A food and nutrition professor at University of Wisconsin-Stout has been named an honorary member of a national organization.
Kerry Peterson was initiated in April into Phi Upsilon Omicron, the National Honorary Society in Family and Consumer Sciences.
Peterson was nominated by members of UW-Stout’s Tau student chapter of Phi Upsilon Omicron, citing her commitment to “high quality, integrated, applied learning” and dedication to student success in the classroom, community and professionally.
“This is an important organization that promotes lifelong learning, leadership, service and integrity. I was humbled and very surprised to be inducted,” Peterson said.
She noted the satisfaction she receives from witnessing “my students grow
as individuals, successfully complete their program, move on and be successful in their chosen path.”
The honor society, recognized by the National Academic Honor Societies, on average names 10 or fewer members of distinction each year who are active in the active in the field and contribute to a collegiate chapter.
Peterson is a registered dietitian. She earned her doctorate in nutrition at the University of Minnesota and completed a dietetics internship at the University of Minnesota Medical Center Fairview in Minneapolis.
An associate professor, she has taught at UW-Stout since 2008 and is chair of the food and nutrition department.
UW-Stout has undergraduate programs in dietetics and in family and consumer sciences education.
Peterson’s research interests include cholesterol metabolism and more recently farm to school and local food programming. In 2015-16 she was honored with the university’s Maybelle Ranney Price Professorship. She was also a co-supervisor for the Wisconsin Department of Trade and Consumer Protection: AmeriCorps Farm to School Program on campus. The program promotes healthy eating habits, decreases childhood obesity and increases access to local foods in school. UW-Stout was one of 14 sites in Wisconsin hosting AmeriCorps Farm to School members.
Phi Upsilon Omicron recognizes and encourages excellence in scholarship, leadership and service. In addition, with 54 collegiate chapters, 20 alumni chapters and more than 97,000 members, it encourages lifelong learning and commitment to advance family and consumer sciences and related areas.
UW-Stout has Phi Upsilon Omicron members enrolled in several undergraduate and graduate degree programs related to family and consumer sciences, based on guidelines by the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.
The students’ Tau chapter adviser is Carolyn Barnhart, professor emeritus and 2015-16 president of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.
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Photos
Top: UW-Stout Associate Professor Kerry Peterson, front right, explains food pathogens during a demonstration at the 2016 Stout Summit.
Bottom: Kerry Peterson
