Julia Ross is dedicated to paying it forward.

Ross, a food science and human nutrition major, struggled with self image, eating and mental health issues in high school and even into her freshman year at CSU. Luckily, she had a high school track coach who was pursuing a graduate degree in counseling to help her overcome those obstacles.

“It was great to have someone in high school who cared so much about me,” she said of Aaron Waters, who is now a local high school counselor. “I owe a lot to him for sure.”

Ross, in turn, has served as a high school track coach during her time at CSU and has been able to mentor and help girls going through the same challenges that she did.

“It’s been great to be like an older sister rather than a teacher,” she said.

Her experiences – and an older sister who is in medical school – inspired Ross to pursue a career as a dietician, working with female athletes or in the field of women’s health. She is planning to pursue a master’s degree in nutrition.

“Julia is an intelligent, motivated and hard-working student, mentor, coach and volunteer,” said nominator James Peth, an assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. “She regularly shares her story about her past struggles with eating and athletic performance to help young women have a healthier relationship with food while maximizing their athletic performance.”

But her path wasn’t always clear. During her senior year at Fossil Ridge High School, Ross started pursuing a pre-veterinary program at Front Range Community College. When she came to CSU, her major changed several times, going from animal sciences to biology to hospitality management before switching to her concentration in dietetics and nutrition.

“It’s all worked out, and I wouldn’t change a thing,” Ross said. “This is where I was supposed to be. I don’t have any regrets.”

In addition to being a track coach, Ross has worked in CSU Athletics with dietician Matt Garrell and overseen the social media accounts for sports nutrition in the department. She’s served as the risk management chair for the sorority Gamma Phi Beta, a Ram Welcome leader and recruitment coach for Fraternity and Sorority Life.