Jayla Justice

Nutritional Sciences

Justice passionate about helping others form positive food relationships

Hometown

Douglas, Georgia

Major/Minor

B.S. in Dietetics

Activities/Honors

• Graduating Summa Cum Laude
• FACS Featured Graduate
• President’s List (2019-2023)
• UGA Dean’s List (2024-2025)
• UGA FACS Greece Study Abroad (recently accepted for Maymester 2026)
• UGA FACS Nutritional Sciences Study Abroad Program (Maymester 2025)
• Student Dietetic Association Member (August 2023-Current)
• Student Dietetic Association Executive Board Member (August 2024-Current)
• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Member (August 2024-Current)
• Georgia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Student Member (August 2023 – Current)
• Phi Upsilon Omicron Member (Spring 2024-Fall 2025)
• Dietetics Practicum Student at St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens (Fall 2025)
• FACS Transfer Ambassador (August 2024-May 2025)
• Phi Mu Sorority Active Member (2023-2025)
• Julia Ann Simpson Scholarship (2024-2025)
• Leo H. Brooks Scholarship (2022-2025)
• Office of Global Engagement Scholarship (2025)
• Glen Burton International Study Abroad Scholarship (2025)
• American Heart Association BLS and CPR Certification (July 2025)
• UGA Career Center ArchReady Professional Development Certificate (April 2024)
• CITI Program Human Subject Research Training Certificate (January 2024)

Why I chose my major

 My interest in Dietetics began long before I ever realized it. I grew up watching cooking shows and admiring the creativity and joy that food could bring, yet my own reality looked very different. In my household, we rarely cooked from scratch. We were a busy Southern family, often relying on fast food, convenience meals, and routines that left little room for experimenting with new flavors or exploring diverse ingredients. Certain foods simply never appeared on the table because they were considered unappealing. My plate was often bland and colorless, and my relationship with food reflected the limits of that environment. It is obvious now that nourishment felt more like a pattern to follow than something to be curious about. I did not associate food with calm, joy, or exploration. Looking back, those early experiences shaped my understanding of how deeply food is tied to comfort, culture, stress, and identity. Those experiences also planted the seeds for something I did not yet recognize: a desire to break those patterns and to help others discover a healthier, more positive relationship with food.

That curiosity truly came to life when I arrived at the University of Georgia. For the first time, I began learning about food in a way that felt expansive rather than restrictive. Dietetics offered me the sense of belonging and purpose I had never felt around nutrition growing up. I discovered how empowering it is to understand the science behind nourishment, to appreciate the cultural meaning woven into meals, and to help others find balance without fear or judgment.

What I like most about FACS

I chose the College of Family and Consumer Sciences because it offered something I had been searching for long before I knew how to articulate it. When I first walked through the front doors during orientation in the summer of 2023, I felt the same sense of belonging I experienced when I discovered dietetics. It felt like finding my place and my future all at once. Within the classroom and beyond, FACS has shaped both my academic foundation and my character. Every professor I have had has pushed me to think critically, communicate thoughtfully, and approach food and nutrition through a lens of empathy. Most influential has been my DPD coordinator, Dr. Laing. Her strength, humor, honesty, and steady guidance have supported me in ways that extend far beyond coursework. She leads with both expertise and heart, demonstrating exactly the kind of dietitian and leader I hope to become. Her mentorship has helped me grow academically, professionally, and personally, reminding me that the best work in this field is grounded in empathy, respect, and a genuine desire to serve others. The opportunities within FACS are part of what make it so special: the student-led projects that foster leadership and creativity, the hands-on labs and rotations that bring learning to life, the study abroad programs that expand our global perspective, and the scholarship support that makes these experiences accessible. FACS offers an environment where students are truly supported, challenged, and inspired. Choosing FACS meant choosing a college that values people, relationships, and positive change.

Post-graduation plans

In the spring of 2026, I will be a full-time graduate student working toward my Master’s in Nutritional Sciences program at the University of Georgia, where I will focus on Community Nutrition and continue strengthening my clinical and academic foundation. I will continue taking graduate courses in the summer following the FACS Greece Study Abroad Maymester Program. After completing my degree, I will move to Charleston, South Carolina where I will complete my Dietetic Internship through Morrison Healthcare at the Medical University of South Carolina. I will begin this program in Fall of 2026 and complete it in Summer of 2027. Together, these two programs will prepare me to enter the field as a well-rounded, compassionate, and community-based dietitian. Long-term, I aim to return to South Georgia and open a community-centered private practice that blends clinical expertise with accessibility and empathy. I want to support individuals who, like me, grew up with limited exposure to variety, nutrition education, and positive relationships with food.