My name is Mackenzie Burgess and I am 18 years old (but turning 19 in 26 days!) I would describe myself as an art lover, cooking queen, and farmers’ market enthusiast. Currently, I am attending Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO and I am studying Food Science and Human Nutrition. My hopes are to graduate and become a registered dietician, but with the endless possibilities in this field, I am just excited to see what the future holds for my career.
I first became interested in nutrition when I attend the Lillian Fountain Smith nutrition conference hosted by Colorado State University. They had various speakers such as a registered dietician from the Olympic committee, a nutritionist with healthy cooking tips, and a physical therapist speaking on weight loss. From this conference, I have loved learning about nutrition and receiving hands on experience through cooking, my studies, and individual research. It gives me great optimism that not only will this education benefit me, but I can also better others’ lives in the process.
My internship is working with the Woodland Park Farmers’ Market. Over the past couple of summers I have been a vendor at the Woodland Park Farmers’ Market, selling my handmade phone cases. I have a great passion for art and design and hope to incorporate this skill into my career of nutrition one day.
From attending the market when I was young to being a vendor to now being an intern–the Farmers’ Market has served as huge part of my life and the community that I live in. Going into my internship, there are a few different things I hope to gain from this experience. First, I would like this internship to reveal a greater sense of community and just how vital this market is to Teller County. I would also like to gain first- hand nutrition and leadership experience to help benefit my future in this field. Through the process of this internship, I anticipate gaining great connections that will be valuable for my career.
I am so excited for this summer internship with the Woodland Park Farmers’ Market. I can’t wait to contribute my great passion, while also gaining amazing experience for the future.
Images above: (1) This is a picture of myself as a vendor for the farmers market, selling my handmade “Kenzie’s Creative Cases.”
(2) This is a picture of my mom and I attending the Lillian Fountain Smith nutrition conference that really sparked my passion for nutrition.
