A big congratulations to April Aslett, who has been elected as the BDA Student Rep 2024/25. April is studying Dietetics at the University of Plymouth and is about to start her final year in September.
We asked April why she applied for the role and how she hopes to champion the voice of dietetic students over the next year.
Could you introduce yourself?
I’m April Aslett. I’m originally from Southampton but I’ve lived in the South West since 2013 and currently call Plymouth my home. I’m studying Dietetics at the University of Plymouth and am about to start my final year in September.
What made you want to be a dietitian?
After a seven-year career as a military musician, I decided to change to a career that would focus on helping others. I started as a personal trainer and yoga teacher, but quickly realised that lots of people wanted to talk about food. There’s so much misinformation out there and I knew the importance of being suitably qualified before discussing diet with my clients, so I decided to get my degree! I was also interested in working with people with eating disorders, and knew that dietetics would be a pathway that would enable me to work in this setting also.
Are there any particular areas of dietetics that you want to specialise in?
One of my favourite things about dietetics is the wide range of career pathways on offer! Sports and performance nutrition led me to my dietetics course, however I’m also passionate about mental health and eating disorders, so this is an area I’d love to specialise in too. I’ve also got interests in military nutrition, sustainability and public health, so I’m excited to see where my career takes me!
Why did you apply for the Student Rep role?
I think the BDA has so much to offer students, and as we make up the future workforce, I think it’s important that students feel listened to and advocated for. I love connecting with people and hearing other people’s stories, so felt I would be a good fit for bringing together our student network and bridging the gap between the BDA and the student body.
What do you hope to bring to the role?
I aim to foster connections between students, especially across different universities, and showcase the variety of journeys that have led students to their dietetic careers. I am passionate about supporting other students, so I’d like to take this opportunity to encourage all student members to reach out to me at any time. I’m also a big advocate for volunteering, I am the Social Media Officer for the South West Branch and I’m a Digital Helpline Volunteer for the eating disorder charity, Beat. I’d like to provide guidance around how to get started, as well as promoting other opportunities for professional development and networking. I’ll also be looking to collect feedback and ideas from student members and pass these on to the BDA to ensure the student voice is heard.
Why do you think it is important that the student voice is heard in this profession?
As I previously mentioned, students make up the future workforce. Our ideas and concerns are important, and they can not only help enhance the BDA student membership experience, but influence what’s going on in the wider workforce.
I want to make sure students feel that they are cared about, listened to, and that their concerns are addressed. I believe this will help students feel connected to those already working as dietitians so that they feel more prepared once qualified.
Why should new students become members of the BDA?
The BDA has so much to offer! You get access to the membership magazine ‘Dietetics Today’ and the BDA’s journal, ‘the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics’. To help with your studies, you also get access to PEN and Food Fact Sheets, plus a discount on the Manual of Dietetic Practice. Specifically for students, there are student-shared resources and student forums for you to connect with and learn from your peers. Plus, students get to join two specialist groups for free during their student membership, so you can connect with like-minded people and explore the specialist areas you’re most interested in. Finally, you can join your local branch to access more information about what’s going on in your local area.
The best bit? All this is on offer for free in your first year, and at the discounted rate of 90% off throughout the remainder of your studies!
Is there anything else you would like to mention?
I’m really looking forward to being the student representative for 2024-2025 and would like to thank my predecessor, Kyle Kennedy, for all his hard work throughout the last year.
