Cracking Down On Food Safety
Ellen Lutgen Johnson '96
Concordia’s dietetics program and my involvement in activities did an excellent job preparing me for my career and continued education – which has included being named as the North Dakota Dietetic Association’s Young Dietitian of the Year. My future goals include teaching and conducting research, with a food safety/food microbiology emphasis, and utilizing my microbiology and dietetics backgrounds.
I graduated from Concordia in 1996, with a major in food/nutrition and dietetics. Following graduation, I was accepted for an 11-month internship at St. Mary’s Hospital, part of the Mayo Clinic health system in Rochester, Minn. After completing my internship, I joined Mercy Medical Center in Williston, N.D., as a clinical dietitian, and where I worked for several years. While there, I helped establish the center as a rotation site for the dietetic internship at Concordia. Since then, I’ve earned a graduate certificate in food protection and a Master of Science in food safety. I’m currently working on a doctorate in molecular pathogenesis.
Looking back, I’m thankful for Concordia’s dedicated faculty, committed to helping students excel in the dietetics program and encouraging involvement in professional dietetics organizations outside the college, such as the North Dakota Dietetic Association, with which I’ve continued to be very involved.
