MTSU Department of Health Sciences

10/21/2026

10/15/2026

MTSU public health alumni are working across Tennessee and beyond, from the Metro Nashville Health Department to Emory University’s Rollins Epidemiology Fellowship.

At the fourth annual PHamily Dinner, the Department of Health Sciences honored three alumni with Early Career Awards: Alondra Serrano (2024), Mya Gray (2023), STI/HIV Program coordinator at the Metro Nashville Health Department, and Chipper Smith (2022), now a lecturer in the department. Smith credits the M.P.H. program’s ties to government and community partners for giving him workforce experience before he graduated. The same week, two more alumni won Tennessee Public Health Association awards: LaShan Dixon (2014) and Casie Higginbotham (2006), named Public Health Worker of the Year.

https://mtsunews.com/2026/10/14/public-health-program-phamily-dinner-2026/

10/05/2026

Tracy Bruen, DCN, RDN, LDN, joins Health Sciences as assistant professor

The MTSU alumna and registered dietitian nutritionist brings 30 years of practice and eight years in academia to the Nutrition and Food Science program.

Tracy Bruen, DCN, RDN, LDN, has joined the Department of Health Sciences as an assistant professor, returning to the university where she first discovered dietetics.

Bruen’s research targets nutrition education and access in at-risk communities, diabetes prevention, and women’s health, areas that connect directly to the department’s public health and nutrition work.

Key details
Experience: Registered dietitian nutritionist for more than 30 years, including the past eight in academia.

MTSU roots: Earned her B.S. in Nutrition and Food Science at MTSU.
Education: M.S., University of Memphis, 1996. Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition, Rutgers University, 2019.

Research focus: Nutrition education and access in at-risk communities, diabetes prevention, and women’s health.
Professional service: President of the Tennessee Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

From interior design to dietetics
Bruen’s path began in an MTSU classroom. She was pursuing an interior design concentration when she took her first nutrition course.

“I took my first nutrition course while pursuing an interior design concentration and discovered that nutrition was a profession,” Bruen said. “I changed my major and have loved the field ever since.”

She returned to school to earn her doctorate, then moved into teaching.
“I have enjoyed a progressive career as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for more than 30 years, including the past eight in academia, and I truly believe I have one of the most rewarding jobs,” she said.

09/29/2026

We are excited to announce that Dr. Kendra Rosales has joined Middle Tennessee State University as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Sciences.

"Communication and eating are two of the most meaningful ways we connect with each other, and I want to help everyone take part in both.” - Dr. Kendra Rosales.

This fall she is teaching CDIS 3150 General Phonetics, and she has also taught a graduate pediatric dysphagia seminar. Her teaching interests include feeding and swallowing disorders, speech sound disorders, language acquisition, preschool language disorders, and AAC. Dr. Rosales also loves helping students discover research and fall in love with it the way she did.

Her office is AMG 107, and office hours are Monday and Wednesday, 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, or by appointment.

09/28/2026

Come hear about Dr. Kendra Rosales' research on food insecurity and parent engagement in pediatric feeding and speech-language therapy, and where that line of work is headed next.

She will share what she has found so far, what she is building at MTSU, and the pieces of this work that are wide open for collaboration. Faculty working in health equity, nutrition, child development, public health, and family systems will find plenty of overlap. Graduate students interested in getting hands-on research experience are encouraged to come.

Brown Bag Research Lunch Series
Wednesday, Oct. 7
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
EHS 106

Bring your lunch. Faculty and graduate students from all departments are welcome.

09/25/2026

A full room of 100 alumni, students, faculty, advisory board members, and community partners joined us Wednesday night for our fourth annual PHamily Dinner Reception.

We also presented this year's Public Health Early Career Awards, which honor graduates from the last five years who have made a positive impact in the field.

Congratulations to:
Alondra Serrano, Class of 2024
Mya Gray, Class of 2023
Chipper Smith, Class of 2022

Thank you to everyone who came out. See you next year.

09/25/2026

09/18/2026

Harry Pooper is a pocket bully and a rescue that visits campus most Fridays in the EHS building, room 104. He turns 2 this October and spent his first year and a half training specifically for therapy work!

Harry's sole purpose is to get pets and make people happy.

Wendy Gamble, Health Sciences Graduate Coordinator, is trying to get Harry more involved on campus! At this time, they have volunteered at Relay for Life, Donut Stress during finals at the ACB, and the student org Peers 4 Success. Recently they have began working with the on-campus counseling services!

These are his commitments made this year!
October 7th in the SU North Commons from 11:30-1 Green Bandana Project

Peers 4 Success meetings (open to all students). They are going to try to make all the meetings, but they haven't officially committed to all of them. They are on the first and third Thursday of the month in EHS112 from 6-8 pm!

07/01/2026

The Department of Health Sciences officially opens today, bringing together Nutrition and Food Science, Public Health, and Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.

Students keep their current programs, advisors, and locations. Visit healthsciences.mtsu.edu to learn more.