Student Spotlight: SDA President Tara Condell

The Student Spotlight feature is a way to recognize our individual student members. If you would like to be featured in a future Student Spotlight post, please email Kristina at kristina.todini@gmail.com.

Name: 
Tara Condell

Date of expected graduation: 
05/2015

Why did you decide to study dietetics?
Nutrition encompasses many of my favorite things in life: food, helping people, and science. I realized that dietetics is my calling after being the sole caretaker of a critically ill parent and seeing how nutrition interactions in the body play a huge role in health. 

What has been your favorite part about being a student at SFSU?
I love the small community and how we all better each other. Without sounding too corny, I can honestly say that I made life-long friends in this program.

What has been your least favorite/hardest part of the program?
Time management! In dietetics, we are not only students but also volunteers, mentors, and advocates in our communities. Taking on all these roles while maintaining good grades was a challenge that I faced this semester. 

What extracurricular activities are you involved with (clubs, volunteering, etc)?
On campus I am the president of the Student Dietetic Association, peer educator in the Peer Nutrition Assessment Clinic, dietetic mentor, teacher's assistant and research volunteer. Off campus I volunteer weekly at the San Francisco Veterans Affair Medical Center and occasionally at the SF-Marin Food Bank. I also enjoy doing fun non-volunteer nutrition related things such as Dr. George's nutrition book club! 

What are your nondietetics passions, interests, and hobbies?
My friends like to call me an 'eating professional'. Growing up in San Francisco, I was introduced to the restaurant scene early in life and could tell the difference between soppressata and finnochiona salami before the tender age of eight. In my free time, I enjoy eating out and trying (sometimes not so healthy) new dishes. I am also pretty crafty with my hands and enjoy assembling furniture and finishing puzzles in a record amount of time.

What are your future professional goals? 
Ideally, I would like to work in a clinical setting to hone my skill set and perhaps teach part-time later down the line.

What is one fun fact about yourself?
I speak Chinese fluently which usually shocks people. Also, I can binge watch Netflix shows like it is my job. 

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