URBANA, Ill. — During her summer break, Delaina Sigman was handed a protractor, a pencil, a sheet of paper, and a compass. Then she was told to navigate her way through the wilderness. This was just the beginning of Cadet Summer Training, an experience Sigman participated in as a student in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s ROTC program. When she’s not out in the field, Sigman is a senior studying dietetics and nutrition in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES).

“At first, I came to the university wanting to learn about forensic science and criminal justice, but then I found dietetics and nutrition, and the Army ROTC, and decided to combine the two. My goal is to become an army dietitian, so after I graduate with my bachelor’s and master’s degrees and complete my dietetics internship next year, I will officially become a registered dietitian. After that, I’ll commission as an officer, hopefully going on active duty and traveling the world,” Sigman said.

It was Sigman’s own experiences with nutrition and health that first inspired her to pursue her newfound passions as a first-year student. When Sigman decided to join the ROTC, continuing a service tradition led by her mother and father, both officers in the United States Army, she realized poor food options in her life had impacted her own health and fitness. Her choice to pursue an FSHN degree helped improve her health but also spurred her growth in ROTC, where she passed her required Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) with flying colors.

“Ultimately, what inspired me to switch to nutrition and join the ROTC was my personal goal to succeed, but also to help other undergraduates and ROTC students who started off in my position,” Sigman said. “It’s an honor to be with these people as they’re trying to improve their lives and better themselves. I was fortunate enough to go through those first steps, so my experiences could help me provide good solutions for other individuals. As a senior, I am actually helping around 15 cadets manage their own nutrition to improve their overall health and fitness. Being a part of that is truly motivating.”

These experiences are what led to Sigman’s introduction to Cadet Summer Training, a six-week training program that tests ROTC students on skills like land navigation, warrior skills, weapons skills, and offensive/defense operations. Sigman’s average day this summer included any number of activities, such as navigating the wilderness, learning to camouflage, trying on hazmat suits, firing weapons, throwing grenades, or running missions with her platoon.

But Sigman clearly isn’t afraid to change things up. In 2021, Sigman also joined associate professor Jaume Amengual’s lab at Illinois, choosing to augment her full course load with research experience as an undergraduate. During her time in Amengual’s lab, she helped investigate the usable form of vitamin A and how it combats metabolic disease progression. While Sigman worked with graduate students, she developed a new protocol for staining and counting lipid droplets and liver cells for data quantification. Afterward, Sigman presented a poster on her staining procedures and is a co-author of a paper that will be published in the coming months. Images of Sigman’s stainings will be included in Amengual’s paper, which she will help edit this year. For her work, Sigman received the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award from the College of ACES.

Sigman’s involvement with nutrition isn’t limited to campus’ bounds, however. She currently works at the Illinois Fire Service Institute, where she gives informative nutrition and wellness presentations to Fire Academy members who are training to become full-time firefighters. Sigman also volunteered at Leal Elementary School, educating students about how they can make the best food choices available to them. She aims to positively impact minority students and children from impoverished backgrounds who might not have regular access to healthy foods.

Sigman advises future ACES students to make the most of their time at the university by getting to know the faculty and peers in their department. She also suggests looking beyond campus to get involved outside of the classroom.  I cannot thank The University of Illinois Army ROTC program enough for providing me the opportunity to travel, meet some incredible people, and become a better version of myself. 

“I cannot thank The University of Illinois Army ROTC program enough for providing me the opportunity to travel, meet some incredible people, and become a better version of myself,” Sigman said. “I love my work, and it all really started by meeting Dr. Amengual. I’ve also gotten to know some of my closest friends through the opportunities offered to me. Exploring beyond campus is also important for students because it is nice to be alone and grow by yourself. To me, finding the balance between those two is essential.”