Sandy Stork & Barbara Robertson

Sandy, Barbara, and friends loading hay on the Stork farm in 1997.

Sandy Stork Biography

Sandy Stork was born in Oakland, Nebraska. She grew up on the family farm near Tekamah, Nebraska, and continued to be involved in its operation throughout life. She valued her rural upbringing and the importance of working hard to achieve one's goals.

Sandy graduated from Tekamah High School. She was a dedicated participant in 4-H during her high school years, winning many awards for food, sewing, and speech. She also showed Shorthorn cattle, for which she earned the distinction of being chosen Shorthorn Lassie Queen by the Nebraska Shorthorn Association.

In 1966, Sandy earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Food and Nutrition from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. She then went on to complete her dietetic internship and Masters of Science degree from Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio.

Sandy began her professional career as an Outpatient Clinical Dietitian at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1974 she was promoted to the position of Assistant Director of the Department of Dietetics, and in 1978 she became the Director of the Department of Clinical Dietetics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

She was instrumental in the creation and initiation of the dietetic internship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She was a gifted, engaging, and loved director, teacher and mentor for many staff members and dietetic interns. She was able to not only see the potential in those she supervised and taught but also was able to help them reach their potential. She was known for her creative, personable, seasoned-with-humor teaching style. Sandy easily related to staff members and students at all levels.

In her later years, she taught Nutrition to nursing students at the Nebraska Methodist College as well as to culinary students at the Metropolitan Community College - Institute for the Culinary Arts in Omaha. She so enjoyed being engaged in younger peoples' lives and having an opportunity to influence their learning of nutrition and also their development as beginning professionals.

Sandy lovingly cared for her bed-ridden mother in their home for many years, and then later, also devotedly provided home care for her father. Her personal relationship with Jesus Christ was most important to her and that relationship was visible in her daily life. Sandy was known for her steady, measured, and wise counsel. Her influence is lasting in the many lives she touched.

Barbara Robertson receiving master's degree in 1989 with Sandy Stork

Barbara Robertson Biography

Barbara Robertson was born and raised in Casper, Wyoming. She attended college at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado earning a BS degree in Food Science and Nutrition in 1981. She completed her internship in 1982 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha, Nebraska, which was being directed by Sandy Stork. After her internship she was hired at UNMC as a clinical dietitian. Because of her enjoyment of her work as a clinical preceptor for the dietetic internship and Sandy's encouragement, she went on to earn a Masters of Arts degree in Adult and Continuing Education in 1989, from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. She received the Teacher of the Year award in the School of Allied Health at UNMC in 1991. She has continued to practice as a clinical dietitian in a variety of specialty areas along with her role as a clinical preceptor for the Dietetic Internship for 30+ years.

Barbara has served as an adjunct instructor in the UNMC College of Allied Health during her clinical career. Her dedication to teaching has benefltted dietetic interns, medical students and residents, pharmacy students and other allied health students throughout her tenure. She has supported learning for colleagues as well as students through her work with the Teaching Improvement Project System (TIPS) program, in conjunction with Sandy Stork. Barbara has supported continuing education opportunities for her nutrition therapy colleagues through ongoing coordination of a monthly journal club. She models the values associated with competence, lifelong learning and professional ethics in her clinical practice. Dietetic interns note that she provides a safe and stimulating learning experience that promotes critical thinking and helps them thrive. Their relationship with her, and their reliance on her guidance, often extends well beyond graduation.