As Director of Dietetic Programs at East Carolina University, Sylvia Escott-Stump works to ensure the profession has a strong future by guiding curriculum decisions and helping students and interns get the academic and practical experience they need to be successful. Her two texts, Krause’s Food, Nutrition and Diet Therapy and Nutrition and Diagnosis-Related Care, also help prepare students across the country for a career in dietetics.

Over the last 20 years, Escott-Stump has held many positions with the American Dietetic Association (ADA), from sitting on the Board of Directors as Speaker of the House, to serving as Chair of the Clinical Nutrition Management DPG and working with the Dietetic Educators and Gerontological Nutritionists Practice Groups. Recently she chaired the ADA’s Standardized Language Committee. Charged with developing a uniform evidence-based approach to patient care, Escott-Stump and the committee developed language to fit the Nutrition Care Process.  This set of procedures utilizes standard language to ease communication between team members and to clarify dietitians’ actions to fit the specific nutrition diagnoses (problem.)

As the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) is adopted throughout the profession, Escott-Stump and her cohorts help veteran dietitians, as well as novices, to excel. The NCP promotes the specialized skill set specific to dietitians and demonstrates the profession’s unique importance and value. In addition to boosting dietitians’ confidence, it promotes improved quality of patient care.

“I’m very excited about the Nutrition Care Process,” remarked Escott-Stump. “Standardized language is giving dietitians a chance to really shine in this unique role that nobody else can do as well.”

Thirty years after entering the industry, Sylvia Escott-Stump’s passion for nutrition has not wavered. She continues to stay on the leading edge of the profession by always keeping up-to-date on industry events, volunteering and getting involved with practice groups and other organizations.

“The best way to get the most out of your profession is to get involved. You gain new friendships, new insights and new ideas. By building and working with your network, you expand your knowledge base and stay ahead of the curve,” she shared.

Escott-Stump believes that every dietitian can contribute to the profession by always asking “why,” publishing practical research and sharing experiences to help educate the new generation of practitioners.

“We want young people to enter the profession thinking that it’s all of us together, not just one generation of dietitians who can make a difference,” she states.

Today Escott-Stump focuses on empowerment as well as education by encouraging self-efficacy, especially with diabetes and weight management patients. She finds that if she promotes “can-do” attitudes, patients are more likely to implement her suggestions.

“We’re the only people who can say, ‘Here’s a lifelong decision you can make everyday, and you can do it well, and you can do it happily when you pick wisely the foods that you eat.”

Escott-Stump stays true to her message.  Through self-efficacy and professional involvement, she continues to equip dietetics students for bright futures in their careers and provide veterans with the tools they need to excel.