Registered Dietitian Looks to Help WSU Students Improve Their Health

Few people have a clear path through life. There are twists and turns that are impossible to anticipate.
On the edge of campus, in a corner of Rogers Hall, are Washington State University’s (WSU) Dining Administration offices. In one of these offices, sits a woman who has experienced her share of twists and turns.
When Annie J. Roe started out as an undergraduate at the University of Mary in Bismarck, N. D., she planned on going to medical school. Now after earning three degrees, she is not doing what she initially planned, but WSU students can be thankful for that. Roe is the registered dietitian for Washington State University Dining Services.
Roe loves the academic atmosphere at WSU and having the ability to really help students. After deciding to become a dietitian, Roe thought she wanted to work in a clinical setting. But after experiencing that side of the profession for a while, she didn’t feel that she was able to have enough time with patients. “You really only get to see those people for a split second, I could hand them a brochure on sodium and never see them again,” she said.
This is only Roe’s second year here on campus. Yet, she has thrown herself into her work full throttle.
Roe helped Dining Services gain national recognition this year. “She was instrumental in the development of Dining Services’ NACUFS Award-Winning Nutrition Plan,” according to Dining Services’ website, http://dining.wsu.edu/nutrition.aspx. Roe develops content for the myNutrition website and other programs on campus. These programs helped make the submission for this award a success and are available to help students learn more about their health.
Despite the reputation she has gained, Roe is very humble when it comes to discussing her part in expanding services to students. A lot of credit goes toward the marketing students and others who played a large part in receiving the award, she said. Yet, it would be impossible not to notice all the effort she has put into her work.
Her first project at WSU was undertaking the development of the theme, “eat well, live fit, stay active,” which is now the central theme at the heart of all new programs. .
One program that Roe is putting a lot of time into is “Dinner with the Dining Services’ Registered Dietitian.” This is an opportunity for Roe to meet with students and for them to get their questions answered. On designated nights, Roe eats at the dining centers and students are able to join her. “I set my little sign up and students can come and sit with me,” Roe said. “Sometimes they accidentally sit at my table, people have even picked up the sign and moved it, but it gets the conversation going.” Roe really does have a sincere wish to help students. She said that she wants students to know that there is someone here, on campus, if they have questions about nutrition.
Aside from developing educational programs, Roe also teaches at the University of Idaho and at Washington State University. Roe talks enthusiastically about the work she is doing here on campus. However, she said that she there are challenges, especially when it comes to working with students with food allergies. “It is hard to find out every ingredient that goes into a recipe, and when I can’t get answer their questions, that is frustrating,” Roe said.
As she replies to email and digs out some of the results of her work, it is hard to believe that Roe got up this morning way before most WSU students were reaching over to hit snooze. Roe often wakes up at 4 a.m. and can be found till eight or nine at her office. This schedule does not really allow for a lot of spare time. But when she does get a free moment, she loves to be active. If she is not at work, she often can be found running or rollerblading. Anything involving the outdoors is great, she said. Roe also grabs every chance to spend time with her husband.
Roe doesn’t know exactly what she is going to be doing in the future, but she is already setting new goals. She is currently applying to schools to earn her doctorate in philosophy. “It’s the academic side of me. I feel like I don’t know enough.”