Name and credentials:

Alix Small, MS RD CDN

SHP Program and Year of graduation:
Masters of Science in Clinical Nutrition - 2012Certificate in Global Health - 2012

Current Area of Professional Practice:
Neonatal Dietitian at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian

Please describe your professional journey since graduating from NYIT.
Following my graduation from NYIT, I served as an adjunct professor at the undergraduate level in the School of Health Professions at NYIT and completed my Dietetic Internship through Long Island University. After completing my dietetic internship, I worked as an adult acute care dietitian at Montefiore Medical Center before transitioning to a pediatric acute care dietitian position at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. I recently transitioned to my current position as a neonatal dietitian at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian.

How did your NYIT experience influence you professionally?
Earning my Masters of Science and completing a Certificate in Global Health at NYIT was a great fit for me. The online Masters curriculum allowed me to earn my Masters of Science in Clinical Nutrition while simultaneously gaining important work experience. For me, this combination afforded me the opportunity to grow and develop professionally—I was able to successfully master time management skills and efficiency, cultivate meaningful relationships with professors, and build a strong knowledge base of clinical nutrition. Further, I was able to entertain my personal interest in global health by earning a Certificate in Global Health, which included course work and a five-week global practicum in rural Ghana, Africa. The knowledge, deepened interest, and skills that I was able to develop and enhance while studying at NYIT enabled me to become a Registered Dietitian and helped shape me into the experienced clinician that I am today.

What are some interests, hobbies, and activities that you enjoy doing with your spare time?
Some of my favorite things to do in my spare time include hosting dinner parties for friends and family, cooking, and staying active. I also have quite the travel bug, and try to get away whenever I have the opportunity.

What words of advice would you offer for current and future students?
While it may seem like simple advice, I would advise current and future students to make the most out of their academic program. Develop relationships with professors, seek out extracurricular activities and start building a professional network from the start. Remember that you made a conscious decision to be here, and it is important to live that decision each and every day. You will get out of the program what you put into it.