October 1, 2026 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu
A lifelong swimmer, MaKayla Ciancanelli has always understood the importance of nutrition, but it wasn’t until a family member faced a health crisis that she began to see it as a career path. She was in her sophomore year at USC – studying exercise science and competing as a freestyler with the Gamecocks Swimming and Diving team – when everything changed.
“My sister, Isabella, was hospitalized and diagnosed with celiac disease and type 1 diabetes, and watching her life change so drastically in a single day had a profound impact on me,” Ciancanelli says. “When a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) became involved in her care, Isabella was given not only practical tools to manage her diagnosis, but also reassurance that she could continue to live a full and active life.”
Already interested in working with athletes, chronic disease and long-term health, this observation drove Ciancanelli’s decision to pursue a career in nutrition. The serendipitous launch of her department’s brand-new M.S. in Performance Nutrition and Dietetics program the same year she completed her bachelor’s degree (two semesters early) offered the perfect path to becoming an RDN herself.
“Being part of the inaugural cohort felt like an exciting opportunity to take a risk, grow alongside a new program, and continue building on the relationships and experiences I had already developed at USC,” Ciancanelli says. “I decided to take that chance and apply, and I could not be happier with my decision to remain in Columbia for another two years.”
Designed to complement its evidence-based curriculum, the program leverages the exercise science department’s well-established network of clinical partners to provide students with supervised learning experiences in the field. Ciancanelli has already completed dietetic internships with NASCAR and National Hockey League affiliates, food assistance programs, a physical therapy and sports performance clinic, and Gamecocks Football. She has also gained teaching experience as a graduate assistant and contributed to research in exercise science assistant professor Katie Hirsch’s Sustain Lab, where the team investigates the role of exercise and nutrition in health and performance across the lifespan.
“Dr. Hirsch has been a significant mentor and influence throughout my time at the Arnold School,” Ciancanelli says. “As an undergraduate student, her sports nutrition course helped confirm my goal of becoming an RDN. Then she helped connect me with my master’s program, and her leadership in the lab has helped me grow in ways I did not expect, such as developing a new understanding of research’s role in sports nutrition and providing me with the opportunity to present a poster and abstract at the International Society of Sports Nutrition Conference.”
Ciancanelli’s master’s program also tested the discipline and persistence she developed as a student-athlete. A former injury prevented her from competing during her freshman year, so she was eligible to swim that first semester of graduate school until a stress fracture in her lumbar spine forced Ciancanelli into medical retirement.
Following this, she redirected that same commitment to her academic, professional, and leadership roles. While adjusting to graduate school, Ciancanelli continued building her career in performance nutrition and served as the vice president of the Carolina Baptist Collegiate Ministry for a year. This experience ultimately strengthened her desire to support athletes navigating the physical and emotional demands of sport.
“Over time, I have been able to find a new way to channel my passion for athletics by giving back to other athletes through the nutrition support we provide,” she says. “Because of my own background as a student-athlete, I have developed a particular interest in sports nutrition and supporting athletes who are managing chronic or autoimmune diseases.”
Thanks to the program’s dual focus on hands-on experience using evidenced-based approaches, Ciancanelli is also interested in how nutrition interventions can help athletes maintain their health while continuing to train and compete at a high level.
“I am passionate about helping athletes develop behaviors that support longevity in sport and, more importantly, lifelong health,” she says. “Athletic careers eventually end, and I want athletes to leave sport with the knowledge, resources, and habits that allow them to continue living healthy and active lives long after their competitive careers conclude.”
After completing her program next year, Ciancanelli and members of the inaugural graduating cohort will take the RDN exam. Her goal is to serve as a sports dietitian with the National Hockey League.
“My degree is preparing me to achieve these goals through its performance-focused curriculum and strong foundation in exercise science, nutrition, and nutritional pathophysiology,” Ciancanelli says. “In addition to developing my clinical knowledge, the program has provided me with hands-on experiences working with athletes and learning how to translate nutrition science into practical strategies within a performance environment.”
Looking back on her years at USC, particularly her master’s program, Ciancanelli advises that prospective students take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way and build relationships with professors and preceptors. She also recommends becoming friends with classmates.
“They truly become your lifelines in graduate school and will become your peers in the workforce one day,” she says. “You will study together, celebrate successes together, work through difficult assignments together, become friends outside of school, and support each other through the challenges that come with graduate school.”
While Ciancanelli’s future as a performance dietitian will likely take her away from Columbia, she will always cherish the memories she’s made at USC – her dream school since she was young. Competing with the Swimming and Diving team and then working with Gamecocks Football have made her experiences even more meaningful.
“Columbia and USC have given me opportunities to grow as a student, athlete, professional, and leader,” Ciancanelli says. “The relationships and experiences I have gained here have made Columbia feel like home, and I am incredibly grateful for the different communities that have shaped my time as a Gamecock.”
