“The goal is to bridge media-based technology with diet and exercise to provide children a personalized approach to learning about their health," enthused the Associate Director of Educational Programs in explaining her research study. Dr. Sara Schaefer's words captured my undivided attention and forever resonated with me. Her presentation on “Personalizing Health and Education for Children” during my Food Chemistry course five years ago first unveiled my passion for the nutrition field. 

 

With a kindergarten teacher for a mother and a Veterinarian for a father, I was raised with a strong awareness of health and education and have always been drawn to them. These interests and influences are some of the motivations behind me seeking my first nutrition internship under Dr. Sara Schaefer, which involved testing the feasibility of various physical activity devices on children.

 

After only three months, Dr. Schaefer completely entrusted me with her study. I became increasingly more comfortable with coordinating subject appointments, analyzing data and performing anthropometrics. I spent an extensive amount of time at the Western Human Nutrition Research Center at the University of California Davis, where I observed dietetics professionals counseling clients and worked one-on-one with exercise physiologists interpreting the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry data for Dr. Schaefer’s study. 

 

This internship was a monumental experience for me; it not only equipped me with the organizational, time-management and research skills to oversee an entire study by myself, but also further fostered the development of my own interests in nutrition and my goal to eventually become a Registered Dietitian. Overall, the most rewarding part was seeing firsthand how the integration of diet and exercise using a fun activity device inspired children and parents to improve their health. I realized then that health promotion and disease prevention were exactly what I wanted to devote my life to and the major reason why in March of 2013 I decided to quit my secure Colony Management job at the UC Davis Mouse Biology Program to pursue a nutrition internship in Auckland, New Zealand.

 

After I bought my plane ticket, signed-up for an ecological farming experience and arranged a nutrition internship with Massey University, I flew 14 hours across the Pacific Ocean to Auckland. During my three month stay, I worked full-time as a Wellness Consultant in a women’s gym and completed an internship in the Middlemore Hospital Renal Ward, conducting rapid nutrition screenings on renal patients. I learned how to record diet histories, use the Subjective Global Assessment, communicate with medical professionals and many more useful dietetics skills. I also spent time on an organic farm in the countryside, where the whole method of ecological farming inspired a new perspective on wellness for me. On the farm, I literally reaped the benefits of the seeds I had sown. I discovered that consuming whole, locally farmed foods was rewarding beyond a level of satiation and physical appearance, and I fell in love with the entire process—from planting the seeds to harvesting, cooking and eating the foods.

 

All of these events, my own health struggles and my ever-growing desire to expand my knowledge in the field of dietetics eventually brought me to earning my Master of Science in Nutrition at Bastyr University. As a student at Bastyr with a focus on whole foods, I have completed over 400 hours of volunteer work in clinical, community and food service nutrition. Among my most influential and favorite volunteer roles was being a cooking assistant at the North Helpline Food Bank and in the ACT! Program and Future Chef Program at two YMCAs in Seattle. At each of these sites, I spent three months demonstrating how to prep and cook healthy meals. During my time as a cooking assistant, I was fortunate to work with various age groups and populations, such as children with obesity, families and the underserved, providing me invaluable cultural competency skills.

 

Many of the people I have interacted with as a nutrition volunteer had chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension or metabolic syndrome. Because chronic diseases are so prevalent and can be prevented with proper nutrition education and lifestyle changes, I feel there is an incredible opportunity to improve them. On a small scale I have already made some victories in doing so as a nutrition intern at Benefis Health System Hospital in Great Falls, Montana this past summer. I taught nutrition education classes for the Diabetes Prevention Program and helped coordinate its 55 participants, including performing diet analysis and obtaining medical clearances and health assessment paperwork. After six weeks of teaching nutrition and lifestyle classes for the program, participants directly reported improvements in how they felt, which touched my heart and gave me an overwhelming sense of purpose.

 

I have devoted two degrees now, a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Biology and a Master of Science in Nutrition, as well as spent years working in and volunteering my time to the health field. Clearly, I have an undeniable passion for dietetics and a longstanding background in disease prevention and health promotion, which is one of the many reasons why I am certain that I am the best fit candidate for your dietetic internship.

 

Selecting me for your DI program would not only fulfill your mission to increase the number of local graduates employed in the Northern region as Registered Dietitians who incorporate disease prevention and health promotion in professional practice, but it would also enable me to fulfill my own mission to mend my home community’s health. Because I was born and raised in Northern California, I consider the area my home and am eager to return to it to share all that I have learned.

 

I would like to point out my realization that my academics are an area I could improve upon. Having a DPD GPA of 3.55 is not as strong as some, but when coupled with both working and volunteering part-time, it shows my strengths in time-management, commitment, responsibility and a more well-rounded candidate overall. 

 

Accordingly, it is my sincerest hope that after I have completed my short term goals of earning a 4.0 this year and my Master of Science in Nutrition, I will achieve my long-term goals of completing my dietetic internship and becoming a Registered Dietitian, who will continue to integrate whole foods nutrition, health promotion and disease prevention. I promise that my unique teaching and clinical skills in combination with my persevering attitude will only enhance your program and support your greater mission.

 

Sincerely,

 

Chelsea Hayes

 

Chelsea Hayes 
SNA Co-Social Coordinator

MSN/DPD Candidate 2016

Bastyr University