CSUN Athletics and CSUN’s Marilyn Magaram Center for Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics in the College of Health and Human Development have announced a unique new partnership that will help the two programs create and grow mutually beneficial nutrition and wellness programming. The Matadors’ existing wellness programming will be supplemented by the Magaram Center’s cutting edge, best of its kind services, expertise and facilities. The partnership, which will officially launch with the start of the Fall 2017 semester, will include nutrition education, mindfulness training, an internship exchange, research opportunities and community outreach to underserved Los Angeles communities.

“Over the past several years, CSUN Athletics has been working hard to prioritize student-athlete well-being. This new partnership with the Magaram Center, a campus- and nation-wide leader in nutrition and wellness, will help us raise the bar even more and augment individualized programming and education that will directly benefit our student-athletes,” said Dr. Brandon Martin, CSUN Director of Athletics. “I’m so proud to help create groundbreaking programming alongside my partners at the Magaram Center and that together we’ll be able to help educate the broader community about the importance of nutrition and fitness.”

Starting in the fall, the Magaram Center will offer CSUN student-athletes, coaches and staff cooking classes led by Nutrition and Dietetics graduate students and Dietetic Interns, and wellness training that will include yoga and meditation. As part of a collaborative idea exchange program, there will also be opportunities for CSUN student-athletes to intern with the Magaram Center and for College of Health and Human Development students to intern with the Matadors’ sports dietitian at the Matador Fueling Station. As the relationship grows, CSUN Athletics and the College of Health and Human Development plan to partner on evidence-based research studies and data collection about fueling athletes and other nutrition-based topics that will directly benefit student-athletes and the growth of the College of Health and Human Development’s programming.

“As a leader in the field of nutrition, dietetics and food science, The Marilyn Magaram Center is proud and excited to work with CSUN Athletics to grow our plethora of programs to more directly benefit CSUN students and help Matadors rise in the global community,” said Dr. Annette Besnilian, CSUN’s Executive Director, Marilyn Magaram Center. “This partnership is a prime example of what’s possible through the collaborative efforts of the CSUN community. It will help us meet many of our campus priorities, including student and employee success, research, engagement, sustainability, fundraising, viability and visibility.”

“This new partnership is great for CSUN students and the community,” said Dr. Farrell J. Webb, Dean, CSUN College of Health and Human Development. “The Magaram Center has a long tradition of outreach that directly improves the health of our communities. Working with CSUN Athletics on this project underscores our shared commitment to student success and the wellbeing of the greater community.”

The partnership will also directly benefit the greater Los Angeles community through wellness programs that include nutrition and food preparation instruction and grocery shopping tips for underserved areas of Los Angeles. Matador student-athletes will join the Magaram Center’s school-based wellness programs, such as “Taste of Good Health” and “Let’s Grow Health in Schools,” to strengthen nutrition and physical education programs for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) children and their families, and Magaram Center students and instructors will join CSUN Athletics and the Tree of Life Missionary Baptist Church in similar programming and outreach in Watts.

CSUN Athletics and the College of Health and Human Development have worked together on many initiatives in the past, including the hiring of CSUN Athletics’ Registered Sports Dietitian Simona Hradil and the creation of the Matador Fueling Station, which provides CSUN student-athletes with individualized nutritional guides for pre- and post-workout meals and snacks in order to maximize energy, focus and performance in practice and competition.

The College of Health and Human Development Marilyn Magaram Center’s existing relationship with CSUN Athletics already includes the administration of body composition testing for student-athletes and leading cooking seminars for incoming freshman student-athletes at the Matadors’ annual Summer Success Program. CSUN student-athletes have also helped shape the Magaram Center’s “Nutrition Experts” web portal and helped support the Magaram Center’s product development program by testing and marketing “Matador Marmalade” and “Spicy Matador” spice blends. Magaram Center interns also support Hradil’s Fueling Station and nutrition programming.

A committee made up of CSUN and community leaders will identify strategic targets and advise on programming for this new partnership.

About CSUN Athletics
The CSUN Athletic Department empowers more than 350 student-athletes and staff to achieve comprehensive excellence both on and off the field in 19 intercollegiate sports through a diverse and inclusive educational experience. The Matadors are members of the Big West Conference, their colors are red, white and black and the “Rise of the Matadors” campaign pays tribute to the rich tradition and culture of CSUN Athletics. For Matadors ticket information, please call (818) 677-2488 or visit www.gomatadors.com/tickets. For information on supporting CSUN Athletics, visit www.gomatadors.com. For additional information, follow the Matadors on Twitter @GoMatadors, on Instagram @MattytheMatador and on Facebook at CSUNAthletics.

About the Marilyn Magaram Center for Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics
The Marilyn Magaram Center for Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics was established in 1990 in memory of Marilyn Magaram, graduate and faculty of the Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science program in the Department of Family Consumer Sciences (FCS; formerly the Department of Family Environmental Sciences) at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). Under the direction of Dr. Annette Besnilian and Assistant Director Karmen Ovsepyan, the Center provides education; research in Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics; and community service. The goals of the Marilyn Magaram Center are to: promote the professional growth and development of faculty, students and professionals in food science, nutrition and dietetics; educate diverse communities in the relationship of food science, nutrition and dietetic practices to human health and wellbeing; sponsor, conduct and assess scholarly projects in the fields of nutrition and food science; establish and strengthen interdisciplinary alliances with other disciplines within CSUN, professional organizations and community agencies that hold compatible goals and ensure the long-term viability and visibility of the Marilyn Magaram Center.

About CSUN’s College of Health and Human Development
Through nine academic departments, the College of Health and Human Development (HHD) offers 11 undergraduate degree programs, 10 graduate degree programs, and two credentials. Its focus on health, wellbeing and life-decisions is accentuated through eight community-focused centers, as well as engagement with the campus-wide Institute for Community Health and Wellbeing. Health and Human Development students, faculty and professionals study wellbeing through research, education and action. As of the end of the fall 2016 semester, 7,600 students were enrolled, representing the largest enrollment among CSUN’s nine colleges. HHD prepares competent, caring professionals committed to enhancing and promoting the health and wellbeing of the diverse communities CSUN serves. This work is guided by several unifying values: a commitment to academic quality, student success, community engagement, and educational effectiveness.