A University of Arkansas professor, Donna Graham, has received a $222,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to recruit underrepresented students, according to a news release.

The lack of diversity among healthcare practitioners has limited equitable care for some populations, and job opportunities for nutritionists and dietitians are expected to increase 11% by 2030, the university said.

“This growth is much higher than the average for all occupations," Graham said. "Northwest Arkansas is experiencing population growth in recent years and is expected to continue this growth with a more diverse population. For example, the Hispanic population increased 22.4% from 2010 to 2017 in the northwest Arkansas region. By training nutritionists from diverse backgrounds, this will help fill the gap of racial and ethnic disparities that exists within healthcare fields."

The grant will be used to recruit underrepresented students with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition, or related field, into the master’s degree program, the university said.

Graduates will earn a master of science degree in human environmental sciences, with a concentration in human nutrition.

"Graduates can work as part of a healthcare team in a variety of positions, hospitals, nursing homes, food service programs, nutrition communication, policy, food industries and more,” Graham said. “They are trained to assist individuals with healthy eating, how to use nutrition to promote health and manage disease. Only dietitians can assess, diagnose, recommend and treat various medical diagnosis and dietary problems based upon the contributing medical conditions.”

The grant will enable the recruitment of two students in 2023, followed by three in 2024, with the goal of increasing diversity among healthcare practitioners, according to the news release.