My Experience

As an aspiring dietitian, I believe that it is important to gain professional experience in multiple settings to better prepare myself for my career. That's why I have gained experience in food service, clinical nutrition, and community nutrition. I truly believe that these experiences have taught me valuable skills and lessons that I will carry with me as I continue my journey of becoming a dietitian.

Food Service

I am currently a shift lead at Crumbl in Champaign, Illinois. As a shift lead, my daily responsibilities include planning and executing daily activities, ensuring customer satisfaction, and supervising staff. A key part of my responsibilities is maintaining strong communication with team members, management, and customers to ensure that operations run smoothly in the fast-paced environment. Throughout this position, I have developed a strong understanding of how strong communication and leadership go hand in hand. These skills have helped me create a healthy and positive workplace environment, ensuring that customers have an exceptional experience at Crumbl.

FSHN 101

August 2024 - Present

Leadership

As a member of the Illinois Alpha Phi sorority, I made it my mission to be as involved within our chapter as I could be. During my sophomore and junior years of college, I served as the Director of Sisterhood. As the director of sisterhood, it was my responsibility to plan events and activities that allowed our members to form new connections and strengthen relationships with one another.

During my junior year, I also served as a recruitment counselor during sorority recruitment. As a recruitment counselor, I supported 25 freshman girls throughout the recruitment process. As a recruitment counselor, I provided emotional support and answered difficult questions, offering unbiased advice.

December 2023- December 2024

Community

During spring break 2024, I worked as a Nutrition and Cooking Enrichment specialist at Don Moyers Boys and Girls Club in Champaign, IL. In this position, I developed and implemented my own nutrition education program for children aged 11 to 17. I created a program that covered essential topics, including the benefits of a well-balanced diet, how to grocery shop on a budget, and how proper nutrition can positively impact education and athletic performance. One of my favorite aspects of the program was taking the students out to eat at restaurants around Champaign so they could try foods from other cultures. Watching the kids enjoy trying foods from around the world while reflecting on their own cultures was truly a rewarding experience that has greatly influenced my decision to become a pediatric dietitian.

March 2024

Clinical

I worked as a Dietary Aid at the Villas of Holly Brook in Savoy, IL, during the summer of 2023. As a dietary aid, I prepared meals, communicated the nutritional values of the foods being served, and supported individuals with a wide range of medical conditions that affected their dietary needs. While working at the assisted living facility, I realized that while nutrition education is essential, providing compassion and support is just as important. By simply being a positive person and taking the time to ask small questions, such as "how has your day been," I saw how these moments truly improved their moods and helped build trust. This experience taught me the importance of building connections with my residents, a lesson that I will take with me as a future dietitian.

May 2023 - August 2023