Nutrition educator alumnus Meredith (Hein) Kuca ’15 has strong family ties to Concordia Nebraska

Meredith (Hein) Kuca ’15 many family ties to Concordia University, Nebraska. Her parents met and married while attending the university. All four of her older siblings attended the university, too. 

“[My siblings] Kraig and Molly played soccer there, so I always wanted to go there and also play soccer,” she said. “I originally wanted to study nutrition, but Concordia did not have any degree offerings in that field. So I chose to study exercise science. I learned I liked my other health classes more, so I added a major in community health in the second semester of my sophomore year.” 

Kuca attended Lincoln Lutheran and said Concordia Nebraska was always the obvious college choice for her for a variety of reasons. She has a bachelor of science in exercise science and a bachelor of arts in community health from the university. Now, Concordia offers one degree that combines both of these focus areas: public health and fitness. 

She said the loved her time at Concordia Nebraska for many reasons, but one stand-out memory is playing soccer for the Bulldogs. 

“I loved playing soccer at Concordia. I had an awesome team for those four years! And my senior year, we were the first to win the conference and go to nationals!” she said. “I also loved all the friends I made. I came in with friends from high school, and we all roomed on the same floor but with random roommates. We are all still tight friends now. Freshman and sophomore year, a huge group of us loved playing cut-throat mafia in the old music building or in David Hall. I loved being active on campus, attending worship, lots of events and sports and participating in the women’s fidelity groups.” 

The faith habits I had at home were stressed at college but also strengthened. I had several ways I could feed my faith at Concordia....

Kuca said that her health and human performance professors guided her and helped her by connecting with her on a personal level. 

“I really enjoyed my classes because of the content but mostly because I loved my main professors Dr. Nolan Harms, Dr. Jennifer Janousek and Dr. Vicki Boye. I learned that I loved being in a healthy and happy community at Concordia Nebraska, in Seward and in the Lutheran world, so I learned how to build that for myself.” 

Following graduation, Kuca wanted to move back to her hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska. She found a job at a retirement community wellness center serving as a wellness assistant. She taught water classes, strength training classes and a stretch class and supervised the wellness center. At that time, she also worked for a family, helping around their property with their garden, landscaping, horses, dog and cleaning. In September of 2015, she joined the Nutrition Education Program at Nebraska Extension. 

Though she is an employee of the University of Nebraska, her work is federally funded by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.  

“I am the educational component of SNAP, so SNAP-Ed. I teach evidence-based nutrition curriculum and physical activity information to limited-resource audiences in Lancaster County,” she explained. “NEP works with the whole lifespan- birth to older adults. I mainly work with adults and older adults. Most of my participants are going through substance abuse rehabilitation, transitional housing or coming out of correctional facilities. I go to these community agencies to teach. I also work to increase healthy outcomes and promote nutrition through policy, systems and environmental approaches. We partner with community agencies like the health department, Food Bank of Lincoln, Community Health Endowment, commodities, community gardens, etc. to advocate for healthy lifestyles and promote access to healthy food and activities in our communities.” 

She said her time at Concordia Nebraska prepared her for the work she now does each day. She said she learned how to truly connect with people through peer-to-peer relationships and through working with Concordia professors and campus staff. 

“The Health and Human Performance professors were very good at modeling professionalism,” she said. “Being able to connect with others and knowing when to behave professionally is very helpful for my job, and for life in general. They also provided opportunities to build my resume.” 

She said her work keeps her very busy but is very fulfilling. In addition to planning and preparing to teach nutrition classes, recipe preparation for classes requires her to transport kitchen tools, recipe ingredients and classroom materials to each class. In addition, she often has ample data to track and submit. 

“We evaluate every class and program we provide. I participate in several meetings with other community agencies working to increase health and opportunities for under-served audiences,” she said. “I love working with people I wouldn’t typically run in to. I am able to connect with and learn so much about my community through my work. I get to advocate for these under-served and low-income participants so they can find success in what they do and so we can better our community! Before Covid, we had a longstanding nutrition program with a few prisons in Nebraska. I would get to teach inmates there and then several times I would see them again in my rehab or transitional housing classes! It was great because they would recognize me, and I get to see them progressing in their life.” 

Kuca comes from a family of eight. Her parents Marty ‘84 and Deb (Thalacker) Hein ’82 and siblings Ketan ‘09, Kraig ‘10, Molly ‘12 and Maggie ‘13 all attended the university. Kuca and her husband Daniel have a son Damian and a daughter Kamaya. They still attend their hometown church, Messiah Lutheran in Lincoln, where Kuca often volunteers. 

“I am on the Messiah Respite Project Committee. We provide respite to the caregivers of individuals with dementia,” she explained. We also provide resources and a support group for the caregivers. If anyone has a loved one with dementia, please know there are resources for supporting the caregivers!” 

Kuca was raised in a strong Christian family and said her faith continued to be nourished and strengthened during her time at Concordia Nebraska, something she still thinks about today. 

“The faith habits I had at home were stressed at college but also strengthened,” she said. “I had several ways I could feed my faith at Concordia. I loved worship on Wednesdays in the chapel. I loved how all of my main professors were Christian role models and showed compassion and empathy for us. I was able to be surrounded by real Christian friends whose relationships helped carry me through all of the challenges of becoming an independent adult. Even though some say Concordia is a Christian bubble, it’s an environment I thrived in and am happy to have grown up in.” 

A degree in public health and fitness from Concordia University, Nebraska prepares students to develop and advocate for effective health programs and serve their neighbors. Students learn how to apply the gifts God has given them to enhance the spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional and social well-being of others. Concordia Nebraska helps students prepare for careers in exercise and health settings, as well as graduate programs in these fields.