For April Sokalsky, food has always been more than what’s on the plate. It’s something to share, something to learn from, and something that can bring people together. 

“I think it’s a very communal thing,” Sokalsky said. “Sharing food just brings me a lot of joy.” 

That mindset has shaped her path at Temple’s Barnett College of Public Health, where she is pursuing her Master of Public Health in Nutrition. A graduate of George Washington University, Sokalsky didn’t always plan to go this route. Like many students, she started out pre-med, but quickly found herself questioning the system. 

“I still loved the science,” she said. “But nutrition and public health felt more foundational—something that connects a lot of people, and something a lot of people are missing, whether it’s knowledge, access, or resources.” 

That realization led her to hands-on work in Washington, D.C., where she helped teach elementary school students how to grow, cook, and try new foods through a school garden program. The experience stuck with her. 

“Kids would get to see the food grow, cook it themselves, and then try it,” Sokalsky said. “And they were excited. I was surprised how many of them enjoyed things like kale or beets.” 

More importantly, the impact lasted. 

“When we talked to students years later, they still remembered the recipes and those experiences,” she said. “It was such a positive, eye-opening program.” 

Her interest in nutrition is also personal. Growing up, Sokalsky said she experienced some of the same pressures and misconceptions around food that many people do, which shaped how she thinks about it today. 

“There’s a lot of shame tied to food and body image,” she said. “I really believe food should be a positive experience, not something restrictive or negative.” 

That perspective has only deepened through her academic and professional experiences—from clinical work in nutrition research to her current role as a graduate teaching assistant at Temple. 

“I had students who told me they weren’t that interested in public health,” she said. “But they said my passion made it engaging. That’s what I love.” 

After graduation, Sokalsky hopes to continue building her clinical experience before eventually returning to what inspired her most: food education. 

“I’d love to be part of a program that teaches kids about food,” she said. “There’s so much opportunity for that in a city like Philly.” 

For Sokalsky, at the center of it all is something simple. 

“Food is such an easy way to connect with people,” she said. “That’s where it all starts.”