​My name is Rachel Tenpenny-Chigas. I am a Sodexo dietetic intern in region 11, based in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I was fortunate to secure my clinical and foodservice rotations with the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center (CRMC). I started my clinical rotation the first week of February and unfortunately, COVID-19 made its way to Cheyenne in mid-March. This meant that students were sent home until further notice. For the next 10 weeks, I was able to complete webinars and case studies to continue obtaining some clinical, foodservice, and community hours. During that time, I was pushed outside of my comfort zone and provided my community presentations on Zoom and Facebook Live. For me, this was a really scary, yet neat experience because it allowed me to present from my own home, using my own equipment. It also required me to stay current with technology and incorporate those into my experience. Since telehealth and virtual activities seem to be a very real possibility in our future, this was a great way to gain experience and yet reach a broader audience. During those 10 weeks, the region 11 directors were very motivating, encouraging, and provided so much flexibility and variety with how we incorporated this virtual experience into our Internship. 
 
In June, after CRMC was given the approval to allow students again, I went right back into my clinical rotation. As part of my return, a unique thing I experienced was having the opportunity to follow the RDs in their new COVID-19 routine. Since each of them work remotely several days per week to minimize how many people were in the office, I got to experience that, also. This was a unique experience because I got to see how precautions changed, how communication among the team increased, how technology can be used in the inpatient setting, and how our level of care was still outstanding.  

​My name is Norah Otieno-Wasonga, and I am a region 10  intern based in the Webster, Texas area.
 
I completed both my clinical and foodservice management rotations in two (2) HCA Houston Healthcare hospitals and was fortunate to complete both rotations at the sites during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was an unfortunate and much different experience than I had anticipated, but it was fulfilling.  I then completed my concentration in senior living at Benchmark Senior Living in Lincoln MA. I am currently working on my last rotation, which is community. I have learned so much thus far in all of the rotations and have had unique experiences in each due to COVID 19.
 
The rotation I want to highlight is community. During my rotation in community, I experienced finding challenging ways to complete most of the rotation virtually. I’ve had limited opportunities of in-person experiences, but most of the rotation will be completed, virtually.

I was fortunate to be able to complete my clinical nutrition management rotation at West Hills Hospital and Medical Center. My preceptor was the clinical nutrition manager. She was such a supportive mentor during my time there. Her commitment to my success was what helped me get through some pretty rough times. The executive chef was also always willing to answer any and all of my questions and help with any issues I had.
 
One of the best experiences I had was the opportunity to participate in a community outreach health fare put together by West Hills Hospital and Medical Center. The theme of the event was cardiovascular health and awareness. Every department was invited and encouraged to participate. I was fortunate to be selected to manage our department’s involvement. I was given full freedom to come up with the idea of how best to represent the food and nutrition department regarding that health topic and came up with samples of anti-inflammatory foods that we would serve in 2-ounce little ramekins. I also created recipe card handouts that had the recipe on the front and health benefits of the anti-inflammatory ingredients on the back. My rationale was that the recipe cards could highlight some anti-inflammatory herbs and give the general public an idea of how they could use them in various recipes. The health benefits on the back were meant as a supplement to reinforce what I wanted to share with them as well as serve as a reminder when they got home that they can use various herbs to help manage inflammation.
 
Creating the recipes around functional foods and herbs with anti-inflammatory properties was harder than I thought. Finding the ingredients that showcased the healing properties was easy but putting them into a recipe that actually tasted good was quite a challenge. The three samples I came up with were Garlic-Mashed Cauliflower, Spiced Oatmeal, and Curry Quinoa. Almost everyone who attended the event made their way over to our booth. I got a lot of people who came back for seconds and thirds. In fact, people kept coming over looking for samples for their spouses, friends, neighbors, and everybody else. I’d say the curry quinoa was the show stopper, but I got feedback from everyone that everything was pretty good. I asked the kitchen to scale up the recipes to serve at least 300 people. I am of Italian descent and it is customary in our culture to make way more food than any group of people could ever hope to finish, and yet this group almost did. The community who showed up loved the food and they even stuck around the booth long enough to hear my little health pitch showcasing my anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric, cinnamon, and mint to name a few. This event was rewarding. People loved the food, were receptive to my informative spiel (even if only for 60-seconds), and I felt like I had done something meaningful to inform the public about how nutrition can positively impact cardiovascular health. This was one of the most rewarding events I experienced and I am so proud of how well I pulled everything together the way I did. Most importantly, I had mentors that believed in me enough to allow me to take full ownership of this project and manage it almost completely myself. 


Quinoa Curry
-1 cup Quinoa
-2 cups light Coconut milk
-1 tsp. Cumin
-1 tsp. Turmeric
-½ tsp. Black Pepper
-2 tsp. Coriander
-½ tsp. Chili Powder
-½ tsp. Ground Ginger
 ¼ cup cup Carrots chopped
-¼ cup cup green peas
-1 tsp. low sodium Tamari Sauce
 
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a saucepan. Stir to mix well. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until milk has been absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Cool at least 5 minutes then serve.
 
 
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
 
Herbs
Black Pepper: This herb contains a special compound called piperine, which helps reduce the early acute inflammatory process that happens right after an initial injury, infection, or illness.
Turmeric: This herb has an antioxidant called curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties.
Ground Ginger:  The bioactive compound in this herb is called gingerol, which functions as an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties.
Cumin: This herb contains antioxidants called apigenin and luteolin, which help prevent cancer. It also has anti-inflammatory properties.
Coriander: This is an herb with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce inflammation.
Chili Powder: This herb contains compounds called capsaicinoids, which help reduce inflammation.
 
Vegetables and Starches
Carrots: Rich in vitamin A and Beta-carotene help reduce inflammation from stiff joints. Carrots are also high in fiber, which can help lower cholesterol and help reduce the risk for heart disease.
Green Peas: Peas are a great source of fiber and antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, and reduce the risk for cancer.
Coconut Milk: Good dairy alternative that has anti-inflammatory properties
Quinoa: Contains omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce cholesterol and inflammation. Also a great source of fiber and protein.

​Hello! My name is Magdalena Mendoza and I am a region 12 dietetic intern based in California.
 
Due to COVID-19, most of my rotations were affected, but I was lucky that my community rotation preceptor was flexible in offering a virtual rotation. Even better- I was able to complete this at my alma mater, UC Davis! My preceptor included me in her management and student meetings, as well as her 3 weekly cohort meetings for the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) she led. I was able to facilitate one of these DPP meetings on my own, which gave me leadership and communication skills I will carry with me in the future. I also developed an educational webinar on the difference between heme and non-heme iron and how to make sure you meet the requirements for iron.
 
I am extremely grateful to have been matched to such an amazing dietetic internship program, which gave me the opportunity to also complete an online MS in Dietetics. I cannot wait to begin my clinical rotations and soak in even more knowledge! 

Hi.
 
My name is Carolyn Huntington. I graduated from Framingham State University in Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics in December 2019. I am now a region 1 Sodexo intern and also enrolled in the M.S. in Dietetics at University of Rhode Island. I applied to the Sodexo Internship because it allows for flexibility and I can do rotations close to my home.
 
I started my rotations with food service at Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts. While at Curry, I got great food service experience at The Marketplace student dining area. I worked in all four stations, The Deli, Euro, Global (frequently vegan), and Flame (pizza, pasta and burgers). I also experienced a community building Hawaiian Luau themed dinner with tropical smoothies and buffet. While there, my preceptors suggested I develop a Celiac Awareness Table for the upcoming Wellness Wednesday Health Fair in the student dining area. After talking with students and my preceptors about the students’ preferences, I chose an appropriate recipe for gluten free food samples that would appeal to the students: “Quinoa Taco Bowls.” I altered the recipe to use vegan cheese and decided to leave toppings on the side because students really prefer to choose what they like. I also expanded the recipe and made a list of ingredients that needed to be ordered, designed marketing flyers, educational table sheets, and developed a survey to measure the outcome. My preceptors were great and supported me through the project, including with food presentation and decorating the table. I really enjoyed interacting and educating the students and the student surveys showed they enjoyed the samples and learned about celiac disease.

My name is Patrick, and I’m a region 5 intern based out of Baltimore, Maryland.

​It has always been important for me to give back to my community. I was so happy that Sodexo was able to place me at my local hospital down the road. Toward the end of my clinical rotations, I frequently connected with patients through diet educations. At the hospital, doctors and nurses often consult the dietitians to educate their patients on therapeutic diets for when they leave the acute setting. After working with many patients with diabetes, cirrhosis, and end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis, I learned that the most successful diet educations were conversations.
 
In the acute setting, it was vital to give the patients the essential information and the resources to continue learning. Still, I also had the opportunity to provide them with the hope that these changes could improve their health. Also, being from the area, I could recommend markets to shop for local produce or stores near the hospital that carry the supplements we recommended during their stay.
 
This dietetic internship has allowed me to improve lives within my community. Sodexo dietitians practice all over the country, and there may be several in a hospital near you!

Being a Sodexo dietetic intern in 2020 has been a whole new experience on its own. My community rotation began in February, as expected. I rounded up my preceptors at Wild Willow Farms where I participated in their compost creation and education workshops for their volunteers. I had the chance to be outdoors, be hands-on, and get dirty while learning about the millions of bacteria that create healthy soil that nourishes our local organic farm to produce the most amazing crops.
 
I then met with my local elementary school district’s registered dietitian and the school’s volunteer coordinator to plan an event for the children at Bayside Elementary for National Nutrition Month. I also Volunteered with the San Diego Food Bank at various distribution sites where seniors and adults received their monthly pantry needs.

I gained a new level of satisfaction being a Café grill cook as doctors and nurses came in seeking a moment of peace from the chaos that was surrounding them. Hearing them express their sincere gratitude after I prepared their comfort foods made the turbulent experience occurring in the world extremely gratifying inside the hospital setting. I was able to provide them with a meal and nourishment to keep going; we were all doing our part to serve and care for others. Fast forwarding to now, I have worked past my food service rotation and have been able to apply my previous 9 years of food service management experience toward this rotation. I am grateful that the Sodexo Dietetic Internship recognized my years of service within Sodexo’s food service team and allowed me to advance to my clinical rotation which starts in September 2020. Throughout this uncertainty, our internship directors continued to check in on us and ensured we were able to access the new on-line resources that were developed to enhance our education. I feel confident that this whole experience will continue to develop the skills needed to soon graduate from the Sodexo Dietetic Internship and successfully become a registered dietitian.  ​

​My name is Sarah Beth Massengale and I am a region 6 Sodexo dietetic intern based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I had the opportunity to complete my clinical, food service and pediatric concentration rotations at the area’s only Level 1 Trauma Center. Interning at this location exposed to many different conditions and disease states at all levels of severity. I am extremely grateful for the experience I gained during these rotations and so thankful for my preceptors that helped me out along the way. 
 
During my clinical rotations I rotated among 7 different inpatient dietitians. Each dietitian covered specific floors and intensive care units including cardiovascular, renal, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, trauma, surgical, oncology, neurological, high risk pregnancy and orthopedics. I also had the opportunity to shadow a speech therapist and assist in a barium swallow study. During my food service rotation, I was able to plan a Mother’s Day meal for our patients. I received a lot of positive feedback for this project since patients were not allowed to have visitors to help celebrate this special day due to Covid-19 restrictions. 
 
My favorite rotation so far has definitely been pediatrics. I was lucky enough to spend time in the pediatric ICU, the neonatal ICU, the pediatric acute care floor, inpatient oncology/hematology and a children’s cystic fibrosis outpatient clinic. I instructed parents how to mix infant formulas, helped them navigate their child’s tube feeding regimen, plotted growth charts, educated parents and children on their new diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and rounded with the pediatric oncology team weekly. 
 
I plan to finish my internship hours this fall and then sit for the RD exam. Based on my experience as an intern, I hope to someday work as an RD either in a children’s hospital or an children’s outpatient clinic. I feel very blessed to have had such a positive internship experience and I feel very confident heading into a career as a registered dietitian. I can’t wait to see what my future holds!

​My name is Candice Rech and I am a region 4 intern based in New Jersey. I started my internship rotation in February in a corporate food service setting. In 6 weeks, I spent hours planning, preparing and executing for three different activities focused on National Nutrition Month. Once a week I had a table outside the workplace cafeteria with raffle baskets, free samples of a recipe, and nutritional education to go along with the theme. One of the biggest turn outs was when I educated the employees on the Sodexo Bite. This app allows users to view weekly menus for the cafeteria so they can plan their meals ahead of time. I told employees about another app called My Fitness Pal, and how it can be used to track fitness goals and keep track of what you eat. It links to Bite and users can then log what they eat daily with all correct calorie and macros/micros information. We had a sign-up sheet for a 30 day challenge, which was a partnership with the on-site employee gym. They had a 15% increase in employees who participated in the challenge to the prior year.
 
Then the world was plagued with COVID, and the internship I knew was about to change. I was told by my preceptor that I was no longer allowed to be on site. I was contacted by my clinical preceptor who I was starting with a week later and was told that we would have to push back my start date and see what would happen. I knew interns in other programs, and they were being completely shut down until further notice. I began to panic, unsure what my future would hold, but the regional directors worked very hard to come up with a plan. They provided endless support for the interns and gave us the necessary tools to continue our internship online. The directors kept us calm, and most importantly, confident that we would still be able to get the type of education and experience online that we would receive in person. We were able to watch webinars on a variety of topics pertaining to clinical, community, as well as concentration topics. We also had the chance to access clinical case studies. There was also time to complete rotations online, and work on assignments related to our rotations. I am proud to be a Sodexo dietetic intern.
 
Four months later, and I am beyond excited to be back in rotations. The hospital I am in now makes me feel safe, they have proper protocol in place to protect us. After talking with patients, learning my way around the department, and shadowing the RDs, I am able to see how important the entire department is to making the patient’s nutritional experience work. Future interns, have no fear and believe in yourself. You were chosen to represent Sodexo as a dietetic intern for a reason. Always remember you have your regional director and fellow region interns as a support system!

Hi! My name is Courtney Bayliss. I am a current Sodexo Region 10 intern, located in the Little Rock area. I graduated from the University of Central Arkansas with a bachelor's degree in nutrition in 2015. I worked as a FSM at a local hospital's food and nutrition department for 4 years before accepting a job as a clinical nutrition assistant at Baptist Health in Little Rock last year.  I am interested in working in food allergy management after I become a registered dietitian.
 
I chose leadership as my concentration with an emphasis in wellness and I have been working on projects remotely for a former Sodexo intern, Kristi Winkels. I have been collaborating with Kristi and another Sodexo intern to write articles and recipes as well as updating content for Kristi's food allergy management website: www.eatingwithfoodallergies.com
 
While it has been challenging at times—interning and navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic—the internship team at Sodexo has been extremely helpful every step of the way, providing virtual learning experiences and constantly offering new opportunities to stay busy during this trying time. I cannot say how grateful I am for the constant support offered by the Sodexo internship directors and my fellow interns.