Mavis's Introduction & Helpful Advice

Hello AAI blog followers! My name is Mavis Ren and I am currently a senior at Syracuse University. I am very excited to be the featured undergraduate for this semester and I hope to share my experience with applying to dietetic internships this year.

 I was born and raised in New York City which gave me an opportunity to explore all different parts of the city and experience the various cultures. As I grew older and had more chances to travel the city with my friends, I began to discover different foods in different parts of the city. Once I started high school, I knew I wanted to become a Registered Dietitian because I was so intrigued about food and nutrition. I entered my freshmen year in college and decided to dedicate my college career into becoming a Registered Dietitian.

As I walked through the quad at Syracuse University, I saw so many freshmen, which made me think about my freshmen year and how I tried to be active in the community. I remember my advisor telling me about how difficult it would be getting matched with a Dietetic Internship. It did not stress me out until the summer before my senior year. Here are some suggestions on how to become active on your campus and at the same time get your resume ready for the application process:

• Join clubs: In the beginning, it may be difficult to adjust to the new community; however, by joining a club, you will be able to meet people who share the same interests.
• READ YOUR EMAILS: One thing I noticed is that a lot of undergraduates do not like to read their emails. Quite frequently, professors send out emails notifying people about internship, volunteer or research opportunities.   If you don’t check your email often, you might miss out on a great opportunity!
• Join nutrition organizations: I found this to be the most helpful part of my college career because I was able to meet people of the same major. At the same time ask upperclassmen about the DI application process and which classes to take.  
• Volunteer: Exposing yourself to new environments can help you discover how well you work under different conditions. It also gives you a chance to learn more about yourself and what you like and don’t like to do.

These are some of the things that helped me get involved on campus and meet more people. It is very important to learn more about the community that you will be spending four years in, because college is all about networking and meeting new people!