Blog 3--Mentor

So far, I have met a lot of potential faculty and staff mentors who would be great prospects for writing recommendation letters for me. I understand the importance of making connections and communicating extensively with people of my field. I also know that every relationship I make is important and will help guide me on the road of success.

There are many qualities that are important to be a mentor for me, especially in my field of Culinary Science. They need to be knowledgeable about my classes, grades, and goals. They also need be aware of all the new advancements and opportunities for people graduating with this degree. The mentors should encourage unique and insightful experiences that will make us be the best the we can be. The mentors should inspire us to go above and beyond the average expectations and try new, diverse things that no one has accomplished before.

In conclusion, I have been thinking about who could be a potential mentor, and so far I have came up with a few ideas. First off, I have my advisor Anne, who is extremely helpful and knowledgeable on all aspects dealing with food science and human nutrition. Secondly, I have my Food and the Consumer professor, Lester Wilson, who holds a vast amount of experience working with the food industry. He has worked for NASA, the USDA, and other such prestigious affiliations, and therefore he has much to teach and share. He is an insightful and brilliant professor, and would be a great mentor. And lastly, I have the Culinary Science advisor, Erica Beirman, who also holds a lot of expertise and is always willing to help. She is an inspiring and motivating person, and I know she will be of great help these next four years.

Culinary Science Club

After attending ClubFest there were many clubs that looked appealing. The Running Club, Outdoor Recreation Club, ISU Triatholon Club and Culinary Science Club all caught my interest. However, because my schedule is so busy, I have only chose one for this semester. I chose the Culinary Science Club because it directly attains to my degree, Culinary Science. This club is suitable for both my academic and personal interest.

The Culinary Science Club is relatively new and only in its second year right now. The president is a senior, and one of the first students to be graduating with this new Culinary Science degree here at Iowa State. I joined this club because I wanted more experience towards my degree. Another reason for joining this club is because I wanted to meet other people who are pursuing a degree in Culinary Science. There has only been one meeting so far, but I plan on attending every meeting that is held.

This club seems like it will be very beneficial for me for many reasons. First of all, it consists of a lot of fun activities that involve cooking and culinary arts. One main example is at VEISHA we will help to cook and create new food products for this event. Secondly, there are many leadership opportunities available. And because there are so few people in this degree, there will be many positions opening as graduates leave. I hope to someday be the Culinary Science Club President because I would like to be able to create new events and trips for the club that will give members experiences to help inspire them in their Culinary Science endeavors. I feel that it is important to actually get out there in the world in order to truly see what we are capable of. So, a leadership position is of definite interest to me.

In conclusion, I am glad that I joined this club. I feel that it will benefit me greatly, and I will gain many valuable experiences to help me excel with my degree. This club is also a great tool because it allows me to bond with fellow Culinary Science people, and learn what they want to do with their degree. I hope to one day become the President of the club and create new inspiring experiences for members. But until then, I will try to enjoy the new experiences and information as a new member of the ISU Culinary Science Club.

time.

It is important to be on time in order to be respectful to others. Also, the majority of the important announcements happen at the very beginning of class.

"To Get What We've Never Had, We Must Do What We've Never Done"

Life is short, so you should treasure each day as if it is the best day you will ever own. Every day I give my best. Whether it is in school, running, or through relationships with people, I give it my all. A recent experience where I performed at my best level was in October 2008. I call this experience my brutal, but beautiful adventure. My destination: Big Sur, California. My objective: to run my first half marathon.
My mom, her friend, and I had been training all season for this race. However, the three of us went into this race open-minded, because we had no idea what to expect. My mom and her friend had done half marathons and marathons prior to this. I, however, was looking to accomplish this feat for my first time. A large, old man introduced the specifics of the race to us. Saying that this was the 19th annual Big Sur Half Marathon, and when he asked if there were any returning runners, no one raised their hands. After that, he mentioned that if at any time we found this race to be too difficult we could always turn around and shorten it. When we heard that, we knew something wasn't quite right. We wondered why there were no returning runners, and why anyone would decide to shorten their designated race.
The answer to our questions were found once we started the intial climb of our race. The start was on a hill, and so we had to climb. Once we reached the top of the intial hill we looked for a flat respite. Nothing. After a ways into this run, I realized that this course consisted of only two things- very steep up hills and very steep down hills. This 13- mile course was more of a hike than a run. But I gave it my all. After the first half mile of the race, I left my mom and her friend, and ran ahead. I found a running pal and we conquered each hill with everything we had. At the 6.5 mile marker, we reached the turn around point. The last 6.5 miles were again marked by sharp up hills and sudden down hills. On every up hill we dug deep and used every muscle in our bodies to pull us up. At times, we would have to literally hike up the hill, because it proved to be faster. Once we reached the last 2.5 miles, I left my friend. 2.5 miles was the average cross country race for me, so I flew through through the hills, sprinting like never before. I didn't even think about my pain until I ecstatically crossed the finish line. I was on a mission, and I was determined to conquer this race with everything I had to achieve the best time possible. After we finished, we found out that this marathon was actually the hardest one in the United States. It ended up being a 6,000-foot running climb from start to finish. I powered through each hill, each mile, and each pain with everything I had, completing my first half marathon and learning what it truly takes to accomplish such a thing.
This achievement where I gave my best can easily be translated into my preparation and accomplishment in my first semester of college. Everyday I go to class with an open mind and the attitude of doing the best I can, even in classes like chemistry which I had never liked in high school. And I have realized yet again that it pays to be open minded and to constantly try new strategies and utilize your best skills. By giving it my all in studying for my first chemistry exam, I ended up doing better than I could have ever imagined. And like my half marathon feat, this proves that to get what we have never had, we must do what we have never done.