1. Corinne Barnhart
Personal Statement
I am currently a senior in Applied Nutrition with a concentration in Dietetics at Ohio
University with an expected graduation date of May 2017. Nutrition has interested me
since high school, but I became captivated with the field during my freshman year of
college after taking my first nutrition class at Hocking College. It fascinated me that the
science of nutrition is constantly evolving and that commonly accepted facts are
challenged and modified regularly. My interest in the field ultimately drove me to
change my major from nursing, and transfer to Ohio University to become a registered
dietitian.
While many of my work experiences have not been directly related to nutrition, I have
had many involvements helping me in the process of becoming a well-rounded dietetics
professional. I am currently enrolled in the practicum for nutrition counseling, which
allows me to work one on one with a client under the supervision of a registered
dietitian. This experience includes three one-hour sessions to help a client to determine
their nutritional goals and create a dietary and exercise plan to help them achieve their
objectives. I find this experience to be invaluable as it truly puts me in the shoes of a
dietitian. Finally, I am also an assistant manager at my current job at the Athena
Cinema in Athens, which allows me to hone my leadership skills, as well as my
interpersonal and communication skills through delegating tasks, working with my
coworkers to complete tasks, and helping customers on a daily basis.

2. Immediately following graduation, I plan to sit for the Dietetic Technician, Registered
exam, and proceed from there to find full-time employment as a dietary aide. After a
year’s time, I plan to pursue my masters and dietetic internship program at Ohio
University. After completing my dietetic internship, I plan to work at a long-term care
facility. In my gap year between graduating and beginning graduate school I intend to
become more involved with organizations that aim to educate children and community
members about nutrition such as AmeriCorps, an organization that aims to “strengthen
communities and develop leaders through team-based national and community service.”
I also plan on getting involved with Meals on Wheels, a program with the goal of
“providing services that enable older people to maintain independent living with safety
and dignity.” I want to work primarily with the elderly population because I find them to
be very interesting individuals and they have a higher than average percent of
malnutrition in their demographic, something that needs to be addressed and remedied
by individuals in the nutrition profession.
Something that I really pride myself on is my well-honed work ethic. Throughout my
entire college career, I’ve held a minimum of two jobs, and at times I’ve even held three.
This has not made my university career an easy experience, but through perseverance
I’ve been able to manage my time and be successful in my academic and professional
life. I pride myself on my ability to efficiently manage my time and my priorities. An
area of improvement I have recognized is my drive to be a perfectionist. My father has
told me many times throughout my life “If you aren’t going to do it right, don’t bother.”
I have really taken this advice to heart, and it causes me to be extremely hard on myself
if I don’t live up to my own expectations. I am trying to teach myself that it is okay to
mess up sometimes, and to turn those mistakes into a learning experience rather than a

3. reason to needlessly berate myself by examining what I could have done differently and
doing so the next time I am presented with a similar situation.
While I still have some steps to take before I am ready to become a registered dietitian, I
have been diligently working to better myself professionally and academically the last
four years at Ohio University. I have developed an excellent work ethic and time
management skills, and because of this I would be a reliable, diligent worker in the field
of nutrition.