Tell us about your background and why you chose UW?

As a second-generation college student to immigrant parents, I’ve always been encouraged by them to pursue higher education. The main reason why I chose to attend UW was how rich and diverse the campus life is. Coming to the Seattle campus for the first time, the experience was a sort of a “lightbulb moment” and now UW has become a home away from home for me.

What influenced you to major in Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health?

I always loved the experience of being able to work one-on-one with individuals. And the job I’m pursuing is to become a board-certified dietitian.

What has been the most compelling thing you’ve learned so far in the program?

I found particular interest in the NUTR 406 Sports Nutrition class with Dr. Elizabeth Kirk, learning about what our body needs to properly fuel ourselves for rigorous activities such as sports I found to be incredibly captivating. I also found learning about human purchasing behavior when it comes to buying food in NUTR 200 and NUTR 303 quite interesting.  The classes made me much more conscious of my food choices and how much of an impact they can have on a community food system.

You are about to begin an Cele internship with Teen Feed next quarter. What interested you in volunteering with this group?

The main reason why I’m interested in Teen Feed is because growing up I had my first exposure to food insecurity as a middle schooler, after volunteering at the Tacoma Rescue Mission. I’m hoping to use the experience I got from the Rescue Mission and apply it to Teen Feed, and work with those in the U-District who are primarily underserved to help fight against food insecurity and spread awareness. I also hope to encourage my fellow students to volunteer in not just Teen Feed, but any of the programs that help alleviate food insecurity within our community.

How do you envision applying what you’ve learned in the program after graduation?

Within the Food Systems major, I’ve learned not just global policies, but also a lot about myself. I never realized how uneducated I was when it came to my food choices and how different food systems work overall. I’m hoping to educate my friends and family about our community food systems helping them stay informed and spread awareness about food education programs.

What are your future goals?

I’m working towards applying to graduate school to help my pursuit to become a registered dietitian (RD). I also hope to represent the United States in the World University Games someday.

What do you like to do for fun?

I like to spend my free time with my friends and family. I also like to exercise regularly and play video games when I can.

Share a fun fact about yourself.

I am currently a part of the Taekwondo Club here at UW. I compete regularly and I get to travel the country to tournaments and spend time with my teammates!

What do you enjoy most about living in Seattle?

I really love the public transport here! I love that it’s convenient to get to any place and I do love how the city is also very walkable. I also love trying new restaurants and the food culture here is incredibly rich! Also being able to explore the city and find new attractions has been great, I’ve found something new in Seattle every single year I’ve lived here.

What advice would you give someone considering the Food Systems major?

If you’re unsure about what major to pick at UW, I’d say try out Food Systems! The professors are incredibly passionate about their work and super welcoming! I came into UW originally a biology major and didn’t feel that it was the right fit for me, after doing some research, finding the FSNH major, and talking to some of the professors within the major, I felt quite curious about the subject and said to myself “why not?” and it’s pretty much taken off from there!

Interested in food, nutrition, or health as an undergraduate? Explore the Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health major or nutrition minor.