Hello! My name is Rob Fancher and I’m a dietetic intern at the New Bedford, MA campus. My concentration is wellness, which has offered a lot of fun and engaging activities and projects! I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Beth Winthrop to revise the university gluten-free dining manual. The manual is available on Sodexo_Net and is used by Sodexo managers, chefs, RDs, and food service workers to provide a safe and inclusive dining experience for students with sensitivities to gluten.
In addition to getting a behind-the-scenes look at university wellness, I got the chance to work with Kris Aimone, the wellness coordinator for Southcoast Health to promote workplace wellness at our three hospital sites and business center. I created educational handouts and cooked samples to tie in with the themes. The most recent table, “The Power of Cauliflower” focused on the health benefits and versatility of “the other white veggie”. We offered samples of aloo gobi and raita, an Indian cauliflower and potato dish with a cucumber yogurt sauce; preparing the food and doing the event at multiple sites allowed me to gain a better understanding of how to improve each day, as well as the challenges of working with different resources and teams at multiple sites. Being able to engage and promote nutrition with a diverse collection of hospital staff and visitors is a very gratifying experience!
The internship has also inspired me to get involved with my local affiliate, RIAND. I attended a “meet your legislator” event, and spoke with representatives and senators about supporting bills S. 2350 and H. 7419 to keep unhealthy food and beverage advertising out of kids’ schools. I also attended a plant-based culinary workshop, which was a great way to expand my knowledge of vegetarian cuisine, as well as get to know and network with RDs and leaders in my local community. I’m excited to continue on in the internship and learn more every day!
In addition to getting a behind-the-scenes look at university wellness, I got the chance to work with Kris Aimone, the wellness coordinator for Southcoast Health to promote workplace wellness at our three hospital sites and business center. I created educational handouts and cooked samples to tie in with the themes. The most recent table, “The Power of Cauliflower” focused on the health benefits and versatility of “the other white veggie”. We offered samples of aloo gobi and raita, an Indian cauliflower and potato dish with a cucumber yogurt sauce; preparing the food and doing the event at multiple sites allowed me to gain a better understanding of how to improve each day, as well as the challenges of working with different resources and teams at multiple sites. Being able to engage and promote nutrition with a diverse collection of hospital staff and visitors is a very gratifying experience!
The internship has also inspired me to get involved with my local affiliate, RIAND. I attended a “meet your legislator” event, and spoke with representatives and senators about supporting bills S. 2350 and H. 7419 to keep unhealthy food and beverage advertising out of kids’ schools. I also attended a plant-based culinary workshop, which was a great way to expand my knowledge of vegetarian cuisine, as well as get to know and network with RDs and leaders in my local community. I’m excited to continue on in the internship and learn more every day!
