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Western Illinois University Dietetics Professor Emeritus Karen Greathouse will deliver the fourth annual Jackie Thompson Lecture at 12:10 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15 in the University Union Sandburg Theatre. Greathouse will present, "Nutrition: Then and Now." The lecture is open free to the public.
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'Nutrition: Then and Now': Greathouse to Deliver Jackie Thompson Wellness Lecture Oct. 15

October 2, 2014

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MACOMB, IL — Western Illinois University Dietetics Professor Emeritus Karen Greathouse will deliver the fourth annual Jackie Thompson Lecture at 12:10 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15 in the University Union Sandburg Theatre. Greathouse will present, "Nutrition: Then and Now." The lecture is open free to the public.

"Nutrition is a relatively young science. The fundamentals of nutrition were discovered just over 100 years ago with a vast amount of research now being conducted," Greathouse noted. "A few examples of what we once thought and now know will be presented to demonstrate the evolving nature of nutrition. We will then take a look at some current trends and thoughts on the use of supplements for selected nutrients with practical ideas for meeting the recommendations."

In 2011, the Employee Wellness Committee established the annual lecture series in recognition of Jackie Thompson, vice president emeritus for Administrative Services, for her diligent advocacy of employee wellness. Employee Wellness Committee Chair Judy Yeast said Greathouse was chosen this year, by members of a selection subcommittee, based on years of service and contributions to the WIU and Macomb communities.

Greathouse Background

Greathouse began teaching at Western in 1989 as an assistant professor and was promoted to professor in 2004. She received a teacher of the year award in 1994 from the College of Education and Human Services and was named the Illinois Dietetics Association Outstanding Educator of the Year in 2000. In July 2009, she was appointed interim chair of the WIU Department of Dietetics, Fashion Merchandising and Hospitality (DFMH), and in 2011, she was named permanent chair. She retired in 2013 and currently serves as an instructor in the DFMH department.

Greathouse earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in foods and nutrition from Southern Illinois University. She earned her Ph.D. in dietetics, restaurant and institutional management from Kansas State University in 1987. Prior to her teaching career in dietetics, she held positions in both clinical and administrative dietetics, including as a clinical dietitian, as a chief clinical dietitian and as an associate director of food service at several hospitals. In addition, Greathouse served as a private contractor for the USDA and ran her own dietetics consulting business that specialized in eating disorders.

During her career in the dietetics field, Greathouse served as an officer and member on national committees, including: chair, Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education; member, Task Force on the Future of Dietetics Education; chair, Foodservice Management Education Council; regional chair, Dietetic Educators of Practitioners; and house of delegates member, American Dietetic Association. She currently serves as on the Academy of Dietetics and Nutrition position committee.

Greathouse has authored or co-authored numerous research articles in publications, such as The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management, Hospitality Research Journal, Journal of Travel and Tourism and the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. She has presented at the American Dietetic Association national convention, the Dietetic Educators of Practitioners meetings, the Canadian Regional Healthcare Meeting, the Illinois Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Meeting and the Foodservice Systems Management Education Council.

Employee Wellness and Jackie Thompson Background

According to Yeast, who is also the associate director of Campus Recreation, members of the Employee Wellness Jackie Thompson Lecture selection subcommittee choose the annual speaker based on a set of criteria, including being a WIU employee and an advocate for wellness.

Thompson retired from Western in July 2011 after 41 years of service. Under her direction, WIU created a wellness program for University employees, including Western Walks, which led to a full-time employee in Human Resources dedicated to training and development.

As vice president for administrative services, Thompson served as the University's chief administrative, business and financial officer, and as treasurer for the Board of Trustees. She was responsible for contract approval and administration, management of the University's facilities and construction programs and Western's legal compliance, in conjunction with contracted legal counsel. Thompson has also served as the University liaison to the Civil Service Employees Council and the Council of Administrative Personnel. In the community, she has served on the McDonough County United Way Board, the McDonough County Republican Central Committee and many other organizations.

For more information about the lecture series or the Oct. 15 event, contact Yeast at (309) 298-1670 or JA-Yeast@wiu.edu.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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