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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

ACEND® will not tolerate any instances of inequity nor discrimination in our nutrition and dietetics education programs.

The links below provide information and resources to assist nutrition and dietetics faculty and preceptors on the topic of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). ACEND is in the process of developing a library of reputable educational materials on DEI. This page will be updated on a regular basis with new resources. If you need further assistance, please contact ACEND Staff.

Upcoming Webinars and Recordings

DEI Training Webinars for Program Faculty, Students and Preceptors to Meet 2022 Accreditation Standards Requirements

This series of four webinars is intended for programs to use within their training of faculty, students and/or preceptors to meet the 2022 Accreditation Standards. All ACEND stakeholders (faculty, administrators, preceptors, students, interns, etc.) are invited. All sessions will be recorded and made available. Recordings of previous webinars are also available.

Training 1: Unconscious Bias

This webinar is recommended as a training for preceptors; however, it may also be used for training of faculty and/or students/interns.

Training 2: Debiasing Training

This webinar is recommended as a training for preceptors; however, it may also be used for training of faculty and/or students/interns.

Upcoming Webinars:

Cultural Competence and Cultural Humility

This webinar is recommended as a training for students/interns; however, it may also be used for training of faculty and/or preceptors.

Date: February 17, 2023
Time: 11 a.m. – noon (Central time)

Racism in Dietetics Practice

This webinar is recommended as a training for faculty; however, it may also be used for training of preceptors and/or students/interns.

Date: May 23, 2023
Time: 11 a.m. – noon (Central time)

ACEND Series of Webinars on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

ACEND offers a series of webinars to address diversity, equity and inclusion in its accredited programs. The webinars are free and provide 1.5 CPEUs each. All ACEND stakeholders (faculty, administrators, preceptors, students, interns, etc.) are invited.

Recorded Webinars:

Academy Member Interest Group Panel Discussion: Strategies to Improve Diversity and Inclusion in Dietetics Education

Supporting our LGBTQ Students and Dietetic Interns

Closing Equity Gaps in Higher Education: Lessons for Leveling the Playing Field for All Students

Supporting and Building Resilience in BIPOC Students and Dietetic Interns

Legal and Ethical Admissions Processes that Promote Diversity Webinar

Strengthening the Patient Connection: Deconstructing the Complexity of Racism and Food Webinar

Help all Students to Thrive: An Introduction to Culturally Sustaining Teaching

Resources

Holistic Admission Resources

Improving diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education is a complex issue that requires strong leadership and thoughtful and comprehensive changes. Below, find resources about implementing a holistic admissions process that is fair and inclusive.

LGBTQ Resources

Following is a list of resources to support our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) students, interns, faculty, preceptors and patients/clients.

Recorded Sessions

Articles and Books

  • How to Challenge Systematic Racism
    This article offers short-and-long term steps that higher education administrators and faculty can take to make incremental and transformative changes on campus and in the classroom.
  • Won't Lose this Dream
    This book describes Georgia State University's journey to become the national leader at eliminating achievement gaps based on race, ethnicity, and income.

Website Links

Check back soon for upcoming webinars and resources.

DEI Noteworthy Practices

ACEND has begun to identify Noteworthy Nutrition and Dietetics Education Practices on the topic of diversity, equity and inclusion among ACEND-accredited programs. Noteworthy practices in the following DEI topic areas are requested:

  • Holistic Admissions Process/Procedure
  • Recruitment and admission practices that encourage diversity
  • Retention practices and program activities that support students/interns with diverse needs
  • Training activities for faculty and/or preceptors
  • Educational activities in the classroom and/or during supervised practice
  • Other activities that promote DEI

Program directors or other individuals associated with an ACEND-accredited program are asked to complete the submission form of their DEI noteworthy practice and email it to ACEND for review. Submissions will be reviewed by an ACEND Board review team and selected entries will be posted.

Email completed submission forms to ACEND with the subject line: DEI Noteworthy Practice Submission. View Noteworthy Practice Rubric used by ACEND's DEI Task Force.

2022 DEI Noteworthy Practice Honorees

VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Dietetic Internship
Jillian Redgate MS, RD
Noteworthy Practice Category: Educational Activities in the Classroom and/or During Supervised Practice

The VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS) Dietetic Internship has implemented a 26-week multimedia (podcasts, articles, videos, and interactive web content) Diversity, Equity, and Belonging (DEB) curriculum for the 2021-2022 academic year. The objectives are to improve interns' cultural competence and humility, increase awareness of implicit biases, and understand how increased competence, humility and awareness of biases can improve patient care. The curriculum aims to teach interns about the principle in the 2018 Code of Ethics for the Nutrition and Dietetics Profession: "Social responsibility for local, regional, national, and global nutrition and well-being (Justice)" and meets the ACEND competencies CRDN 2.11, CRDN 2.14, CRDN 3.5 and CRDN 3.10.

Volunteers from diverse backgrounds reviewed the material and provided helpful recommendations. Topics include privilege, anti-racism, health at every size, race-based medicine, the effects of chronic stress and trauma on health, microaggressions, mental health stigma, ableism, intersectionality, DEB at work and in dietetics, and numerous weeks exploring specific groups including Black, Latinx, AAHNPI, Indigenous, Jewish, Muslim and LGBTQ+ people.

The interns completed 3 Harvard Implicit Bias Tests prior to beginning the curriculum and anonymously recorded their scores. They were surveyed after the first 6 weeks with positive results, indicating they felt the curriculum was improving their cultural humility, competency, and helping to improve their care of patients/clients. They will repeat Harvard Implicit Bias Test results after week 26, ideally with improved scores. We plan to update the curriculum annually to ensure the material remains fresh and relevant.

Cedar Crest College Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD)
Shelley L. DePinto, DHSc, MS, RDN, LDN
Noteworthy Practice Category: Educational Activities in the Classroom and/or During Supervised Practice

The DPD director, nutrition students, Parkhurst Dining and the Diversity and Inclusion Council of Cedar Crest College collaborated to promote DEI and wellness among the campus community. Senior nutrition students in the DPD presented culturally sensitive wellness presentations to the campus community on April 5 and 6, 2022, that showcased nutrient-dense, low-cost, cultural foods.

The presentations focused on under-consumed food groups and how a wide array of recipes and dishes from diverse cultures could increase the consumption of those under-consumed food groups. The presentations were followed by a recipe tasting on April 25, 2022, outside of the cafeteria over lunch.

The food samples featured the under-consumed food groups and represented recipes from various cultures around the globe. Parkhurst Dining prepared the food samples, and an IDEA grant from the Cedar Crest College Diversity and Inclusion Council funded the project.

Objectives:

  • Expand campus participation in activities that combine inclusivity, cultural humility and cultural appreciation with nutrition and health.
  • Increase consumption of under-consumed food groups among the campus population.

Feedback regarding the presentations was positive, and there was a respectable turnout for the food sampling with representation from diverse campus groups and students from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The optional post-sampling survey showed that 100% of respondents enjoyed the foods they sampled. In addition, 91% of survey respondents reported that they plan to incorporate more of these food groups/subgroups into their diet based on the foods they sampled. Many participants requested the recipes, which were available in electronic format.

The project was integrated into the curriculum and met ACEND competencies KRDN 2.1, 2.6, and 2.7. The students were responsible for developing and implementing professional presentations incorporating cultural humility, respect for cultural differences, and inclusivity as part of the Nutrition Counseling course. In addition, the project increased student focus on how social inequity impacts health disparities.

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