Nicholas Lazar Viola Smith/Bradford Adams FSHN 2026-2027
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EmailNicholas Lazar, FSHN Nutritional Sciences student, shares about the program and what receiving the Carl G. and Viola Smith Endowed Scholarship and the Bradford-Adams Endowed Scholarship for CANR FSHN has meant for Nick's undergraduate experience.
Name: Nicholas Lazar
Hometown: Bloomfield Hills, MI
Major: Nutritional Sciences
Why did you choose MSU FSHN for your major?
I chose Nutritional Sciences with a concentration in Biomedical and Molecular Nutrition because I have always been interested in how the foods we eat affect the body at a cellular and physiological level. I was especially drawn to the connection between nutrition, gastrointestinal health, chronic disease, and prevention. This major allows me to study the science behind metabolism, disease development, and human health while preparing me for my long-term goal of becoming a physician. I also appreciate that nutrition is relevant to nearly every area of medicine and can play an important role in improving both treatment outcomes and patients’ quality of life.
What has been the most interesting thing you have learned during your major?
One of the most impactful things I have learned is how nutrients and everyday food choices can influence metabolism, long-term health, and the risk of disease. I have come to understand that nutrition is much more complex than simply counting calories or labeling foods as “good” or “bad.” Learning how different nutrients function within the body has strengthened my interest in studying nutrition at a deeper biological level and eventually applying that knowledge in my future career as a physician.
What has receiving the Carl G. and Viola Smith Endowed Scholarship and the Bradford-Adams Endowed Scholarship for CANR FSHN meant to you?
Receiving the Carl G. and Viola Smith Endowed Scholarship and the Bradford-Adams Endowed Scholarship has meant a great deal to me. Beyond the financial support, these scholarships have made me feel that my academic efforts and commitment to pursuing a career connected to nutrition and human health are being recognized. They have motivated me to continue challenging myself academically, becoming more involved in my community, and taking advantage of the opportunities available to me at MSU. I am incredibly grateful to the donors whose generosity allows students like me to focus more fully on our education and long-term goals.
What are your future plans?
My future plans are to attend medical school and become a physician, with a particular interest in gastroenterology. I hope to use my background in nutrition to better understand the connection between diet, gastrointestinal health, and disease. Ultimately, I want to provide care that combines medicine and nutrition to improve patients’ long-term health and quality of life.
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 FSHN offers a unique and meaningful undergraduate experience because what you learn directly connects to everyday life and human health. The program gives you the opportunity to understand how food and nutrition affect the body while building a strong scientific foundation for a variety of future careers. It is an interesting and impactful field that can change the way you view health, disease, and the choices people make every day.
