Originally from Southern California, Geoffrey Samson, MS-AND (‘23) attended Arizona State University online where he earned a bachelor’s degree in nutrition communications. He graduated in December of 2017 and began work as a personal trainer.
“After graduation I decided to go the personal training route, and my nutrition background was very impactful for my clients,” said Geoffrey.
He also started an internship at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where he worked closely with athletes in the school’s Division I football program.
“While I was interning at UCLA, I learned a lot about performance nutrition,” said Geoffrey. “These athletes had an intense regimen, and the athletic department had a dedicated fueling station at their training facility. I noticed how nutrition was truly the cornerstone of the program.”
It was then that Geoffrey knew he wanted to expand his knowledge in nutrition and become a registered dietitian nutritionist. He began working at Ultimate Performance, an innovative gym in Los Angeles and the home of some of the world’s leading personal trainers. He discovered Logan University’s Master of Science in Applied Nutrition and Dietetics (MS-AND) program, and after some research, he applied.
“No other schools were offering this degree with the hybrid format and the innovative coursework,” said Geoffrey. “Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics were some of the classes that impressed me the most. The whole program was perfect for advancing my education and experience.”
As part of the hybrid program, students spend 30 weeks in St. Louis engaged in supervised experiential learning at various pre-selected locations, including hospitals, food banks and even a dialysis clinic.
“These internships were crucial to becoming a well-rounded dietitian,” said Geoffrey. “The program was extremely organized, and I felt supported by the faculty throughout the entire two years. In addition, it prepared me for my next career step.”
Geoffrey graduated from Logan in the spring of 2023 and is now back in California working with elite athletes at Pro Code, a training facility in Irvine. There, he creates customized nutritional plans for adult athletes as well as younger athletes in intensive training programs where nutrition is a fundamental component.
“I am able to implement what I learned in a seamless way, and that makes me more effective at my job,” Geoffrey said.