By SAND Social Chair Sarah Erb
My first FNCE trip included many learning experiences. Upon arrival to the McCormick Place I realized that I was the luckiest student out of the Miami University group. I knew the event hall would be very large, just like the Annual National Conference convention halls, and I was very prepared and almost expected to get lost. The first meeting I attended was the SNS DPG (School Nutrition Services Dietetic Practice Group) Networking Event, which took place in a smaller session room in the McCormick Place Center.
The SNS DPG networking event held Saturday hosted about thirty people. I was representing J.T.M. at this event. There was a buffet table full of “Chicago Favorites” like deep-dish pizza, pretzels, hot dogs, and chili. During this event there was no formal stage, microphone, or speaker. However, Donna Martin was awarded. Donna Martin is the current President of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is also the Director of the school nutrition program in Burke County, Georgia. She supervises five schools and about forty-five hundred students. The SNS DPG expressed their pride in having Martin be the first Academy President to represent school nutrition programs. Cindy Culver, the Executive Committee’s chair and Director of Marietta City Schools, Georgia, (a great J.T.M customer) welcomed the group and extended gratitude towards Donna Martin’s accomplishments for their field of work. I spent most of my time at this event talking with Tarrah McCreary, the current SNS DPG Membership Chair. Tarrah works in Indiana for Chartwells Schools Dining Services with menu planning and advocating for nutrition in schools. She graduated from Ball State University as an undergraduate and received her Masters there as well in Food Nutrition. After graduation, she worked in the South Carolina Department of Education to ensure school compliance with state and federal child nutrition regulation.
After this short networking event, I headed to the opening session where Donna Martin spoke again along with Sanjay Gupta, MD. It was clear to see Martin’s satisfaction representing school nutrition professionals during her opening session address. Gupta’s speech was dedicated to how media influences healthcare today. He is one of the doctors that work for CNN. After this session, I had dinner with other Miami Students and a few of our professors that were in attendance.
Sunday morning, I attended a K-12 culinary demonstration by the Institute of Smart Meals, Successful Students. Here I learned quick knife skills for a fast-passed kitchen cook. I now know how to properly chop red peppers, carrots, potatoes, and many more fruits and vegetables. Chef Cyndie Story developed the Institute as an interactive summer program for kitchen staffs across the state of North Carolina. Participation in her program encourages confidence in kitchen skills and short cuts like the ones we learned, and the expansion of higher quality meals during menu preparation. After this morning session, I went to the Lenna Frances Cooper Memorial Lecture - Through the Eyes and Taste Buds of Our Children given by Donna Martin and the award recipient, Dayle Hayes. Dayle Hayes is a member of the SNA (School Nutrition Association) and a School Foodservice Director in Montana. Her popular campaign, School Meals that Rock, was highlighted during her speaking time. She dedicated one slide to every state in the country that displayed a local student enjoying his/her school meal. Whether it was breakfast, lunch, or part of an after-school program, the child was clearly enjoying their food or smiling at a clean plate. My favorite picture was of a little boy in Montana enjoying a “mega meatball”. This menu item is a simple slice of meatloaf, but named something different with a touch of sauce on top. Along with this clever idea, Hayes gave many examples to make a meal a little more fun for younger students. Hayes encouraged the audience to pat themselves on the back as well as start brainstorming more ways to make a creative menu.
Before going back to the hotel, I visited the Expo hall. This event hall was not as exciting as the SNA ANC’s I have attended working for J.T.M. in Salt Lake, San Antonio, or Atlanta. There were crowds of students and registered dietitians. The type of booth was obviously very different and the samples given were not like something I would serve at our show in the summer. I filled a bag of samples, but I ended up leaving it with a man that was camped outside of the event center. I didn’t have any desire to eat a whole/fresh/vegan/half-baked/high-protein bar.
The main event our professors stressed our attendance at was the NDEP Student/ Supervised Practice Fair. This was a large event hall with one hundred and fifty-five programs in attendance. I was one of about two thousand students that registered for FNCE and, presumably, attended this fair.
At the fair and after speaking with my senior classmates, I learned so much during FNCE about resume building, DICAS, and the internship match process I will apply for during my senior year. I impressed everyone I met because I was a junior attending something usually dominated by seniors and graduate students, and was a student representing and funded by a food company.
The last event on Sunday was the Miami University Alumni Reception, which I was attending as an undergraduate worker. I went with my professor to the event center where we set up small networking games and a prize table. During this reception I spent most of my time talking to our current dietetic interns and students that had graduated in the spring. I also got the opportunity to reconnect with Karman Meyer, Director of Communications for the Tennessee Beef Industry Council. Karman was our spring speaker at the past Miami University Semi-Annual Nutrition Conference. Karman has been my favorite speaker because she is an RDN with a very realistic outlook on nutrition. Karman grew up on a family farm raising a small amount of cattle and this experience influenced her to appreciate nutrition menus that include a variety of foods.
Leaving FNCE, I now have a long list of personal development assignments to build a resume, but also to build on my knowledge of nutrition. I am continuing research on programs past undergrad and opportunities on campus as well. Our Student Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Elections are at the end of November where I will be running for Student President. I am very excited and hopeful to attend FNCE 2018 in Washington D.C.
I am very grateful for the scholarship to attend this conference provided by J.T.M., and it was my pleasure to represent J.T.M. at the FNCE 2017 ANC! I am so appreciative to be able to add this to my education. The understanding I have of nutrition opportunities is endless and there are so many opportunities post-graduation!
The SNS DPG networking event held Saturday hosted about thirty people. I was representing J.T.M. at this event. There was a buffet table full of “Chicago Favorites” like deep-dish pizza, pretzels, hot dogs, and chili. During this event there was no formal stage, microphone, or speaker. However, Donna Martin was awarded. Donna Martin is the current President of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is also the Director of the school nutrition program in Burke County, Georgia. She supervises five schools and about forty-five hundred students. The SNS DPG expressed their pride in having Martin be the first Academy President to represent school nutrition programs. Cindy Culver, the Executive Committee’s chair and Director of Marietta City Schools, Georgia, (a great J.T.M customer) welcomed the group and extended gratitude towards Donna Martin’s accomplishments for their field of work. I spent most of my time at this event talking with Tarrah McCreary, the current SNS DPG Membership Chair. Tarrah works in Indiana for Chartwells Schools Dining Services with menu planning and advocating for nutrition in schools. She graduated from Ball State University as an undergraduate and received her Masters there as well in Food Nutrition. After graduation, she worked in the South Carolina Department of Education to ensure school compliance with state and federal child nutrition regulation.
After this short networking event, I headed to the opening session where Donna Martin spoke again along with Sanjay Gupta, MD. It was clear to see Martin’s satisfaction representing school nutrition professionals during her opening session address. Gupta’s speech was dedicated to how media influences healthcare today. He is one of the doctors that work for CNN. After this session, I had dinner with other Miami Students and a few of our professors that were in attendance.
Sunday morning, I attended a K-12 culinary demonstration by the Institute of Smart Meals, Successful Students. Here I learned quick knife skills for a fast-passed kitchen cook. I now know how to properly chop red peppers, carrots, potatoes, and many more fruits and vegetables. Chef Cyndie Story developed the Institute as an interactive summer program for kitchen staffs across the state of North Carolina. Participation in her program encourages confidence in kitchen skills and short cuts like the ones we learned, and the expansion of higher quality meals during menu preparation. After this morning session, I went to the Lenna Frances Cooper Memorial Lecture - Through the Eyes and Taste Buds of Our Children given by Donna Martin and the award recipient, Dayle Hayes. Dayle Hayes is a member of the SNA (School Nutrition Association) and a School Foodservice Director in Montana. Her popular campaign, School Meals that Rock, was highlighted during her speaking time. She dedicated one slide to every state in the country that displayed a local student enjoying his/her school meal. Whether it was breakfast, lunch, or part of an after-school program, the child was clearly enjoying their food or smiling at a clean plate. My favorite picture was of a little boy in Montana enjoying a “mega meatball”. This menu item is a simple slice of meatloaf, but named something different with a touch of sauce on top. Along with this clever idea, Hayes gave many examples to make a meal a little more fun for younger students. Hayes encouraged the audience to pat themselves on the back as well as start brainstorming more ways to make a creative menu.
Before going back to the hotel, I visited the Expo hall. This event hall was not as exciting as the SNA ANC’s I have attended working for J.T.M. in Salt Lake, San Antonio, or Atlanta. There were crowds of students and registered dietitians. The type of booth was obviously very different and the samples given were not like something I would serve at our show in the summer. I filled a bag of samples, but I ended up leaving it with a man that was camped outside of the event center. I didn’t have any desire to eat a whole/fresh/vegan/half-baked/high-protein bar.
The main event our professors stressed our attendance at was the NDEP Student/ Supervised Practice Fair. This was a large event hall with one hundred and fifty-five programs in attendance. I was one of about two thousand students that registered for FNCE and, presumably, attended this fair.
At the fair and after speaking with my senior classmates, I learned so much during FNCE about resume building, DICAS, and the internship match process I will apply for during my senior year. I impressed everyone I met because I was a junior attending something usually dominated by seniors and graduate students, and was a student representing and funded by a food company.
The last event on Sunday was the Miami University Alumni Reception, which I was attending as an undergraduate worker. I went with my professor to the event center where we set up small networking games and a prize table. During this reception I spent most of my time talking to our current dietetic interns and students that had graduated in the spring. I also got the opportunity to reconnect with Karman Meyer, Director of Communications for the Tennessee Beef Industry Council. Karman was our spring speaker at the past Miami University Semi-Annual Nutrition Conference. Karman has been my favorite speaker because she is an RDN with a very realistic outlook on nutrition. Karman grew up on a family farm raising a small amount of cattle and this experience influenced her to appreciate nutrition menus that include a variety of foods.
Leaving FNCE, I now have a long list of personal development assignments to build a resume, but also to build on my knowledge of nutrition. I am continuing research on programs past undergrad and opportunities on campus as well. Our Student Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Elections are at the end of November where I will be running for Student President. I am very excited and hopeful to attend FNCE 2018 in Washington D.C.
I am very grateful for the scholarship to attend this conference provided by J.T.M., and it was my pleasure to represent J.T.M. at the FNCE 2017 ANC! I am so appreciative to be able to add this to my education. The understanding I have of nutrition opportunities is endless and there are so many opportunities post-graduation!