Like many dietetic students, I really wish I was able to go to the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) this year. There are not only many exciting exhibits, speakers, and educational tools to ogle; there is also information about getting internships. You can meet with many different internship directors and ask them questions and get to know what they and their internships are all about. Of course there are tons of networking opportunities!
I know that there are some scholarships available to students so that they can afford the trip, but I really wish that there were more. These scholarships are often tied to the Dietetic Practice Groups, and you must submit some kind of work, such as a research paper, to be considered for the scholarship. Offering students the opportunity to attend a professional meeting like this is a great way to get them involved in the field and see what being a dietetic professional is really like.
I am currently trying to get a Student Dietetic Association started at my university. I am going to try to institute some kind of fund raising for the members so that in the future, they can take a trip out to the conference. Most of my professors already go to FNCE most years, so why not give the students a chance to tag along? It would be worth the educational experience alone, let alone the chance for networking.
If you are currently an undergraduate student in a dietetic program and are considering attending the expo next year, do yourself a favor and just DO IT. Start saving for the trip now! Plan in advance for next year.
By: Allison Richards
By: Allison Richards
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