Paulina Rodríguez Urueta
Colonel Miriam E. Perry Goll Memorial Scholarship
Completing a Dietetic Internship at Morrison Healthcare Dietetic Internship
| “I am beyond grateful to have been awarded a Foundation Scholarship for my dietetic internship, allowing me to pursue my dream in a state-of-the-art facility, grow my professional network, and advocate for diversity and inclusion from within the field. I recognize my privilege for being able to form a part of this team, and receiving the Colonel Miriam E. Perry Goll Memorial Scholarship is not only financially relieving, but also affirming in a professional regard, giving me confidence on the fact that there is support for me in this field.” |
How did you learn about the availability of the Foundation scholarship that you received?
As a longstanding member of the Academy, I was informed about the availability of scholarships through Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation emails. My university advisor was also helpful in sending reminders with deadline dates and extensions. Though the application was centralized and there were many scholarships available, the Colonel Miriam E. Perry Goll Memorial Scholarship caught my eye from the beginning, being as it has been awarded to many aspiring dietitians throughout the years to aid in completing their dietetic internships, which aligned with my current professional goal.
What motivated you to apply for a Foundation Scholarship?
As an international student, it is frustrating to navigate scholarship applications, as many of them have "US citizen or refugee status" as one of their qualifications for applying. Even funds that are catered towards the Latinx community often have restrictions. All government funded financial aid is not available for me as someone on an F1 visa. Therefore, whenever I find scholarships that rely on professional aptitude, academic excellence and community involvement, such as the ones available through the Foundation, I seize the opportunity and apply as promptly as possible. Another factor for my motivation towards applying was my University advisor from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Justine Karduck. She believes in the potential of her students, and she was a great resource to help me find both DI programs and scholarships that I could apply for as an international student. She helped me keep my mind open to the possibilities and aid that exist in the field, and she checked in with me constantly throughout the process to assure I was working towards my dreams and not being defeated by the few limitations I have encountered.
How will the scholarship funds help support your continued success within your educational program?
I have the privilege of being fully financially supported by my parents, and my education remains their top priority, however, the related costs have limited their financial freedom. Education, both imparting it and receiving it, is my passion, and I plan to continue to seek higher education for at least the next two decades. I chose an accelerated DI program in order to start working as soon as able as an RDN, and support myself though my kowledge-seeking journey. Receiving this scholarship, which will be applied to my Dietetic Internship program at Northwestern Medicine, will alleviate commuting costs, costs related to CDR examination and dietetic licensure, all of which were unforeseen, and I bear financial responsibility for. Upon completion, thanks to that financial alleviation, my options regarding Master's Degrees will open up considerably, and I will be able to continue my educational path sooner than if I had not had the honor of being a recipient of the Colonel Miriam E. Perry Goll Memorial Scholarship.
What advice do you have for your colleagues about seeking out and applying for Foundation funding opportunities?
My biggest piece of advice would be to be fully aware of deadlines, and always aim for finishing the application before the original deadline, even if extensions have taken place; that way, applicants can review their application more thoroughly and elevate it, instead of finishing it in a rush. Not only being cognizant of them, but physically writing them down in an analog or virtual calendar. Secondly, I would encourage applicants to start the application early to allow the questions to marinate in their consciousness for an extended period of time. The questions in the scholarship application are questions that the writers may have never asked themselves, and they will provide much self-knowledge in a professional regard. I encourage applicants to be open to the possibilities the field has to offer, and to not be afraid to explore ant "conflicting" interests (i.e. languages or technology) as these can be seamlessly applied to their practice as a dietitian and will likely give them an edge that only they can carve and achieve.
Scholarship and Award Application and Timeline Information
All applications and timelines for Foundation funding opportunities are made available electronically within the Foundation’s application portal. Generally, the scholarship applications are available from mid- February to mid-April, most award and grant applications are available from December to February, and fellowship opportunities are posted as they become available.
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With Your Help, We Can Do Even More
Our Foundation is the only charitable organization dedicated exclusively to supporting nutrition and dietetics professionals by empowering them to help consumers live healthier lifestyles. Our Foundation does not receive any portion of member dues and is funded solely by donations. Please consider making a gift today to support our Make It a Million Scholarship Campaign that will help us to award one million dollars in scholarships annually to Academy members, students and dietetic interns at all levels of study.
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