Innovation Campus opens doors for dietetics student interns
Students in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise have a new home base for hands-on training, coursework, and community-building.
Virginia Tech’s newly opened Academic Building One in Alexandria is more than just a high-tech hub for engineers and computer scientists — it’s also a game-changer for students in Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise (HNFE), part of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
The new facility provides a permanent home for the department’s Northern Virginia-based VT Internship in Nutrition and Dietetics cohort, offering a centralized, professional space for coursework, collaboration, and community building in one of the nation’s most dynamic metro regions.
Students in the internship program complete required supervised practice hours at major institutions, such as Inova Health System, MedStar, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and D.C. Central Kitchen. Many of these sites are not only training grounds, but also future employers of Virginia Tech graduates.
“This new location gives us more than just a classroom — it gives us a home base,” said Amy LaFalce, director of the VT Internship in Nutrition and Dietetics. “Interns commuting from D.C., Arlington, Alexandria, and even Maryland now have a shared space where they can come together, reflect on their rotations, and support each other’s growth.”
HNFE interns complete more than 1,000 hours of supervised practice in clinical, community, research, and policy settings as they prepare to become registered dietitians. With the Alexandria site now serving as a gathering point for those placed in the region, interns benefit from easier coordination, face-to-face instruction, and the chance to build professional networks that will serve them beyond graduation.
During their time in the internship, students’ experiences are tailored to their specific interests, including inpatient and outpatient clinical practice, policy, research, sports and community nutrition, and more.
Interns Claire McLaughlin and Josie Rossbach say the new building’s flexible, tech-enabled learning spaces have made a real difference.
“The diverse classroom settings allow us to easily switch between discussions, lectures, and formal presentations,” said McLaughlin.
“It’s a great environment,” Rossbach added. “I’m excited to use the individual rooms to meet with study groups for the Registered Dietician exam.”
The program’s footprint in the region is growing, with LaFalce envisioning a future expansion that includes a nutrition counseling service for students and staff similar to what is currently available in Blacksburg.
“The building is gorgeous, and we’d love to use it to bring together dietitians, students, and alumni in the D.C. area,” LaFalce said. “We’re just getting started, and there’s so much potential here.”