Role Model to Two Young Daughters, Single Mother Relishes Mother’s Day Graduation from C.W. Post

May 8, 2005 — Brookville, NY – When Glen Head resident Judi LiVigni graduated from the University of Maryland in 1990 with a B.S. degree in Journalism, there was no way of predicting that 15 years later she would be divorced, the single mother of two young girls, and poised to receive a M.S. degree from C.W. Post in a completely different field: Nutrition and Exercise Physiology.

The path to her future career was set in motion by a junior year class in nutrition. Once she graduated, LiVigni followed her gut and began taking classes in 1991 at C.W. Post in nutrition, completing the Dietary Internship Program and becoming a Registered Dietician in 1994.

Clinical work followed and LiVigni married in 1995 at age 27. LiVigni supported her husband as he pursued his accounting degree and gave birth to two daughters: Samantha in 1997 and Julia in 2000. Her M.S. studies in clinical nutrition took a back seat to the full-time job of raising her girls. Then she and her husband divorced in 2001. “For the next four years, I poured all of my energy into caring for my daughters,” said LiVigni. “There just wasn’t room for anything else.”

With the strong support of her parents, a somewhat nervous LiVigni returned to C.W. Post after a 10 year absence.  She changed her concentration to pursuing a Master’s degree in nutrition and exercise physiology. “That is truly where my passion is. And coming back to Post gave me great confidence,” said LiVigni.

LiVigni balanced raising her daughters with her class schedule and working two days per week as campus nutritionist. “It really meant a lot to me that my girls saw that I can be a Mom and achieve what I want to achieve,” said LiVigni. Apparently, the professors in the Nutrition Department agree that LiVigni is a high achiever — she will be named The Most Outstanding Graduate Nutrition Student at the May 7 awards ceremony prior to graduation day. 

Her thesis examines the negative effect that restrictive dieting has on overweight children. LiVigni speaks from experience, having struggled with obesity as a child. Her dream is to open a private practice where she can help children and adults manage their weight.

For now, she is relishing graduating on Mother’s Day. “This is such an achievement to share with my kids,” said LiVigni. “For me, this is truly a family event.”

Judi LiVigni will be one of more than 2,200 students who will don their caps and gowns on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8, 2005 for the 47th annual commencement exercises of the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University. The Campus has awarded more than 90,000 degrees in its 50-year history, through a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs.