Biosketch
Highlights of Extracurricular Activity
(SDSU)
Club Rotaract of SDSU
Residence Hall Association (RHA)
Womyn's Outreach Association (WOA)
Student Nutrition Organization (SNO)
My Story
Raquel grew up in a small agricultural town just north of Los Angeles, known as Fillmore, California. She attended Fillmore High where she exceeded as both a scholar and an athlete. She participated in sports such as basketball, track and field, volleyball, cross country, and swim. She graduated as an honors student with academic achievements that afforded her the title of a valedictorian for maintaining a standing 4.2 GPA.
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It was during high school where Raquel began developing food intolerances and food sensitivities that sparked her interest in food science. As an athlete, Raquel understood the importance of fueling the body for optimal performance and in maintaining her overall health. Her short-term goal was to attend a university with a special didactic program in dietetics in hopes of obtaining her Bachelors in Foods and Nutrition. This is where her journey at San Diego State University began.
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Throughout her academic career at SDSU, Raquel became involved in organizations such as Residence Hall Association (RHA), Womyn’s Outreach Association (WOA), Rotaract, and the Student Nutrition Organization (SNO). As a first year student, Raquel primarily focused on her academics and building rapport with her colleagues via her extracurricular activities. For the following three years, Raquel worked for SDSU’s Residential Education Office as a Resident Advisor, Community Assistant, then Senior Community Assistant. Within all three positions, Raquel’s responsibilities included mentoring and assisting students, as well as planning and hosting events that propelled students forward academically, socially, and professionally.
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She volunteered a total of 268 hours at Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC) working closely with their dietary office and Registered Dietitians (RD). During this experience Raquel learned about modified diets, observed the registered dietitians during educations and consultations, and assisted patients with completing their dietary menus. These opportunities transpired during the summers of 2016 and 2017.
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Upon obtaining her bachelors of science from SDSU, Raquel aspires to complete her dietetic internship, achieve her license as a registered dietitian, and become licenced as a Certified Lactation Educator (CLE). Raquel hopes to give back to her community by furthering developing her passion in lactation and sparking advocacy work behind community education and the importance of breastfeeding.