My name is Jamie Fisher and I am a transfer student in the Food Science and Human Nutrition program. I first got interested in the food science world when I joined an internship class in high school. I did not know what kind of career I wanted to go into until the day I got the opportunity to shadow a scientist at a flavor company called FONA International. I have been hired back as an intern every summer I’ve been in college and I haven’t looked back. I first learned about the different departments a flavor company had to offer, from analytical chemistry to research and innovation. I was lucky enough to start off as an intern in the regulatory department. I think this is one of the most important jobs in the flavor company and I am very grateful for having this well-rounded experience. I learned how the regulatory department has to make sure all the necessary documents about a flavor get to the customer. I also learned that they have to stay in compliance not only with the company’s standards, but global programs like FEMA GRAS. The following summer, I got the opportunity to work with the grain business unit. I worked alongside an applications technologist to work on product development for applications like bars, cereal, snacks, and bakery. This experience really allowed me to incorporate my cooking and baking passions with my work. Along with working on applications, I also worked on some research for sugar reduction and taste modification. I continued this research the last two summers I worked there and plan on continuing it my fourth summer. This internship not only helped me with my prospective career, but it taught me the importance of working with different people in a group setting. No one ever worked on a project alone, because everyone in the flavor company is connected one way or another. I really enjoyed the teamwork aspect of this type of work and the wonderful people I had the opportunity to work with. Since I have a semester of food science classes at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign under my belt, I will be able to bring more technical skills into the lab. Going to school with a diverse group of students will also help me in the industry when I have to work in teams with people who bring different ideas to the table. I am very grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and I will continue to explore all the opportunities UIUC has to offer.