Meet Some of the Students Who Comprise SHP

Kerri-Ann Best
Doctor of Clinical Nutrition (DCN), Class of 2025

Where are you from?
Christ Church, Barbados

Where were you before enrolling at SHP?
I am currently a clinical dietitian at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the main acute care medical facility in Barbados. I have been working as a clinical dietitian for over seven years and I truly enjoy helping my clients improve their lives through nutrition. I studied in several universities around the world, obtaining my B.S. in Economic and Management in Barbados, B.S. in Nutrition with a minor in Chemistry in New York, and M.S. in Diabetes in South Wales, UK, as well as completing my dietetic internship in Canada.

For many years, I have volunteered with the Diabetes and Hypertension Association of Barbados. I have promoted good nutrition in various health fairs and am currently conducting two sessions in the Diabetes Conversation Map where persons with diabetes can educate themselves on different nutrition topics.

What are you most looking forward to learning about in your program of study?
I am most excited to start expanding my knowledge on how to best care for the nutritional concerns of my patient population. I see a wide variety of patients at the hospital, from pediatric patients to adults with conditions that require nutritional care, such as diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, cardiovascular diseases, and strokes. I work on the medical floor, so I see many patients with many disease states.

I am also looking forward to interacting and learning from my dietitian colleagues who are joining the DCN program from around the globe, as well as conducting clinical nutrition research that I hope will be of great value in advancing the nutrition profession. Because of my family history of diabetes, I have a strong interest in specifically conducting research in nutrition and diabetes management and am hoping I will be able to do this at Rutgers University.

At what point did you realize you wanted to pursue the DCN?
I am a firm believer in the expression that “you never stop learning” so after taking a short hiatus after completing my master’s degree I felt the need to pursue a higher degree to expand my knowledge. I also want to share my knowledge about nutrition with the next generation of dietetic professionals. This degree will open the door for me to teach at a higher level at University of the West Indies in Barbados, one of my alma maters, where I teach nutrition courses for the Bachelor of Health Science Program and will teach for the new dietetics program. We plan to create an M.S. nutrition program in the near future; I know the DCN program will greatly assist me when it comes to teaching and developing a program at the M.S. level.

Why SHP?
SHP offers a plethora of high-quality degrees that cater to members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team, and I find that to be very commendable. In addition, because the DCN program is mainly online, I am afforded the opportunity to keep my current job as a clinical dietitian, which allows me to immediately apply the new skills I learn every day in the real world in the courses I will be taking.

What are the top 3 things that bring you immediate joy?
I really enjoy spending time relaxing at the local beaches in Barbados, my favorite being Pebbles Beach, as well as trying new recipes, especially those that are vegetarian. It also gives me great satisfaction when I volunteer with the Diabetes and Hypertension Association of Barbados, as we work to conduct many outreach programs.

Randy Lydon
B.S. Clinical Laboratory Science, Class of 2022

Where are you from?
Union, New Jersey

Where were you before you enrolled at SHP?
I was a student at Kean University studying in the affiliated medical laboratory science (MLS) program. I started the program in 2019 after taking a seven year long break from college. I left school in 2013 because I was not doing well. I was failing my courses, as I prioritized going out over studying. During my break I worked a variety of jobs, one of which pushed me to go back to school. I was an aid for a college student with cerebral palsy who could not walk and had limited use of his hands. I attended his classes, took notes, and helped him during exams. Working with this student gave me the confidence to give college another shot and finally earn a degree. The break I took made me appreciate the opportunity to study and I have not taken it for granted. I love what I do and wake up each morning looking forward to my classes.

What are you most looking forward to learning about in your program of study?
I enjoy learning about the different diagnostic instruments and technology used in the clinical laboratory. The level of precision and complexity that the machines in the lab are capable of is astonishing. I look most forward to using and becoming familiar with mass spectrometry and ELISA in the clinical laboratory.

At what point did you realize you wanted to enter the field you are studying?
I’ve wanted to work in a laboratory setting for as long as I can remember, but I wasn’t sure in what capacity. When it was time to choose a major, I looked through the program catalog and was immediately drawn to the MLS program. I’ve always been interested in biology and chemistry so a career as a medical laboratory scientist is the perfect mixture of both.

Why SHP?
For me, Rutgers SHP is synonymous with world class research and top of the line facilities, which is why it was the only school I applied to after completing the prerequisites at Kean. I have lived in North Jersey my whole life and have always been impressed with what I’ve heard from teachers and friends who have graduated from SHP. I have only been here at SHP since the summer, but I already know I made the right choice.

What are the top 3 things that bring you immediate joy?
I really enjoy DJing and making my own beats. I started with a used 4 channel mixer a few years ago that I didn’t even know how to turn on, but I managed to teach myself from YouTube videos and getting in the DJ booths at the club. Eventually, I started my own weekly radio show when I was at Kean University, which was an incredible experience. Music production is something I can see myself doing for years to come.

I love baseball! My mom and I love the New York Yankees and make sure to watch every game during the season. For me, there is nothing like catching a game at Yankee Stadium on a Friday or Saturday night.

I find great joy traveling to places I’ve never been to before. I started my sightseeing career with a solo trip to Amsterdam when I was 18 and have been lucky to visit many cities and countries since then. Some of my favorites are Paris, Key West, and Quito, Ecuador.