Caring for the Whole Person: How Zag Dining’s Dietitian Supports Student Success

SPOKANE, WA — At Gonzaga University, education extends beyond the classroom. Rooted in the Jesuit principle of cura personalis—a Latin phrase meaning “care for the whole person”—the university is committed to developing students intellectually, spiritually, culturally, physically, and emotionally. Zag Dining’s on-campus dietitian, Joanne Perez-Vergara, MS, RD, LD, brings that mission to life every day through her work with students, faculty, and staff.

College represents a pivotal time marked by transition and newfound independence. For many students, it is their first time managing meals on their own while balancing academic demands, social pressures, and personal growth. In that environment, nutrition plays a direct role in focus, energy levels, and mental health. Joanne’s presence on campus ensures students have both access to balanced meals and a trusted resource to help them build sustainable habits that support long-term well-being.

Nutrition as a Foundation for Academic and Personal Growth

Gonzaga University’s mission calls for educating students for lives of leadership and service for the common good. That formation requires clarity of mind, physical vitality, and emotional steadiness. Balanced nutrition underpins all three.

Joanne works closely with students to provide practical guidance that fits real life. From general nutrition counseling to thoughtful accommodations for dietary needs and restrictions, she helps ensure every student can fully participate in campus life. Her approach emphasizes balance rather than restriction.

“It’s not about the food but your relationship with food,” Joanne explains. “Any and all foods should be part of life and enjoyed.”

That philosophy reflects Gonzaga’s humanistic tradition—supporting students as whole individuals rather than reducing wellness to rigid rules.

Living Cura Personalis Through Dining

Joanne collaborates with faculty and staff, reinforcing that well-being is a shared, campus-wide responsibility. This holistic approach mirrors Gonzaga’s intentional development of the whole person. Care for students does not stop at academic advising or spiritual formation; it extends to the daily choices that shape health, resilience, and confidence.

This semester, Zag Dining has placed a strong emphasis on engagement, creating welcoming opportunities for connection. Pop-up events such as Donuts with the Dietitian invite students into relaxed, judgment-free conversations about food and health. These gatherings foster trust, reduce stigma around nutrition questions, and strengthen relationships across campus.

Through these efforts, Joanne’s work supports a learning community where students feel seen, heard, and supported—an everyday expression of cura personalis in action.

Thoughtful Menus & A Sense of Home

Joanne’s impact also extends behind the scenes. She contributes to the development of balanced, appealing menus in campus dining halls, ensuring consistent access to meals that fuel both body and mind.

Her work continues through home-style recipes available at Iggy’s Market, providing options students can recreate and share. For many, especially those far from home, these meals offer familiarity and comfort during a season of change.

Food becomes a connector—linking students to one another, to faculty and staff, and to the broader Gonzaga community.

Supporting Leadership Through Well-Being

Gonzaga’s mission speaks to forming leaders grounded in dignity, service, and care for others. That formation depends on students being well enough—physically and emotionally—to engage deeply with their studies and their community.

Through connection, education, engagement, and intentional menu development, Joanne Perez-Vergara embodies the university’s commitment to caring for the whole person. Her work demonstrates that nourishing students is about more than meals; it is about creating the conditions in which they can thrive.

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