Illinois Academy Awards

The Illinois Academy annually selects and honors the Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year, Recognized Dietetic Technician of the Year, Emerging Dietetic Leader, Outstanding Dietitian of the Year, and Outstanding Dietetics Student awards. We honor those individuals who have advanced the nutrition and dietetics profession and who have exhibited leadership by standing out among their peers. Winners are recognized in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and each awardee receives a congratulatory letter and certificate signed by the president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Winners are recognized with a plaque during the Spring Assembly award ceremony from the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Click here to view past award winners.

Congratulations to the 2025 Illinois Academy Award Winners! 

Award Application Process

The first step in the award process is the selection of nominees. Nominees must be an active or student member of both the Illinois Academy and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to apply. Then nomination process is as follows: Students can be nominated by their program leaders or the IAND district they belong to. The nominee's name and email address should be provided to IAND awards at [email protected]. The awards committee will then send out the application and instructions to each nominee. The application for students begins on September 15, 2025 and the deadline is December 15, 2025.

Nominees for Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year, Emerging Leader, Recognized Nutrition and Dietetic Technician of the Year and Outstanding Dietitian of the Year can be emailed with the appropriate contact information either by the IAND District Affiliation's President or Awards Committee to [email protected]. The IAND awards committee with then send out the appropriate application and instructions to individual nominees. The application process for these awards begins October 15, 2025 and the deadline is January 15, 2026.

Please read below for the specific requirement of each application.

Outstanding Dietitian of the Year Award

Deadline: January 15, 2026
Criteria for Selection: Click here for more information

Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year Award

Deadline: January 15, 2026
Criteria for Selection: Click here for more information

Emerging Dietetic Leader Award

Deadline: January 15, 2026
Criteria for Selection: Click here for more information

Recognized Nutrition and Dietetic Technician of the Year Award

Deadline: January 15, 2026
Criteria for Selection: Click here for more information

Outstanding Dietetics Student Awards