Abigail Dow, an August 2019 graduate of Southern Arkansas University, recently completed a summer internship with the University of Oklahoma Sports Nutrition Department. The experience fueled a career passion she developed at SAU as an Exercise Science major.
During her junior year at SAU, Dow realized her professional interests were leading her to the increasingly popular field of sports nutrition.
“Abby took her internship very seriously and started working nine months prior to secure a high quality internship site that would not only immerse her in this field but help her develop a greater knowledge and networking (opportunities) to advance her desire to become a nutritionist,” said her adviser and internship supervisor, Steven D. Dingman, department chair, Health, Kinesiology & Recreation at SAU. “The faculty in the HKR Department could not be more proud of her accomplishments.”
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Abby Dow completed an internship at the University of Oklahoma
While at OU, Dow worked to fuel and educate athletes while also experiencing the other aspects of being a sports dietician. These included making orders for food and drink products, nutrition team talks, and managing the operation side of fueling teams on the college level.
Of her internship, Dow said, “I was very fortunate to work with such an incredible staff. Ms. Suba and Mrs. Byrd helped me develop more skills and an even deeper passion for sports nutrition. The staff made sure to give me as much involvement as possible to gain the overall experience of being a university sports dietician.”
Dow was provided professional development time to discuss nutrition topics and ask questions about sports nutrition. Her daily tasks ranged from organizing inventory to running pre-fuel and recovery for the teams.
“Our tasks changed depending on practice schedules and the needs of the athletes,” she said. “This internship was important in shaping my career and developing skills I will need for my future.”
Her post-internship plans are to continue her education at Texas Women’s University to pursue a master’s in Sports and Exercise Nutrition. She found a true passion in sports nutrition and helping athletes reach their performance goals. Dow is a native of Bonham, Texas.
