Why Oneonta
There aren’t a lot of dietetics programs in New York, and the program here is awesome. I chose SUNY Oneonta for that reason. Another big reason I came here is because I could also dance on the side, which I love.
For me, a lot of wanting to study dietetics stemmed from dancing and properly feeding myself to have the best performance. In addition, a lot of my family members had health issues growing up, so seeing how food impacted them really sparked my interest. And I’ve always been a big science nerd.
Best experience
I took this one class called Nutrition Education, and we were required to give a 20-minute speech about any nutrition topic of our choice. You have to dress up, and it’s really professional. At first, I was so intimidated because I’ve never liked public speaking. But you’re required to give a lot of presentations for this major. For my presentation, I talked about diabetes, which I’m really passionate about. Pushing myself to educate others about my passion helped me a lot. In the end, it was a really rewarding experience. Being a dietetics major has made me a better public speaker.
How I grew at Oneonta
I came in as such a shy, timid freshman. I’ve come out of this program definitely a stronger, more level-headed person, and I think I’m more than prepared to take on my profession in the future. And I owe it to Oneonta. Without this place, I would not have had all the opportunities I’ve had. Oneonta has definitely set the foundation for pursuing what I love and growing as a person in my career in dietetics.
After graduation
I got accepted into New York-Presbyterian in the city, which was my dream internship. My goal is to become a certified diabetes educator and get my certification in weight management, hopefully someday opening my own camp for kids.