1. Iowa State University Nationwide Dietetic Internship Personal
Statement
My ultimate goal for becoming a Registered Dietitian is to open my own fitness
studio with an office for nutritional consultations. My past experiences and future
ambitions have directed me in establishing career goals as a Registered Dietitian.
This is my personal progression explaining how I have arrived at the point I am at
now and why I am best suited for an internship with Iowa State University.
EarlyEvolution
I started my career as a professional dancer, having the opportunity of traveling and
performing in many different countries. Being immersed in a variety of cultures, I
was able to find a passion for nutrition and food. This passion stemmed from being
conscious of my personal diet while maintaining a physical dance career. However,
while traveling I became interested in the food other people were eating to fuel their
own bodies. Although I was introduced to a variety of new diets, I sometimes
questioned their nutritional values. I realized then that I needed a specific education
in order to learn more about these nutritional values.
While being enrolled in school, I worked on and off as a barre fitness instructor as
well as a waitress in a fine dining restaurant, a café, and a food truck. While working,
I have been able to maintain a high academic status, in addition to volunteering in
my community.
Beyondthe Classroom
As a volunteer at The Early Childhood Center in Fort Collins, I enjoyed preparing
healthy snacks for preschoolers. Here, I was responsible for cooking and making
nutritious snack foods that were prepared with safety precautions. Serving
afternoon snacks for this age group, led me to realize how nutrition is vital for
developmental growth.
My passion for youth education progressed when I became involved in a research
project called Fuel For Fun at Colorado State University. I interacted with fourth
grade students by leading cooking classes and providing supplemental nutrition
information. Part of the intervention was informing students about local farms that
supply produce to their community. I learned that these students are at an age
where they have the ability to make his/her own food choices. Through this
experience, I now understand the importance of instilling beneficial food choices
within this particular age group.
Throughout my interest in educating the youth, I sought after the opportunity of
further educating the general population about local foods. I gained an internship
with The Growing Project, a non-profit farm that donates their produce to partner
organizations. I was involved in developing nutritional education material for their
partner organizations. Essentially I evaluated the donated produce and created

2. simple, cost-effective recipes both in English and in Spanish. This internship
prepared me for clients who are unwilling to change and for interactions with
language barriers.
Furthering my intrigue in the local food community, I was given the opportunity to
transcribe digital voice recordings for a research project at Colorado State
University entitled: Intrinsic Values and Challenges of Small-Scale Farming. Here I
assisted with data analysis input and coding of themes and subthemes. I found this
fascinating as I listened to what local farmers had to say about their values in
feeding the Northern Colorado community. I felt enlightened, implementing what I
learned through this research project and applying it to my internship at The
Growing Project.
As a research assistant for several community involvement projects, I decided to
join a research lab at Colorado State University, focusing on animal research. My
weekly tasks include feeding and weighing mice, as well as recording the stiffness of
their aortas using a wire myograph. Through my exposure to research, I have
confirmed that a long-term goal of mine is to continue my education and achieve a
Masters of Public Health degree from The Colorado School of Public Health.
Self Evaluation
Throughout my life experiences, I have found that I am able to endure and persevere
most everything that my life offers. Not only excelling academically, I am also a
dedicated distance runner and mountain climber. After completing El Camino de
Santiago, a 500-mile trek from south France throughout the northern part of Spain, I
felt that I could accomplish anything that I put my mind to. I have applied the values
learned on my trek to my ambitions today by pushing myself to reach new goals,
such as enduring a dietetic internship.
Although my endurance level is high, I am working to improve areas of my
communication. When speaking to an audience or to a small group, my sentence
structure breaks down. I tend to stumble over my words and struggle with
formulating concise sentences. I am improving my sentence structure by working as
a fitness instructor and as a study group leader. In these roles I am forced to be in
front of people and speak concisely. This is a step towards improving my overall
communication skills, preparing me for a successful career.
Next Steps
In order to prepare myself for my long-term career goals, the next five years are
extremely vital to my success. First, I hope to pass the national board exam
becoming a Registered Dietitian. Next, I plan on staying in the Denver community
aiming to be a clinical dietitian at a medical facility. Here I hope to gain as much
medical nutrition therapy experience as possible, by working in a fast-paced setting.
Finally, I will apply for Graduate School and keep my focus on the future of owning
my own business. To supplement my education, I plan on joining Dietetic Practice

3. Groups specifically in Dietitians in Business and Communications, Nutrition
Entrepreneurs, and Research.
The nationwide internship at Iowa State University is what I am looking for in order
to accomplish my career goals. I am a highly organized and responsible adult who
takes my education seriously. With spending the majority of my internship in a
clinical setting, I know that I will benefit from learning at an accelerated pace.