ABOUT ME

I was 16 years old when my grandmother's youngest brother lost his vision completely to uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. I started to ask a lot of questions about our family history. I discovered that diabetes has always been a familiar disease to my family. Unfortunately, my questions brought me to the realization that diabetes does not skip generations or pick favorites. I have two cousins who were diagnosed very young with type 1 diabetes. The majority of my older family members, including my mom, have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I began to wonder what this disease was silently doing to my family's health. I wondered why diabetes was so prevalent and I started to take notice of how we were eating at home, out to dinner and at family gatherings.  Many of us grew up in a home with two working parents whose priority concerning dinner was fast and easy instead of healthy and nutritious. When I began my career at Penn State as a nutrition major, I realized my family was lacking the knowledge they needed to make the changes to live a healthier life. 

My family background has allowed me to uniquely understand diabetes. I see that diabetes is not just a patient's A1C. It's family lifestyle when it comes to meals. It's the social normalization of fast food. It's thinking about taste without thought of nutrition. It's also genetics and many other things. Diabetes is a significant public health problem that is growing worldwide. I have seen the effects of uncontrolled diabetes firsthand and I feel passionate about becoming a diabetes educator and helping individuals from all backgrounds control their diabetes. 

The first time I saw the real impact of nutrition was during a volunteer trip with The Foundation of International Medical Relief for Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health of families in the developing world by providing free healthcare. This was an incredible opportunity that allowed me to immerse myself in a different culture. I realized during this trip that global nutrition was another strong interest of mine. I worked on the Alajuelita Project in Costa Rica, which includes an outpatient clinic that partners with a local school and soup kitchen. I saw various nutrition-related issues such as pregnant women without access to prenatal vitamins, malnutrition in children and adults, uncontrolled hypertension and type 2 diabetes, and general lack of nutrition education. While I was so grateful for the opportunity to learn, it also weighed heavy on my heart. As a result, it motivated me more than ever to apply myself so I can be the best version of myself for my future clients.

During my field experience with Sodexo at Lehigh Valley Health Network, I found that in the United States, we are dealing with the same nutrition-related problems as the undeveloped countries but with more resources to treat them. During my 300hr experience, I especially enjoyed the outpatient pediatric clinic and found that I also had an interest in the specialty. I quickly realized that working with kids and their parents required a different set of skills compared to adults. In my opinion, the two primary skills needed are patience and enthusiasm which I feel are two strengths of mine. In my experience, kids learn differently than adults. They require unique and fun ways to learn about nutrition. Kids also feel differently and the attitudes of surrounding adults are very impactful on the children's attitude. 

            Though I love global nutrition, I see it as something I may pursue later in my career. Diabetes is my main passion and it often includes my other interest of pediatrics. Since diabetes is such a large specialty, I feel that a Master’s would make me more qualified and therefore more competitive in the field. Additionally, Cedar Crest College offers a concentration in Diabetes which is a very important aspect for me. The concentration in diabetes offers me more experience and knowledge so that I will be better prepared once I enter my career. Furthermore, it is important to note that the masters will be required for upcoming dietitians. This means that our field will be flooded with many candidates holding a Master’s degree. In order to remain competitive for positions I feel that it is important that I also pursue my masters. In terms of a time-line, after the internship, I intend to first find a position to work as a dietitian. Once I have secured a job, I will then determine what time I have available to work on my masters and continue working on my education on a suitable pace for my schedule.