LSU College of Agriculture Dietitian Named Outstanding Educator

BATON ROUGE, La. — The director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics in the LSU School of Nutrition and Food Sciences has been named an outstanding educator by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the largest organization of nutrition and dietetics practitioners.

Erin McKinley, an associate professor who is also the graduate coordinator for the school, will receive the Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors Outstanding Dietetic Educator Award in the Didactic Program in Dietetics category for the South Central Region. 

McKinley is a passionate, generous and charismatic educator, said Brooke Lowenkron, an LSU alumna who graduated in 2020 and nominated McKinley for the award.

“Her leadership empowers early career professionals to reach their greatest potential by identifying and nurturing individual strengths and by serving as a conduit for professional development and advancement,” Lowenkron said. “Educating, motivating, mentoring and serving students is not only a career for Dr. McKinley — it is also a calling.”

McKinley joined the LSU College of Agriculture in March of 2018. She received a Master of Science in human nutrition and a doctorate in health education and health promotion from the University of Alabama.

Before studying to become a registered dietitian, McKinley worked in hospitality marketing. She feels her work experience outside of the nutrition and academic sectors helps her better understand students’ struggles.

“We have a lot more nontraditional students who are finding dietetics, and I feel I relate to them because I have been there,” she said. “I’m making sure that things are laid out clearly for our students, so they understand what they’re taking on when they come into our major.”

McKinley stresses to students that they can all be successful in their own way.

“I try to work with our students to help them realize that they each have a place in our profession,” McKinley said. “They just have to find their niche.”

McKinley teaches three classes: Professionalism in Dietetics, Community Nutrition, and Contemporary Topics in Nutrition. She also hosts a podcast focused on student success titled “Geauxing All In: Get the Edge You Need to Succeed” on YouTube.

She believes her conversational skills — on the podcast and in face-to-face meetings — help her counsel and recruit students.

“There really isn’t anything that we can’t fix or overcome with the right conversation,” McKinley said.

McKinley will be honored at the spring meeting of the Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors, which will be held online April 26-28.