Clarissa Palencia ’24, ’26MS is a graduate student pursuing a Master of Science in Nutrition and Health Promotion + Dietetic Internship (MSDI) Track. We spoke with her about her interest in women’s nutrition and the supportive community at Simmons.
For graduate student Clarissa Palencia, her passion for nutrition has deeply personal roots.
“I knew that I wanted to be in the nutrition program at Simmons ever since I was in middle school,” she recalls. “My father passed away from Type 2 diabetes when I was pretty young. My parents are from El Salvador, and as immigrants, they faced language barriers that affected their dietary habits and access to healthcare. So, I wanted to bridge that through nutrition.”
Concurrently with her graduate studies in the Master of Science in Nutrition and Health Promotion + Dietetic Internship (MSDI) Track, Palencia is working as a nutritionist for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), a government-funded program that provides nutrition education, community referrals, and food benefits. “Each month participants [who qualify] receive food,” says Palencia. “It’s really great.”
“I am fluent in Spanish and see a lot of Spanish speakers, so my language skills have been super helpful,” she says.
Communicating with participants in their native language enables Palencia to tailor her nutrition counseling.
“Being familiar with their cultural traditions and foods allows me to connect with clients on a deeper level. When they mention a cultural dish they enjoy, I can suggest ways to incorporate it into their diet while supporting their health goals, she says. "This helps them feel more comfortable and understood, knowing that I recognize and respect where they’re coming from."
Supporting the Health of Women and Children
Palencia’s work at WIC is also tied to a performance improvement project through one of her Simmons courses, “Nutrition Practice: Program, Plan, Evaluation” (NUTR 452).
“The project involves collaborating with a community partner site to develop a comprehensive proposal that includes a needs assessment, proposed program, budget, and evaluation plan. It is evaluated through the final project report submitted to the site and an individual reflection on each member’s participation and learning process,” Palencia says.
“Our project, which I am working on with Helena Greenslit ’24, Yifan Huang ’25, and Abby Simmons ’26MS, specifically explores barriers to breastfeeding and reasons why women [i.e., prenatal and postpartum mothers in the WIC program] do not seek breastfeeding support,” Palencia explains. “Since I am also a WIC nutritionist, my peers and I want to see why moms may not take part in the peer counselor breastfeeding resource that we offer.”
Working within the women’s health arena is a full circle moment for Palencia. “My mom was actually a WIC mom, so I was a WIC baby. I was part of the program when I was born,” she says. “I wanted to give back to the community and working with WIC has honed my interest in community nutrition … I feel that this is my way of giving back to the community.”
Meaningful Mentorship at Simmons
“I knew that Simmons had a strong reputation for dietitians, and the Department of Nutrition offers a great nutrition program,” Palencia says. “A lot of schools do not offer an internship path to become a dietitian, so I realized that Simmons would create an easy pathway to obtain my license to become a registered dietitian.”
Simmons’ small class sizes have supported Palencia’s learning. “I do enjoy smaller classes,” she says. “I wanted something smaller with more support, which Simmons provides.”
Through Simmons Department of Nutrition, Palencia has been able to participate in the Nutrition Diversity Mentorship Program. She receives mentorship from a more advanced (former) graduate student, Allegra Egizi ’18, ’20MS, who imparted advice regarding internships.
Now, Palencia has a Simmons undergraduate mentee whom she mentors. “My mentee’s ethnicity is Costa Rican. It’s been a great fit for both of us, because we are both Latina,” she says. “My mentee felt like she was the only Hispanic person in her cohort, and I could relate to that experience. I’ve helped her recognize that she’s not alone and that her presence adds valuable diversity and perspective to the group.”
Thus far, one of Palencia’s favorite Simmons courses has been “Nutrient Metabolism” (NUTR 311) taught by Professor and Director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics Teresa Fung.
“It was probably the hardest class I have ever taken at Simmons,” she recalls. “But it tied into everything I learned … and it spoke about each macro and micro nutrient, and how they are processed in the body. Here, I felt that the biology, anatomy, and the biochemistry that I learned previously all came together.” Palencia has since become a tutor for this course.
Moreover, Palencia has become interested in sports nutrition. Accordingly, she is working toward her Sports Nutrition Certification (CSN) and has taken a few courses on the topic, including “Exercise Assessment and Prescription” (NUTR 461).
Hands-on Training and Career Preparation
Simmons’ Boston location has enabled Palencia to intern at renowned medical institutions. During her undergraduate studies, she completed an internship in clinical nutrition at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
“This was a really great experience,” she says. “We got to see patients in the Cardiac unit and educate them on a heart-healthy diet.”
For another internship, Palencia worked at a private practice that focused on nutrition for girls and women. “It was exciting to explore women’s health across all stages of life and to integrate various aspects of nutrition, including gut, hormonal, and reproductive health,” she says.
Palencia is grateful for Simmons’ superb career preparation and inclusive community. “I think Simmons has prepared me very well for my career,” she says. “Simmons is also very culturally inclusive; our coursework and training emphasize community nutrition and emphasize the importance of understanding and respecting diverse cultures”
Furthermore, “the emphasis on evidence-based nutrition and research skills are pivotally important,” Palencia notes. “The skills I learned at Simmons I apply every day to my work with WIC.”
Rewards of the Profession
As a nutritionist and future dietitian, Palencia enjoys witnessing the small, meaningful changes that she makes in people’s lives.
“It is so gratifying when the people I am helping feel understood and heard,” she notes.
Ultimately, Palencia hopes to branch out into diabetes nutrition. “In this way, I wish to commemorate my father through nutrition, which would be tremendously rewarding.”