My Hustle Personal Statement

“If you ask for my hustle, I will give you my heart”- Chef William Ramirez. These words were told to me by my brother, who has a reinforced passion for the rigorous and creative profession that is known as the culinary arts. My passion is reinforced as well, through the “hustle” that was asked for in my academic and career experiences, where I gave my passion and dedication to achieve a new level of expertise. With this quote in mind, my academic perseverance and a determination to reach higher grounds, one will see that I am an ideal candidate for the Masters of Science(M.S.) in Nutrition, Health span and Longevity at University of Southern California(USC).
The building blocks for my devotion in nutrition first started at University of California, Merced(UCM),
where I perused (and achieved) a bachelor in biological sciences(B.S.). In the beginning of my years in college, I established the position of Health Chair in Hermanas Unidas at UCM, which consisted of researching and informing the organization about physical, mental and nutritional health. Alongside with this position, I was further introduced to the beneficial biological effects of vitamins through my family, by assisting in their business in selling vitamins through a company called Amway. After taking a class in nutrition at UCM, I started to contact individuals who were in different stages of their dietetic careers. These individuals included students who were in their internships, as well as registered dietitians(RDs) on campus and in the community. During the last two years of my undergraduate career I was involved in public health research with Dr. Erin Gaab, where we touched upon topics relating to air quality, coccidioidomycosis (valley fever), and childhood obesity. As a research assistant, I was able to translate, organize and analyze qualitative and quantitative data, as well as assist with new and effective research methods while working with a diverse population in the central valley. Using my connections with the community I was able to assist with multiple community events and programs, such Woman, Infant and Childrens(WIC). I was also able to bring the community resources to assist with different programs and conferences that were devoted to helping the community in building healthy lifestyles on UCM’s campus.
After graduating UCM I utilized my experience and my degree to attain an Internship in wine making in Manteca California(CA), where I was involved in research and development and steered a project with the microbiologist on sight.
Around this time, I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Gloria Polidorie, a Lecturer in the Human & Evolutionary Biology Department at USC. Dr. Polidorie introduced me to Gerontology department, specifically the M.S. program in Nutrition, Health and Longevity. This introduction to the program, as well as past experience with the culture of USC, rekindled my interest in attending USC. When I moved back home to Los Angeles(LA) I attained a position as a Lab technician for Thermos Fisher, and later became a chemist at University of California, Los Angeles(UCLA). Concurrently with my work I continued take classes at night in different college campuses. I was also able to reconnect with Valley Presbyterian Hospital (VPH ), where I was a high school hospital intern through USC Med-COR. At VPH I was a volunteer, and months later, a Dietitian Assistant/ Patient representative. I also became, and currently still am, a member of the California Academy of nutrition and Dietetics: Los
Angeles.
Just as my passion to peruse a career in dietetics was built-up, my eagerness to attend USC was under way since high school. During high school, I had the privilege to be enrolled in an on-campus weekend program called USC Med-COR, where I was exposed to not only different fields of medicine, but also the supportive culture that USC is well known for. Speaking with Dr. Polidorie, as well as the councilors and students that are currently in the M.S. program, I learned that the program had a lot qualities that I am looking forward to. My academic career is consisted in the pursuit of the sciences, and it would be a great experience to continue that pursuit in science heavy program. One of the classes that I am looking forward to taking, if given the opportunity, is Nutriton, Genes, Longevity and Disease (GREO 498), this is due to the material that would be taught by Dr. Valter Longo. His background and research in cellular biology and genetics is very intriguing, and is a subject that I am very excited to learn about. I am also very excited to meet with is Jeannie Wakamatsu, who presented herself in the informational as a “match maker” for the rotations in the internship portion.
The M.S. in Nutrition, Health and Longevity will allow me to take my passion for nutrition, and the sciences, to an unprecedented level of expertise. My goal is to attain my registration as a dietitian, and channel my knowledge toward a most worthwhile form of service to society, either in hospitals or a researcher. I would also love to utilize this degree to peruse a higher education, to one day share this knowledge to the next generation of dietitian as a professor. If given the opportunity, I would gladly and enthusiastically join the USC Gerontology family. Thank you once again for considering me as a candidate and I look forward to my new career direction. (success)