By Taylor Gale, Loyola University Intern

I have had the most amazing opportunity—working at The Vegetarian Resource Group. I have been involved in so many projects, there has never been a dull moment! For the most part, I wrote about my experiences as a vegan—traveling as vegan, being vegan on a college campus, how to teach a vegan cooking class, and the list goes on. These writings were my favorite because I was able to share my knowledge about veganism to all of you. Hopefully, my writings have helped out in one way or another. Another exciting part of this internship, has been being able to try new veggie products and restaurants! I tasted so many vegan snacks, drinks, and desserts. Not only did I have the chance to describe and recommend these foods and beverages to the rest of the vegetarian/vegan community, I was able to try new items, which I may have overlooked if I had seen them in stores.

Another favorite experience of mine was being able to teach a vegan cooking class to the men from Christopher’s Place at Our Daily Bread. Although, I only taught one class, I was able to help out when other classes were taught by one of our own, Marcy Schveibinz. It was an awesome experience to be able to share nutritious and delicious recipes with men who have not necessarily had access to these types of food.

This internship has been very unconventional, but in the best ways possible. I was granted freedom to write on topics that I am interested in, I created my own schedule for due dates (which was super helpful, since I am still an undergraduate student), I was given time to work on projects without a constant heckle from my bosses, which is typical for other internships. The whole time at VRG, I felt like I was not just an intern, but someone who was a part of the team to further compassion and express my knowledge on veganism to others.

The VRG group became like a family to me. Everyone is so welcoming and truly excited to hear about the intern’s days and experiences, each time we walk through the front door. Not only has The VRG group taught me important writing and workforce skills, they have taught me to go out and grab what I want from life. Thank you Debra, Charles, Gene, Marcy, and Rissa for all of the support and guidance you have all given to me! Although, my official internship has come to an end, I know my writings and I will always be welcome at VRG. This internship has been unlike any other, and I will cherish my time spent at VRG forever. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

For information about The Vegetarian Resource Group internships, see https://www.vrg.org/student/index.php

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group outreach, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

Or join at https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php