In their own words, the life of a senior dietetics major is stressful. From their freshman year, they’re groomed to be the perfect candidate for a dietetic internship, a competitive post-undergraduate requirement to become a licensed dietician. This year, five senior dietetics majors at Bluffton did not apply for a dietetic internship. Instead, they made the bold decision to explore graduate programs, coaching jobs, voluntary service and more.
Bethany Martini, photo provided
“Everyone’s been talking about this internship since you were a freshman, and now, it’s like, ‘Oh, I actually have to get my life together and do this,’” said Bethany Martini on her experience as a senior dietetics major.
Hannah Brown said she knows what this pressure feels like.
“It’s kind of the path that you’re expected to take, and I expected it for myself,” said Brown.
Over the course of the year, this path changed for Brown, Martini and their fellow dietetics students Hannah Stephens and Lindsay Horn.
Stephens recalled she began to reassess her pursuit of dietetics while working as an assistant teacher in a summer program at a Columbus community center.
“It had very little to do with nutrition, yet I loved every minute of it,” said Stephens. “And I began to wonder: is dietetics really what I want? Is it the best fit?”
Horn told a similar tale about taking religion courses at Bluffton.
Lindsay Horn, photo by Hannah Conklin
“I really noticed I was more excited studying theology than I was with nutrition. I still love nutrition, I just noticed the closer the internship was coming, the less excited I was about that,” said Horn.
While the path each has chosen may differ from their dietetics peers, they all expressed a desire to explore meaningful new roads in their next phase of life.
The meaningful new road Horn will venture down is a master’s in theological studies at the University of Dayton.
She was offered two assistantship positions, ultimately choosing an opportunity to work with Campus Ministries at the University of Dayton’s Center for Social Concern. In addition to earning her graduate degree, she’ll work as a liaison between the Center for Social Concern and their undergraduate students.
“For the past few years, I was really locked into this mindset of doing the dietetic internship, so I really want to allow myself to be open to possibilities that may come up…I can see myself eventually working in an area of social justice, but I’m also open to the idea of pursuing a PhD,” said Horn.
“I don’t know how it will be manifested, but I do believe [my background in dietetics] will play a role in whatever I end up doing.”
Hannah Brown, photo provided
Brown’s meaningful new road will take her to Manhattan. In August, she will begin a yearlong term with Mennonite Voluntary Service, or MVS. She’s been placed as an administration assistant at Xavier Mission, an organization working to address the many needs of New York’s homeless population.
“Xavier Mission is in the food justice category of MVS, so it’s not like way off the grid from [dietetics]…I will be doing office work, but there will be other opportunities for me to volunteer with the mission,” said Brown.
She said she believes the emphases on diversity and community in Bluffton’s dietetics program will serve her well in her next steps.
As of now, Brown’s plan is to apply for a dietetic internship following her service year.
Martini also plans to apply for a dietetic internship, hoping to be placed in the next round of applications due in September.
“We’ll see in 2020 where I’ll end up,” she said.
In the meantime, Martini has a job lined up as the freshman volleyball coach at her former high school, Pickerington North, which will allow her to stick with her passion for volleyball.
Stephens’s meaningful new road is still being determined. One possibility is the PULSE program in Pittsburgh, Penn. This option would allow her to work for a nonprofit and live in an intentional community for a year while “exploring [her] own interests and honing in on what [she] wants to do in life.”
“My background in dietetics could lead to opportunities to work in areas around food insecurity, but honestly, I’m learning to just take it all step by step and hang on tight to this wild ride of life,” said Stephens.
No matter how they arrived at their decision, the four shared of the support they found along the way that helped them process their step away from dietetics.
Hannah Stephens, photo provided
Last fall, Stephens enrolled in Assistant Professor of Social Work Heidi Mercer’s Interviewing Theory and Skills class as an elective, and she eventually found herself sitting in Mercer’s office talking about life and possibilities beyond Bluffton.
“Social work was becoming a greater interest, and through talking with Heidi, I was able to envision a life beyond my ‘original plan.’ Since then, it’s been a journey of learning to let go and be more open to a wide range of possibilities,” said Stephens.
Martini found support from her family and volleyball coaches, including Bluffton’s coaching staff as well as former coaches from Pickerington North. She balanced the advice of Professor of Food and Nutrition Deb Myers with the wisdom of family and mentors who assured her, “Don’t rush into anything. This is your own life. Make your own path.”
Horn had her own mentors giving similar advice. After taking the required Introduction to a Biblical Worldview course with Assistant Professor of Religion Jackie Wyse-Rhodes, Horn couldn’t wait to learn more about the Bible and theology. She took Professor of Religion Alex Sider’s History of Christianity course to fulfill her upper-level religion requirement, and later squeezed his Christian Theology course into her schedule.
It was a conversation with Sider that prompted Horn to casually research the program at the University of Dayton she’ll begin this fall. She named Sider, Wyse-Rhodes and Associate Professor of History Martina Cucchiara as three professors who offered guidance and support as she chose a “complete change of career path.”
Brown found support in her own ways. Choosing to explore Mennonite Voluntary Service, she said she was quickly surrounded by support from the Mennonite community and those who had previously participated in MVS. She named campus pastor Tig Intagliata, 2017 Bluffton alumna Kati O’Neill and Pastors Theda Good and Wanda Stopher of First Mennonite Church as people who were great encouragements to her.
Brown said the biggest lesson she’s learned is not to worry about pleasing other people at the expense of her own needs and desires.
“I didn’t really feel like there was another option at times, but there’s definitely other options no matter what you’re doing,” she said.
‘There’s always another option.”
Each of these women know the value of “another option” firsthand.
“It’s okay to change your mind about things,” said Horn. “Don’t be afraid of where your senior year leads you.”
“To anyone in a similar position or in the process of making decisions about the future, I’d say what I’ve been told time and time again—nothing is wasted.” said Stephens.
“Take a step back. Breathe…In the end, you are going to be okay.”
