How Vista Suarez Fletcher ’00 is helping put healthy, nutritious food on the table
As a child, Vista Suarez Fletcher ’00 always looked forward to school lunches.
That childhood curiosity about the lunch on her plate, and how the supplies were gathered
and the food was prepared behind the scenes, has now transformed into a lifelong career.
Fletcher is a registered dietitian and has experience working with child nutrition
programs at the state, local and federal levels. She currently serves as a Midwest
regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service.
“I really was very interested in food service management,” she said. “I love school
food service, have always had a passion. I loved school lunch as a child; it’s where
my heart is. I actually got a scholarship when I was in high school, from the school
food service professionals in my county. They raised $500, and wanted to give a scholarship
to a student who was interested in a career in nutrition or hospitality. So it’s always
been my passion.”
In addition to her childhood passion for school lunches, Fletcher also was inspired
by a cousin who worked as a food service director at a university. When Fletcher went
to visit her cousin, it made her think, “Wow, I can do this for a job.”
Fletcher completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees in dietetics and nutrition at Florida
State University. Although she was excited about graduating and being done with school,
a professor encouraged her to look at getting a Ph.D. Originally, she wanted to find
a program close to Florida, but K-State popped up on her radar.
“I applied to K-State and several other universities, and got a fellowship from Kansas
State. So that's a great sign that I should be there,” Fletcher recalls. “And I just
got the feeling that they really wanted me there. I felt this pull to be there that
I didn't necessarily get from some other places.”
She eventually earned a doctor of philosophy in human ecology with a specialization
in institutional management from K-State. While she might have been a long way from
home, coming to K-State gave her a sense of confidence that continues to drive her
career.
“I didn't know anyone in Kansas, and had no connections there,” she said. “And to
be very honest, I was like, ‘Oh, my goodness, can I do this? Can I leave and go somewhere
where I don't know anybody?’ And going there really reinforced for me the importance
of getting out of my comfort zone. After that, I felt like I could go anywhere.”
She also formed a special connection with Carol Shanklin, K-State professor emeritus
and retired Graduate School dean. The family atmosphere at K-State immediately made
Fletcher feel like she belonged.
“I don't know who can say they've gone to an amusement park with their major professor,”
Fletcher chuckles. “Or their major professor has come to their wedding. My son calls
her ‘Grandma Shanklin.’ It speaks to the connections. Before I got there, I felt welcome.
While I was there, I felt like family.”
Fletcher carried that family feeling and passion for taking care of others into her
current career.
“I would say, I have such a tremendous job, making sure people have the basic necessity
in life of food,” she said. “And I work with a fabulous group of people who all share
the same mission. I also love getting out into the community and seeing our programs
in action.”
Although some of us may not think much about the food we eat in a day, Fletcher said
it’s important to remember that not everyone has that same experience. She says about
41 million people participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget
so they can afford nutritious food.
“Sometimes in our country, where we have so much, people take for granted that not
everyone has all that they need,” she said. “One in four Americans depend on our nutrition
assistance programs. Even like school lunch, those meals are probably the most nutritious
meals that a lot of students get each day. Our programs are a huge safety net for
so many individuals in this country.”
Fletcher continues to give back to her community and her country, and she seeks to
learn from everyone she encounters.
“Regardless of what level you're at, we can all learn something,” she said. “That's
something that I've committed to in my career as being a lifelong learner.”
Fletcher recently was featured in K-State’s Shugart Lecture Series. You can learn
more about the series and watch a recording of the lecture here: