Featured Falcons: Erika Freire

Combining her academic focus in exercise and nutrition science with a competitive energy on the tennis court, Erika Freire has made the most of her time both in and out of the classroom. Her experience reflects a deep commitment to health, performance and personal growth.

The senior originally from Quito, Ecuador, has been invested in the University since the day she stepped on campus. She will be graduating a semester early this week with her degree in exercise and nutrition science with a concentration in nutrition and wellness.

Although she is far from home, Freire says it felt like the right choice to go to school in a small community. She says, “It was very easy for me to feel like I belonged to the community.”

Freire has always been interested in health and wellness because of her family in health care. She says she has always been passionate about nutrition and fell in love with it.

This fall, Freire was able to attend and serve as a student host at the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Nashville.

“This is the largest food and nutrition conference in the world, and over 10,000 nutrition professionals attend,” said Dr. Kelley DeVane Hart, associate professor of dietetics at UM. “Hundreds of university nutrition students apply for these spots, and a select few are chosen.”

What inspired Freire most at the conference was seeing how fast the field of nutrition is growing and evolving, from the focus on the microbiome to the powerful impact of food as medicine.

“It reminded me how much potential we have as future dietitians to transform health through science, empathy and education,” she said. “I’m so grateful to have shared this experience with my professors Kelley DeVane Hart and Patricia Petitt whose guidance and passion for nutrition continue to inspire me.”

Freire also serves as the vice president of the Student Dietetics Association (SDA). This association is not only helping students make healthy food choices, but also working to fund students going to conferences like the one in Nashville to learn and grow as professionals.

As part of the tennis team here at UM, Freire says her fondest memories in school are spent with her teammates and doing outdoor activities. She says her friends have become like family here. She also enjoys calling and catching up with family back home in her free time.

“I think Montevallo means more growing and evolving,” Freire says. These words really summarize her experience here at UM. She has been able to meet and learn from a lot of new people and be pushed out of her comfort zone.

Freire plans to become a registered dietitian and is currently applying to master’s programs to achieve that goal.