A former Penn State student may soon join household names like Rachael Ray, Giada de Laurentiis and Paula Deen on the Food Network.

Katie Cavuto, who attended Penn State between 1997 and 1999 for her first two years of college before leaving, has a chance to shine as the network's next star.

Cavuto is a contestant on The Next Food Network Star, a show where 10 people compete for his or her own Food Network show. The Next Food Network Star's fifth season premieres June 7.

"I'm obviously a huge fan of the Food Network. It's always been a dream to have my own show," Cavuto said. "I think I have a very unique culinary point of view."

Cavuto's show would focus on healthy eating and "teaching people about the benefits of buying local seasonal food and how it benefits the environment [and] creating simple, approachable healthy meals," she said.

Before cultivating her culinary skills, Cavuto was a member of the Penn State women's gymnastics team for two years. When she injured her shoulder after her sophomore year, she decided to pursue a new path.

"I actually took a semester off. I traveled through Europe for a little bit, tried to figure out what I was interested in outside of gymnastics," Cavuto said. "That's where I found my love for food and became very passionate about cooking."

Cavuto received her bachelors' degree in culinary nutrition at Johnson & Wales University and owns Healthy Bites, a nutrition and personal catering business based in Philadelphia.

"Being both a dietitian and a chef, I focus on healthy eating," Cavuto said.

Local and seasonal ingredients are a major focus of Cavuto's cooking, she said, adding she is "100 percent Italian" and likes to cook healthy pasta dishes.

"I definitely cook a lot of Mediterranean food, but I wouldn't say I limit myself to any one genre of cooking," she said. "I really like to be creative and teach people and learn about as many cuisines as possible."

Cavuto doesn't eliminate all treats, either -- especially when she visits State College, she said.

She makes sure to stop by the Creamery when she attends her yearly Penn State football game, she said. One of her favorite Creamery flavors is black raspberry.

"I'm a total 'everything in moderation' type of girl -- definitely very healthy but all about treating yourself once in a while," she said.