This page highlights both my volunteer and work experience that I have attained during my undergraduate studies.
Nutrition Related Experience
Food and Nutrition Association
I have been an Active Member of SUNY Oneonta's Food and Nutrition Association (FNA) since Fall 2009. FNA aims to spread the word about food, nutrition, and health to the Oneonta community, both on and off campus. I have participated in several events over the past few years including FNA's Annual Cultural Food Fair, creating a nutritional display case for Oneonta students, and organizing a Nutrition Education group to teach Oneonta students basic nutrition lessons. Some of my experiences are highlighted below.
WIC Internship
I spent the Summer of 2011 as an intern in my local WIC office in Schoharie County New York. As an intern I gained experience in the community nutrition setting. I was able to observe client appointments and work with the WICSIS computer system. I also created several newsletters and informational brochures that were given to WIC participants. Organizing and assisting with FitWIC play groups was another one of my responsibilities. I also helped organize and participated in WIC's 3rd Annual Healthy Lifestyle Fair.
Check out some photos from my intership!
Fall Newsletter
Feeding Your One Year Old Newsletter
Farmers Market Newsletter
Food Service Experience
Cafe Attendant- Howe Caverns, Howes Cave, NY
June 2011- August 2011
Working in a food service establishment taught me a lot about the workings of a commerical kitchen. The cafe at Howe Caverns offers counter service as well as private parties and banquets. As a cafe attendant I was required to work the cafe counter by taking orders, preparing orders, and serving guests. I also served guests at banquets. At this job I was really able to apply my knowledge of food service from my coursework.
Practicum Experience - Food 235 Design, Layout, and Operations Management
This course at SUNY Oneonta requires students to work in various food service facilities in the Oneonta area. The locations I worked included: Wilsbach Dining Hall, Fox Hospital, Hampshire House Adult Home, Oneonta High School Cafeteria, and the SUNY Oneonta Campus Commissary. In each location I was responsible for various prep work tasks, as well as for observing the operation, the equipment at each facility, and the manager-employee interactions.
Leadership Experience
SUNY Oneonta Hall Government - Denison Hall President
When I transferred to SUNY Oneonta in Fall 2009, I became involved in Hall Government. Hall Government helps residents to share their concerns, wants, and needs with Residential Life. I decided to run for President of my residence hall because I figured this would help me to meet new people and get me involved with the campus. I was elected President of Denison Hall, a position which required me to create agendas for and run hall government meetings, to work with other members of the executive board, and to plan activities for the residents to participate in. While I was President of Denison Hall, I organized a powder puff football game and an all-hall dinner for the residents. Holding this leadership position helped me to gain confidence in myself and my leadership skills.
Check out some photos from my intership!
Fall Newsletter
Feeding Your One Year Old Newsletter
Farmers Market Newsletter
Food Service Experience
Cafe Attendant- Howe Caverns, Howes Cave, NY
June 2011- August 2011
Working in a food service establishment taught me a lot about the workings of a commerical kitchen. The cafe at Howe Caverns offers counter service as well as private parties and banquets. As a cafe attendant I was required to work the cafe counter by taking orders, preparing orders, and serving guests. I also served guests at banquets. At this job I was really able to apply my knowledge of food service from my coursework.
Practicum Experience - Food 235 Design, Layout, and Operations Management
This course at SUNY Oneonta requires students to work in various food service facilities in the Oneonta area. The locations I worked included: Wilsbach Dining Hall, Fox Hospital, Hampshire House Adult Home, Oneonta High School Cafeteria, and the SUNY Oneonta Campus Commissary. In each location I was responsible for various prep work tasks, as well as for observing the operation, the equipment at each facility, and the manager-employee interactions.
Leadership Experience
SUNY Oneonta Hall Government - Denison Hall President
When I transferred to SUNY Oneonta in Fall 2009, I became involved in Hall Government. Hall Government helps residents to share their concerns, wants, and needs with Residential Life. I decided to run for President of my residence hall because I figured this would help me to meet new people and get me involved with the campus. I was elected President of Denison Hall, a position which required me to create agendas for and run hall government meetings, to work with other members of the executive board, and to plan activities for the residents to participate in. While I was President of Denison Hall, I organized a powder puff football game and an all-hall dinner for the residents. Holding this leadership position helped me to gain confidence in myself and my leadership skills.
Volunteer Experience
Research Assistant - FACE Study (SUNY Oneonta)
The Factors Affecting College Eating (FACE) Study looks at the eating habits of college students and the factors that cause students to eat. As a Research Assistant I gather participant anthropometic data including height, weight, and resting heart rate and I also enter participant data into Angel software system.
Camp Counselor - Camp Good Days and Special Times
During the summer of 2009 I volunteered as a camp counselor at Camp Good Days and Special Times near Rochester, New York. This camp is for children and young adults that are dealing with cancer in their lives, whether the child has cancer or if an immediate family member is living with the disease. I spent one week with a group of children that had a parent or sibling currently undergoing cancer treatment. Camp Good Days provides children with a chance to just be a kid and have fun and to get away from any problems or stress they may have to deal with at home. As a counselor I was responsible for a cabin of ten children all of whom had a parent or sibling currently living with cancer. Meeting these kids was a life changing experience.
During the Fall 2010 semester at SUNY Oneonta I was enrolled in a course called Consumer Resource Management. One of the requirements of this course was to plan and complete a Service Learning Project. My group helped the SUNY Oneonta Red Dragon Bookstore to carry out the Food vs. Fuel Project. This program allows students to bring canned food donations to the bookstore for a discount on their purchases. The food donations are then distributed to needy families in the Oneonta area who are often faced with the decision to spend their earnings on food or to spend it on fuel to heat their homes for the winter. My group collected used water bottles and returned them for cash. We then used this cash to purchased canned goods to donate to the Food vs. Fuel project. We were able to donate over $50 in canned goods to the bookstore.