Support VRG Outreach
Cierra Peterlin
My VRG Virtual Internship
Creating a Vegan World
As a University of Maryland dietetic intern, I spent months rotating through different job settings. Sometimes the work sparks joy and sometimes it is simply a professional experience. My week with The Vegetarian Resource Group was definitely the former! I have been living a vegan lifestyle for the past two years, so I was very excited when I learned that I would have the opportunity to spend a week with VRG.
At University of Maryland when I first got placed in my dietetic internship, I was invited to attend the previous class's virtual class day with VRG. From that first exposure I could tell that VRG was something amazing and wanted to learn more. I spent time browsing the VRG website and looking at articles and resources. Throughout my dietetic internship I had been referencing vrg.org for my own use, as well as referencing certain articles for projects and recommending them to people I interact with who are interested in vegetarian nutrition.
Getting the chance to rotate with VRG, even for a quick week, was great. My main point of contact was Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, who was supportive and helpful. Before my rotation started, Reed and Charles Stahler sent me a list of projects and asked me to create a schedule. I knew it was going to be a good week because the projects aligned with my interest in food waste and the environment.
I got to exercise my writing and research skills. For my scientific review for a research article about food waste, I learned how to focus my writing for the general public. By the use of plain language, making study data relevant and reader-friendly, and with support and guidance from Reed, I was able to convey the findings of a study in more understandable terms. My other project was to write a blog about how to reduce food waste and create daily menus for low-waste vegan meals. It was the first time I had written something specifically geared toward vegans and vegetarians, which was really cool for me!
One challenge that I faced was figuring out how to conceptualize data on the large amount of food waste created in the United States. Again, with help from Reed, we translated large numbers into relevant and understandable context. Creating the menus for this blog, I was thrilled to be able to make them completely vegan. This project allowed me to make dishes that are in line with my values as well as in support of environmental and human health.
The VRG team was welcoming and supportive throughout the brief internship and made it known that warmth would extend beyond my week rotation. I hope to continue working to promote a veg lifestyle as a future professional and hope that my work with and connection to VRG isn't over!
For information about The Vegetarian Resource Group internships, see www.vrg.org/student/index.php
