RAYMOND, Miss. -- An instructor with the Mississippi State University Extension Service was recently recognized by the Mississippi Public Health Association for her commitment to helping Mississippians live healthier lifestyles.

Qula Madkin, a dietitian nutritionist in the MSU Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Promotion, was awarded the Vonda A. Webb Nutritionist of the Year Award at the association’s fall conference.

“I am deeply honored to receive this award, but my work has always been about serving the people,” Madkin said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to know that my health, nutrition, wellness and advocacy efforts are recognized and appreciated, especially by those I am privileged to serve.”

First presented in 1979, the award was established in honor of Vonda A. Webb, a former nutrition services director with the Mississippi State Department of Health, to recognize outstanding achievements in public health nutrition. 

Madkin directs Extension’s statewide nutrition programs and assists with developing, coordinating and distributing program materials related to nutrition and food safety. She also provides training and technical assistance to all Extension agents with nutrition education responsibilities.

She is a regular contributor to the MSU Extension Service’s Extension for Real Life Blog, published by MSU Extension. She also maintains various social media platforms, engaging a broader audience and increasing awareness of the MSU Extension Nutrition and Wellness Program. She has been instrumental in implementing the Dining with Diabetes program in Mississippi, helping patients, caregivers and others manage diabetes with healthy lifestyle habits. Her office is located at the Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Raymond.

Madkin serves as a mentor to students in MSU’s nutrition and dietetics programs and works to introduce high school students to the profession. She is an active member of the Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and regularly presents at conferences and meetings focused on the field.

She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nutrition from MSU and has more than 21 years of experience working with health, wellness promotion and nutrition coordination in community, private and academic settings. She is a registered and licensed dietitian and a certified diabetes care and education specialist. She also completed training in the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s Adult Weight Management Program.

She is currently pursuing a doctorate in functional foods and nutrition.

The MPHA is an affiliate of the American Public Health Association and is made up of a variety of public health advocates and professionals, including physicians, nurses, social workers, emergency responders, researchers and nutritionists.

MPHA provides leadership, advocacy and education to its members to improve public and personal health in the state. For more information about the organization, visit https://www.mspha.org.