Nutritional sciences student receives prestigious scholarship

Monday, September 28, 2020

Christina Sciarrillo, an Oklahoma State University nutritional sciences Ph.D. student, received the prestigious Commission on Dietetics Registration (CDR) Doctoral Scholarship for $10,000.

The Academy Foundation administers CDR scholarships and routinely receives more than 1,000 applicants and selects fewer than 250 recipients, according to its website. 

“Christina is a wonderful representative of our profession,” said Dr. Stephen Clarke, head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences. “Indeed, as a dietitian and doctoral student, she has established an excellent reputation advocating for the importance of evidence-based practice.”

Sciarrillo researches whether levels of fat in the blood after a meal can predict cardiovascular and cardiometabolic disease risk with her adviser Dr. Sam Emerson, assistant professor of nutritional sciences.

Sciarrillo, originally from New Iberia, La., moved to OSU in 2017 to pursue an internship to become a registered dietitian and earn a master’s degree.  In 2020, she received the College of Human Sciences Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research Award for Graduate Student. Scarrillo also competed in the 2018 Three-Minute Thesis contest, placing second at the university level. Now working towards completing her doctoral degree, Sciarrillo credits her professors and classmates for her success.

“Being a part of a supportive, people-centered department has really helped me to grow personally and as a researcher and future academic,” Sciarrillo said. “I have had the opportunity to be surrounded by great people and advised by a very supportive adviser. Opportunities to mentor undergraduate students, teach classes within the department, and speak at events, have helped me to develop my mentor and teaching philosophy, and learn from my early mistakes.”

MEDIA CONTACT: Brittany Bowman | 405-744-9347 | brittany.bowman@okstate.edu