Working Towards Becoming an RD

When I came to Purdue no one really told me what studying Dietetics and Nutrition, Fitness & Health would be like. No one mentioned the countless hours studying, writing papers, reading scientific articles or applying for prestigious internships. As a senior, I am facing my hardest semester yet at Purdue. I thought the past 3 years of my life were challenging, but they can’t hold a candle to what I am learning now. I am not trying to scare people away from Dietetics, it is a great program and I really do enjoy learning about dietary recommendations, nutritional and physical assessments and how to work with a client one on one, but it can still be very overwhelming.

As a senior, I am applying for internships following my 4 years at Purdue. I am currently working on an application for the Coordinated Program and that is due next week. As I am filling out this application and writing my personal statement I am learning that I have come a long way since my freshman year of college. I miss the easier classes and more free time but I am so excited to get an internship either through the Coordinated Program (CPD) or the DPD program. I am most interested in the CPD program because it is close to home and my family, and would be less expensive than moving out of state. I never thought that I would want to stay in Indiana but now my life plans have changed and I am wanting to stay in this area for the time being. If I get into the CPD program I will be an intern for 3 semesters and will graduate in August 2010. That would push my graduation date back but I am ok with that. As long as I finally graduate that is all that matters in the grand scheme of things.

Upon completion of my internship through either the CPD or DPD programs I will then sit for the Registered Dietitian exam and upon passing that test I will become Anna Armstrong, RD. That means I can actually get a job in my field and start earning some money. It is a process to reach that final goal of obtaining the letters RD after my name, but I am excited to see where this path leads.

~ Anna

Oh, how I love being a Boilermaker!

As a senior, I am still trying to figure out why I didn’t apply to Purdue until January of my senior year of high school. As a born Buckeye (yes, I am from Ohio), it may seem strange to hear me say that I can’t imagine life without Purdue! It seems as though the experiences at this prestigious university have been limitless and I wouldn’t trade the black and gold for anything!!!

Okay, now for the most recent news that made my passion and love for Purdue even stronger…

I went home to this weekend, randomly checked my e-mail (because I am addicted to checking it), and found an e-mail in my inbox with “congratulations” as the subject line. Of course, I had to check things out to see why congratulations were in order and discovered that I had been named the 2009 Outstanding Dietetic Student from a Didactic Program in Dietetics Program in Indiana. This is an award that is given to one student within the state of Indiana who is enrolled in a Didactic Program in Dietetics. There is no doubt in my mind that the opportunities, learning experiences, outstanding mentors, and challenging coursework made available by Purdue and the College of Consumer and Family Sciences were the “driving forces” behind this award. In a few weeks, I will make a trip to Indianapolis for the awards ceremony and will be accompanied by my boss from the Foods and Nutrition labs—just goes to show what a close-knit group we are in CFS. Thanks Purdue and CFS!

Much love for everything black and gold,
Amy