Imagine being 17-years-old with heart disease, having difficulty breathing and chest pains. It sounds terrible, yet these experiences happen every day to people with untreated heart conditions. I am one of the 3 million people in the US who have a pacemaker and part of 1% of the US population with congenital heart disease according to the CDC in 2024. Despite having undergone open-heart surgery at 4 months old, my cardiologists never considered referring me to a registered dietitian who could teach my parents how to provide a specialized diet for my cardiovascular issues. For years, my diet was overlooked and considered a Standard American Diet (SAD), which consisted of foods high in sodium, added sugars, and fat with low fiber content according to the US Dietary Guidelines of America, 2020-2025. My family was unaware of how food and nutrition affected my health. Fast forward to 2020, the pandemic forced us to change our lifestyle. My mother turned the entire household away from fast food while my dad helped us form a garden in our backyard. At this time of my life, I noticed a decline in my health when I could not go bike riding without taking frequent breaks. As mentioned before, I experienced fatigue, dyspnea, cardiac angina, and congestion. Even after several doctor’s appointments, I became frustrated with my cardiologists for not solving my problem. Meanwhile, eating vegetables from the garden improved my health. Little did I know these vegetables would put me on a journey of nutrition, health, and well-being. I attended Louisiana Tech University for nutrition and dietetics, graduating in May 2025. I view dietetics as a “people-first” profession. Like my family, most families are unaware of how serious their diets can impact their health. In the summer of 2024, I was offered an internship from the LSU AgCenter to work with low-income communities in Baton Rouge, LA for 10 weeks. My main job site was at Southern University where I taught MyPlate and conducted food demonstrations to preschoolers, adolescents, and the elderly. Additionally, community events at places such as the YMCA, senior citizen groups, and health fairs were great resources of outreach. I truly felt as if I made a difference in the community by being proactive and accommodating every client’s needs. On some days, I faced challenges involving introducing new foods to young children, but I believe it is important to start creating healthy habits early. Overall, being around people and giving them a different perspective on life was the most fulfilling part of my internship. I enjoyed working with the community of Baton Rouge, LA so much that I accepted a dietetic internship at Southern University for 2025-2026. The environment seemed very positive, and I missed working with my colleagues and clients. After working in my first internship, I realized there are many people who need emotional support when making changes to their lifestyles, especially when it comes to health. I am currently working on completing my master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics. My degree requires conducting a research study, so my research is about the prevalence of food neophobia and disordered eating behaviors in college students. If awarded with the scholarship, I can further my professional development by providing nutrition care through education and counseling for low-income communities. I would like to teach individuals how to be self-sufficient and have self-efficacy, the confidence in accomplishing goals. People should feel empowered that they can maintain health and overcome disease. Health is a valuable and achievable quality of life that incorporates the mind, body, and soul that each person deserves to have.