Hello everyone! My name is Gianina Padula, and I am a region 1 intern based in Boston, MA. I am currently in my community rotation, where I am completing hours between two organizations: Fresh Truck and Daily Table. I additionally devote time each week to prepping hot meals and distributing them to populations experiencing homelessness, as well as doing community fridge drops. I am in the process of earning my master’s in dietetics through the URI program that Sodexo offers. My internship has been flying by so far, and I have continuously felt supported by the entire Sodexo community.
My first two rotations were food service management and my wellness concentration. My favorite parts were interacting with the students and organizing events that get them thinking about nutrition’s role in areas they may not have associated it with before, such as mental health, body image, and more.
Some specific events that I organized during these two rotations were the following:
I hosted a live cooking demo featuring a dish that highlighted nutrients to help mental health. The dish incorporated zinc, folate, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. It was also plant-based and free of top allergens so that it was safe for as many students as possible.
I assembled an interactive bulletin board display for November with the theme of Intuitive Eating. Students were asked to write down how they will practice Intuitive Eating that month. The board also included the principles of Intuitive Eating, suggestions on how to revamp their Instagram feed to gear it more toward a healthy mindset around eating, and holiday recipe ideas including education about the nutritional benefits of featured ingredients.
In November, I created a “Sticker for a Sticker” tabling event focusing on Body Positivity where students received a sticker in exchange for writing something they love about themselves on a sticky note. I was blown away by how excited students got over this activity, and it warmed my heart seeing them reflect on what they love about themselves amidst the heavy pushing of diet culture and Westernized beauty standards in today’s society.
Lastly, I organized a Paint and Sip event where mocktails were served and students learned about the benefits of limiting their alcohol consumption. This was quite a popular event, with over 100 students signed up. The mocktails chosen were a mojito and a rosé, and they were a huge hit! This event felt the most impactful to me, because I know how prevalent binge drinking can be on college campuses. It was so awesome to see the students get excited about mocktails and be open to learning about the benefits of limiting alcohol.
If I could offer advice to future interns, it would be to always remember that you have a support system. The internship can feel overwhelming and extremely tiring at times; but as long as you are working a little toward your larger goals each day, it will go by smoothly.
My first two rotations were food service management and my wellness concentration. My favorite parts were interacting with the students and organizing events that get them thinking about nutrition’s role in areas they may not have associated it with before, such as mental health, body image, and more.
Some specific events that I organized during these two rotations were the following:
I hosted a live cooking demo featuring a dish that highlighted nutrients to help mental health. The dish incorporated zinc, folate, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. It was also plant-based and free of top allergens so that it was safe for as many students as possible.
I assembled an interactive bulletin board display for November with the theme of Intuitive Eating. Students were asked to write down how they will practice Intuitive Eating that month. The board also included the principles of Intuitive Eating, suggestions on how to revamp their Instagram feed to gear it more toward a healthy mindset around eating, and holiday recipe ideas including education about the nutritional benefits of featured ingredients.
In November, I created a “Sticker for a Sticker” tabling event focusing on Body Positivity where students received a sticker in exchange for writing something they love about themselves on a sticky note. I was blown away by how excited students got over this activity, and it warmed my heart seeing them reflect on what they love about themselves amidst the heavy pushing of diet culture and Westernized beauty standards in today’s society.
Lastly, I organized a Paint and Sip event where mocktails were served and students learned about the benefits of limiting their alcohol consumption. This was quite a popular event, with over 100 students signed up. The mocktails chosen were a mojito and a rosé, and they were a huge hit! This event felt the most impactful to me, because I know how prevalent binge drinking can be on college campuses. It was so awesome to see the students get excited about mocktails and be open to learning about the benefits of limiting alcohol.
If I could offer advice to future interns, it would be to always remember that you have a support system. The internship can feel overwhelming and extremely tiring at times; but as long as you are working a little toward your larger goals each day, it will go by smoothly.
