Penny McConnell, widely recognized as a national leader in school nutrition and dietetics, will present the 41st Annual Grace M. Shugart Lecture at 1:30 p.m. April 16 on the Kansas State University campus.
She is the director of food and nutrition services for Fairfax County Public Schools, Springfield, Va. Her lecture will be “Navigating the Seas of Change.”
McConnell says that her office aims to provide students food and nutrition knowledge, skills and values they will need for healthy bodies in an ever-changing global society.
She has been widely honored for her innovative programs and leadership. She operates her program with the philosophy “we talk, serve, and teach nutrition.” The program brand is the Energy Zone complete with a mascot. The logo adorns all packaging, marketing materials, and uniforms and nutrient and ingredient information is available for all customers.
McConnell, RD, MS, SNS, has been instrumental in promoting student wellness through the 9-5-2-1-0 program; providing nutrition education in the classroom and offering students a variety of nutritious tasty meal options that reflect the new federal meal patterns. Her program supports School Gardens and participates in the Virginia Farm to School program.
She is a former president of the national School Nutrition Association. Awards include the Virginia Distinguished Dietitian Award, a Silver Plate Award for Elementary Schools from the International Food Manufacturers Association, the Silver Spirit Fame Award from the School Nutrition Association, and a 2011 Medallion Award from the American Dietetic Association.
Established in 1975, the lecture series honors the late Grace M. Shugart, former department head in the College of Human Ecology and co-author of Food for Fifty and Food Service in Institutions. Shugart helped build the profession of dietetics and institutional management throughout the United States, serving as president of the American Dietetic Association. She also was a Medallion Award winner and received the Marjorie Hulsizer Copher Award, the American Dietetic Association’s highest honor.