Lindsey Seegers, CERG '12, is a Nutrition Educator, Manna Food Center.
My time as a student in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies program allowed me to become further qualified and competitive in the job market, while still working full-time. I had the opportunity to go to Head Start to perform nutrition assessments for children from low-income households. I had the opportunity to research the ramifications of international hunger and malnutrition issues alongside projects on food insecurity among Washington, D.C. families. These contrasting pictures now help me serve as an advocate for Manna Food Center, educating the public on the importance—and the difference—of malnutrition verses food insecurity. Grad school is a wonderful place to explore and discover the field that truly speaks to you. In high school, I never imagined I would be a nutritionist serving families in the region where I was raised. But my studies at Mason made me realize the pressing need right here in my neighborhood.