Jennifer Fleck, SEBS Class of 2024. Photo: courtesy of SEBS Office of Public Outreach and Communication.
SEBS senior Jennifer Fleck is graduating this May, majoring in nutritional sciences on the dietetics track. She recently committed to the two-year Master of Science Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences at Rutgers, where she will earn her master’s degree in nutrition and have the opportunity to do an internship in dietetics during her second year.
Jennifer has her own website, which details her history with her interest in nutrition, and an Instagram account, where she posts healthy recipes. Jennifer wants to work as a dietician, specializing in a combination of sports nutrition and eating disorders.
Jennifer working as a Nutrition Intern for Rutgers Athletics. Photo: courtesy of Jennifer Fleck.
Jennifer’s involvement as an undergraduate has been impressive, demonstrating her dedication to exploring a career in nutrition. Jennifer was also a Football Sports Nutrition Intern for Rutgers Athletics in the summer of 2022, where she worked at the fueling stations with a registered dietitian in the department. She made smoothies according to the athletes’ dietary needs and oversaw the snacks supplied at these fueling stations. Jennifer also worked at the Rutgers Athletic Performance Center on Livingston Campus, volunteering in the Sports Nutrition Department and managing the fueling station for the sports teams, including gymnastics, track and field, basketball, and wrestling. As a sophomore, she joined the SEBS Ambassadors, where she gave tours to prospective students and was a panelist during information sessions.
Jennifer is a transfer student, who came to Rutgers at the beginning of her sophomore year. She says transferring was intimidating, but she found community through her involvement. “Joining the SEBS Ambassador Program made me feel like I found a home and had a purpose here. It gave me the reassurance that I was in the right place and also helped expand my personal skills.”
Jennifer, at right, has worked with the SEBS Ambassadors program. Photo: courtesy of Jennifer Fleck.
She’s a member of Kappa Omicron Nu, the nutrition honors society, and the newsletter chair for the Rutgers Nutrition Club. Every month, she creates a newsletter sent out to all SEBS students, which merges her science background with her love for nutritional content creation. Jennifer is also a nutrition advocate peer mentor for Rutgers Student Health, where she creates lessons on nutrition for organizations throughout the Rutgers community. In the summer of 2023, she studied abroad in Greece, learning about the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle.
Her advice to herself as a first-year student would be to stay motivated and believe in yourself. “If you work hard at something, you can obtain it.”
This article was written by OPOC intern Emily Ranieri.
