Bluffton University

Competitive internship

08/05/2024

Hannah Plesac was one of only six students chosen for a dietetics internship at Purdue University.

Connections lead to more connections 

Hannah Plesac ‘25, a pre-dietetics major from Galion, Ohio, has spent her summer in West Lafayette, Ind. on the campus of Purdue University completing a dietetics internship to gain hands-on experience in her career field.  

Plesac was one of six students around the United States to be selected to participate in the Food Service and Nutrition Summer Internship with Purdue Dining and Culinary. This internship teaches students practical instruction in Purdue’s dining operations. Students who take part in this internship build their career, network and hear from industry professionals each week.   

Plesac worked in one of Purdue’s five dining halls, and said her experience in the dining halls allowed her to see more aspects of food service up close. Through this internship, Plesac gained hands on training in all areas of the dining hall which allowed her to grow confidence in the food service industry. Along with working in the dining halls, each week Plesac and the other dietetic interns took part in experiential learning at various locations, heard from dietitians and learned more about the field of food and nutrition.  

Plesac credits connections with her professors, specifically Dr. Deb Myers, emeritus professor of food and nutrition, for gaining the internship. Plesac says the connections she has at Bluffton led her to even more connections at Purdue. 

“With Bluffton being such a small school I was able to easily build connections with my professors, which led me to this internship,” said Plesac. “Completing this internship at Purdue has allowed me to make connections I can use down the road to help grow my career and network with other people in my field.”  

Plesac says the most impactful moments during her internship have been being able to connect with the other interns.

“One thing I knew I was going to have to do when I got this internship was live in a new place with people I had never met before. I wanted to embrace that,” said Plesac.  “Looking back it was very nerve-racking at first, but as the weeks went on all the interns grew very close. I left Purdue with lifelong friendships and connections.”   

Plesac plans to graduate from Bluffton in May and continue her education at Bluffton earning her Master of Nutrition and Dietetics. During her master’s, Plesac will complete clinicals and other coursework to gain even more knowledge and skills about the field of nutrition.  After earning her MND, Plesac hopes to work in the field of sports dietetics.