A Journey to Pursue My Passion in Nutrition at UPenn

McDonald’s Happy Meals and Lay’s Potato Chips left me wheezing like my cancer-stricken grandfather. Cheerios and Trix yogurt caused swarms of hives to erupt all over my body. Frustrated and confused, I felt destined to suffer like Tantalus, perpetually stuck so close yet so far from sapid satisfaction. During my childhood, I spent more time reading nutrition labels than I did reading Magic Tree House books. My most-prized possession wasn’t my Pokémon card collection; it was my nebulizer.

While my friends obsessed over the long-awaited release of Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix, I devoutly investigated why marshmallows required artificial color Blue #1, why orangeflavored Gatorade contained brominated vegetable oil, and why Cocoa Puffs consisted of things called “BHA” and “BHT.” Experiencing firsthand the serious repercussions of ingesting even minuscule amounts of processed food, I was compelled to immerse myself in nutrition and dietetics. Even though I failed to overcome my wheat and nut allergies, my highly restricted regimen enabled me to eventually conquer my sensitivities to preservatives, additives, and artificial colors, allowing me to enjoy countless goodies that I’d previously been barred from eating.

The mesmerizing world of fast food, frozen meals, and sugar-saturated treats suddenly became a reachable paradise.

Grocery shopping transformed from a tormenting punishment into an entertaining treasure hunt. My monotonous diet of home-cooked chicken, brown rice, and steamed vegetables was finally infused with much-needed variety. However, knowing all too well the devastative capabilities of food-related toxins, I was determined to help myself and others avoid the innumerable pitfalls associated with unrestricted indulgence.

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Consequently, collaborating with Fulton County Nutrition since 2013, I’ve helped revamp all Fulton County school lunch menus by introducing healthy international cuisine and eliminating deep-fried foods, empty calorie snacks, and artificial additives.

Furthermore, I’ve aimed to increase nutritional awareness by working to implement a countywide student wellness council. Fortunate to have discovered quite early in life that poor nutrition always takes its toll, I’m determined to explore thoroughly the internal physiological changes that occur in one’s body as a result of dietary habits and nutrient intake. Although sparked by dire circumstances, my passion for nutrition and dietetics has helped me revitalize my life, positively impact my community, and discover my professional future. I’m intensely eager to incorporate social analysis with a scientific methodology by becoming a researcher specializing in nutritional metabolomics and community nutrition. Consequently, I seek to develop a comprehensive understanding of the natural and social sciences as opposed to pursuing an overly restrictive bachelor’s degree in nutritional science.

Motivated to master the core technical, analytical, and social principles that facilitate nutrition research, I hope to pursue a rigorous and integrative multidisciplinary curriculum at UPenn. Enabling me to major in biochemistry, minor in nutrition, and take extensive classes in psychology, UPenn’s College of Arts and Sciences provides me with an unparalleled academic experience tailored to my intellectual curiosities. As a nutrition aficionado, I’m enthralled by the opportunities to involve in revolutionary research at UPenn’s Perelman School of Medicine and Center for Health Behavior Research, as these would enable me to interact with and learn from inspirational innovators like Dr. Adrian Raine and Dr. Jianghong Liu whose pioneering research regarding Omega-3 as a nutritional intervention for childhood behavioral problems exemplifies the significant relationship between biochemistry, psychology, and nutrition. Boasting a micronutrient laboratory with clinical nutrition studies and an energy metabolism laboratory devoted to nutritional metabolomics research, UPenn empowers me to delve deeper into the effect of micronutrient cofactors on metabolic processes. Offering unrivaled nutrition-focused facilities and resources, UPenn will fan the flames of my deep-rooted passion for nutrition and inspire me to spark progress through interdisciplinary scientific application.