Dietetics and Nutrition

Dietetics and Nutrition was first established in 1943 at the KU Medical Center as an ADA-approved dietetic internship program. The program was directed by the department's first chairperson Ruth Gordon.

Ruth Gordon, RD, was Director and Chairperson of the Department of Dietetics & Nutrition 1943-1972.

In 1962 the program began to offer a combined internship-Master's program. In 1972, Elizabeth Frakes succeeded Mrs. Gordon as department chairperson and the program became one of the charter members of the KU School of Allied Health when it was formed in 1974.

In 1976, Bell Memorial Hospital plans were reviewed by Elizabeth McCune Frakes, MS, RD, Chair and Director, 1972-87, and James F. Halling, MS, RD, Chair and Director 1987-99.

Jim Halling, MS, RD, took over the chair position in 1987 and served until 1999 at which time Janice Harris, RD, PhD, was designated interim chair. This was a time of great change on the KUMC campus, as the university and hospital components separated for the first time and The University of Kansas Hospital became an indepenent organization.

In 2001 the Dietetic Internship became a graduate certificate program and a non-thesis option was approved for the Masters program.

Dr. Harris would continue on as official chair until 2005. She was succeeded by Debra Sullivan, PhD, RD. Dr. Sullivan, who first joined the department’s faculty in 1997, continues to lead the department today.