My name is Keith Lividini and I am in my second year at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and the School of Medicine at Tufts. I am a dual MS/MPH candidate studying nutritional epidemiology and public health. Through these programs I am learning about the nutritional and environmental determinants of disease and how this knowledge is used to implement interventions and improve the health of the many people who suffer from nutrition-related diseases.
My education here at Tufts has presented me with many invaluable opportunities. Currently I am working with Dr. Aviva Must (an alumna of the Friedman School!) in the Department of Public Health and Family Medicine researching nutrition and exercise patterns related to childhood obesity. I am also working with Dr. Katy Tucker in the Nutritional Epidemiology and Dietary Assessment Group on a study exploring how nutrition and environmental factors affect health outcomes in a Puerto Rican population in Boston. As I move forward I plan to further enhance my education and skills through pursuing a directed study with one of the many talented researchers at Tufts and by doing my Applied Learning Experience for the MPH component of the program in a developing country.
I have found that Tufts and the Friedman School have so much to offer and that your experience here is truly what you make of it. Through my studies in nutrition and public health I have been inspired to volunteer with a local non-profit organization called Youth Enrichment Services that strives to challenge and inspire inner-city youth through physical and mental activities. This year I am also taking part in the President’s Marathon Challenge. This will be my first marathon, and I view it as a rare opportunity to not only run in one of the most prestigious races in the world but also to help raise money to support the great nutrition-related research and programs that are ongoing at Tufts.
Since attending the Friedman School I have met many gifted people from very diverse backgrounds. Everyone has such incredible perspectives, experiences, ideas and goals and the energy and excitement that is shared here has been an inspiration to me. I have been amazed at how the approach to studying nutrition here integrates many disciplines and touches on virtually every aspect of its importance in society. But what is equally impressive about the Friedman School is that students are encouraged to pursue their interests in ways that allow them to apply their own creativity to this continually evolving field. I believe it is this approach that leads to great innovation and one of the greatest strengths of the Friedman School.
I am truly grateful for the opportunity I have been given to pursue my education here at the Friedman School and to make Boston my home. It would not have been possible without your generous contributions to the Annual Fund that provide support each year for students looking to make the Friedman School their first choice. Thank you so much for your continued support!
Sincerely,
Keith Lividini
MS/MPH candidate '10
Nutritional Epidemiology
Tufts University
The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
