My personal passion for nutrition stemmed from some personal complications in high school. I had to see a dietitian who helped me change my life and feel and function better. I wanted to do that for other people. When I was taking my food science class, I fell in love with the more science-y aspects of how food systems work and the biological aspects of eating. I didn't want to go the clinical route anymore, I wanted to focus on the science. I would love to become a microbiologist and research the gut microbiome and how that relates to mental health.
St. Kate’s was on my radar because I wanted a smaller school in the Twin Cities area. My friend wanted somebody to take the campus tour with her and stay overnight. Instantly, I fell in love with the community, the campus and the people, who were so open and friendly. I walked into that weekend expecting not to go to school there and walked out knowing that I was going to go to school there.
I was not looking for an all-women's college nor a Catholic college, but the all-women’s aspect of St. Kate’s surprised me. It doesn't come off pretentious or exclusionary. For somebody who identifies as a woman and decided to go to that school, it didn't feel like I was being hand-held because they thought I needed that. I felt more empowered because I deserved that.
I was part of the Antonian Honors Program and completed an Honors Research Project my senior year. This program allows students to explore whatever they want as long as it's multidisciplinary. That was a key opportunity for me. My project melded all my interests — microbiology, food science and nutrition — and where I wanted to take my career. My research study was titled, The Effects of Recipe Manipulation on the Microbial Communities of Kombucha. My project advisor taught me how to design and execute a research study, then evaluate the data for learnings and present that to people. It’s helped me in my job because that’s what I do now. I work for Puris as a food scientist in the Research and Development department. I spend my days developing new plant-based, innovative foods.
I’d tell others to choose St. Kate’s if it feels right. If you are committed to your education, the people are there to back you up.
St. Kate’s gave me the confidence to be bolder and to speak up when I don't think things are right. I learned to think for myself and make my own decisions. It was a great opportunity to learn what I care about because I was being exposed to so many new ideas.
I also really appreciated the attention to diversity and personal experiences St. Kate's instills in their students. I was an orientation leader for three years, so I went through repeated trainings on how to educate students and promote inclusivity. I was able to learn about other cultures and different identities. I think that is something that is really important.