Katherine Harms 2025-2026 Trout/Fryer Scholarship Recipient
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EmailKatherine Harms, FSHN Nutritional Sciences student, shares her experience with the program and what receiving the G Malcolm Trout Undergraduate Scholarship and the Beth and Holly Fryer Endowed Scholarship has meant for her undergraduate experience.
Name: Katherine Harms
Hometown: Perrysburg, OH
Major: Nutritional Sciences
Why did you choose MSU FSHN for your major?
I’ve always known I wanted to pursue a career in medicine. What truly sparked my interest in choosing Nutritional Sciences as a major is the powerful connection between food and health. Through this major, I’ve been able to explore the intersection of medicine and nutrition – two of my biggest passions. I’m particularly interested in how dietary choices contribute to preventing illness and can even serve as a mechanism for healing. Michigan State's strong Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition made it the perfect environment to explore these interests and prepare for my future as a healthcare provider.
What has been the most interesting thing you have learned during your major?
One of the most interesting parts of my major has been learning how the human body functions on a biochemical level. Courses like physiology, biochemistry, and especially Advanced Human Nutrition and Metabolism have helped me understand how nutrition affects every system in the body. This deeper understanding has reinforced my belief and interest in a preventative approach to healthcare.
What has receiving the G Malcolm Trout Undergraduate Scholarship and the Beth and Holly Fryer Endowed Scholarship meant to you?
As an out-of-state student, the cost of attending MSU can be a challenge. Receiving FSHN scholarships has eased that burden, thanks to the generous donors. This support has allowed me to focus more on my coursework and less on finances. It has also given me the flexibility to take on leadership roles and participate in various student organizations on campus such as the Nutritional Sciences Student Organization (NSSO).
What are your future plans?
After graduating, I plan to apply to physician assistant (PA) school. My experiences in the Nutritional Sciences major at MSU have strengthened my goal of pursuing a career in healthcare where I can make a meaningful difference. I am eager to apply my nutrition background to my future education and patient care.
If there was only one thing you could share with someone considering MSU FSHN for their undergraduate experience, what would you tell them?
I would tell them that choosing MSU’s FSHN program has been one of the greatest opportunities in my life. It’s truly a place where faculty are experts in the field and deeply invested in student success. Whether you’re interested in public health nutrition, global nutrition and health, or biomedical and molecular nutrition, the opportunities to grow academically and personally are endless.
