. “I could have a career doing this.”
She knew NDSU had a dietetics program and reached out to Elizabeth Hilliard, associate professor of practice in the health, nutrition and exercise science department, to ask about program requirements. They continued to communicate while Twiss carefully planned and prepared to enroll. She took general courses at other local colleges and worked two jobs to save money for her education.
When she began NDSU’s dietetics program, she was ready and embraced every opportunity. “NDSU has a culture of welcoming, and I felt myself open up,” she said. “Everyone is approachable. There are unlimited opportunities, and people are always willing to help.”
Twiss graduates May 12, ready to start her career in a field she loves. She is currently a dietetics intern at Essentia Health in Fargo. She plans to pursue a full-time job in the Fargo-Moorhead area.
