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Insightful Intern: Meet Maryellen

We've been so lucky at Kindred Nutrition this year to have two great interns. Read below to see how a student athlete views her experience so far at Kindred Nutrition. We can't wait to follow her season this year!

I’m Maryellen Hauver and I am one of the interns spending time at Kindred Nutrition this summer.
I just completed my sophomore year at Bridgewater College, studying Nutritional Science. As I got into my major at school, I began to consider what job I would like to use my degree for after school. In my classes I mostly heard about working as a Registered Dietitian. Before choosing this as my career of pursuit, I wanted to get some experience that would help me understand exactly what the job entails. Knowing that I would be home for the summer, I did some research about dietitians in the Frederick area. Through the magic of Google, I found Amy! I also discovered this blog and saw that she had taken college student interns in the past. It appeared to be the perfect opportunity, so I contacted her last fall in hopes of gaining this wonderful experience. We did an interview while I was home on Winter Break. Then this spring, I was so thrilled to find out that I would be spending my summer shadowing Amy and Dawn in the office!

Before I share my reflections and impressions of my experience so far, I will share a little about myself. I’m a student athlete at Bridgewater. I run cross country and track. Running keeps me busy year round, but I really enjoy it. I’m a middle distance runner, focusing primarily on the 800. Cross country in the fall helps me build my strength. Then during track in the winter and spring I work more on speed. My life as an athlete in college has taught me a lot about the importance of nutrition in sport performance. I have always been fascinated with food, but understanding the application of food to my daily life, activity, and health has been especially interesting.

There are so many different ways food and nutrition touches our lives. Last summer I worked at a farm where you can pick your own berries in the summer. This summer I am working at a catering company. The farm gave me insight into how our food is grown and also challenged me to think about the different ways food gets to our table. The catering company has given me insight into the many ways our food is prepared and served. It’s also made me consider how food encourages fellowship and how we use it to gather together in times of celebration.

There is just so much to food! I find it so interesting. This internship is giving me a deeper understanding of how we relate to food and how food nourishes us. It has also shown me how a Registered Dietitian can help people by sharing their knowledge about the science of food and the body. It’s been amazing to observe Amy and Dawn as they listen to clients, address problems, give advice, provide encouragement, and develop solutions.


I’ve been so inspired by all that Amy and Dawn do. It has definitely confirmed that this is the career I want to pursue!

In Good Health,

Maryellen Hauver

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