Maria Serban

About

June 18, 2025 – Maria Serban feels fortunate to have made a positive impact on other students, instructors and community members throughout her time in LFS.

A strong advocate for nutrition and health, Serban became involved in the Nutrikids club and progressed from being a general volunteer to Community Outreach Coordinator, and eventually President over the course of four years. As President, she led a team of four executives and mentored more than 90 student volunteers in delivering nutrition workshops to elementary school students.

Serban also provided a student voice in academic planning as an Undergraduate Academic Assistant, along with three other students, working with Professor Bruna Donatti to redesign course FNH 470: Nutrition Care II.

“This project reinforced my understanding as a leader of the importance of student-faculty collaboration and how leadership extends beyond student groups – it also involves advocating for peers and gathering student perspectives to make a lasting impact on LFS student academic experiences.”

She is passionate about equipping students with a stronger connection to the dietetics community. She was a mentor with the UBC Dietetic Student Community for two years, where she supported prospective dietetics students in navigating the application process and learning more about the program, and helped organize outreach events for current students.

Serban says that she’s enjoyed working within the tight-knit community of students passionate about promoting nutrition education, and taking leadership roles that allowed her to interact with faculty, students, and other community members to contribute to the “best faculty of all thyme”.

Top tip for becoming a leader:

I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about having all the answers – it’s about always being open to learning and jumping in to help wherever you can. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and look for opportunities that truly excite you. Every experience, big or small, can help you grow!