Kim Spaccarotella
I received my doctorate in Nutritional Sciences from Penn State, a master’s degree in Exercise Science from Kean University and a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Ramapo College. I completed post-doctoral research in nutrition education at Rutgers, and I have continued to collaborate with colleagues there as part of the HomeStyles project, studying barriers and supports to healthy eating among families with young children. Prior to joining the faculty at Kean full-time, I worked for the YMCA. As a staff nutritionist and strength training coordinator there, I developed and led nutrition and exercise programs for preschool through adult-aged participants at a variety of levels, ranging from group and individual classes for diabetics, cancer survivors and adults with Parkinson Disease to athletes and clients seeking to lose weight. At Kean, additional research interests have included the effects of diet on sports training and chronic disease prevention and the development of education materials that promote nutrition, physical activity, and wellness across the lifespan.
Teaching Philosophy
Teaching is not simply providing students with knowledge but empowering them with the ability to apply knowledge within the classroom and in their daily lives. To that end, a good teacher effectively presents information, interacts with students so that they learn through concrete examples and inspires them to apply what they have learned beyond the classroom setting. This is the highest goal of a teacher and perhaps the most rewarding aspect, to see students use the lessons they have learned to make a difference in the world long after the class and semester have ended.
Selected Publications
- Spaccarotella, K., Andzel, W. The effects of low fat chocolate milk on postexercise recovery in collegiate athletes. (2011). Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(12):3456-60.
- Lewis, S., Baxter, V., Spaccarotella, Andzel, W. 2017. College students’ knowledge of recovery beverage serving sizes. InternationalJournal of Exercise Science, 10(3).
- Delaney., C., Spaccarotella, K., & Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2021). A comparison of weight-related behaviors of Hispanic mothers and children by acculturation level. Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2):503.
- Geraldes, L. & Spaccarotella, K. (2021). Assessing electronic children's books for use with garden activities and nutrition education. Journal of Child Nutrition and Management, 45(1).