Food Protection Trends - November/December 2017 - 468

Our Experiences (continued)

Sarah Beno

Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

IAFP's Annual Meeting is an excellent event which I have attended and looked
forward to over the past four years. I was fortunate to receive a 2017 Student Travel
Scholarship for IAFP 2017 in Tampa, Florida. Receiving this scholarship not only
covered my travel expenses, but also helped me connect with some of the top food
safety leaders.
While IAFP has been a valuable networking opportunity, as a Student Travel
Scholarship recipient, the networking opportunities were magnified thanks to the
mentoring program. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting food safety leaders from industry,
government, and academia. Building these networks is incredibly valuable to me as I
prepare to enter the "real world" and ultimately contribute to food safety by providing
training for today's students - and tomorrow's food safety leaders.
The IAFP Foundation is essential in providing opportunities for students, international professionals, and state regulators. These scholarships bring perspectives to
the IAFP Annual Meeting which benefit all of us and allow for continuous improvement
in the field of food safety.
I am honored to have been chosen as a recipient of this year's Student Travel
Scholarship, alongside my peers at other universities who have provided meaningful
contributions to food safety. Thank you for a fantastic meeting!

IAFP's Student Travel Scholarship provided me with the remarkable opportunity
at IAFP 2017 to continue to expand my knowledge on food safety topics; network with
professionals and fellow students in the field; and gain a better understanding of my
goals and passion for food safety and the importance of sharing the message of food
safety.
I attended many sessions that piqued my interest, as well as reaffirmed the
importance of and my dedication to food safety. I was also blessed with the opportunity
to meet and talk with some spectacular leaders in the food safety profession while
making life-long friends with my fellow peers who also attended.
I would like to personally thank Dr. Benjamin Chapman of North Carolina State
University for introducing me to the wonderful world of food safety, and Dr. Judy
Harrison of the University of Georgia for being such a spectacular and supportive
mentor, to whom I was so fortunate to be introduced through the Mentor Program for the
Student Travel Scholarship. I aspire to be as confident, knowledgeable, and kindhearted
as the two of them, while sharing my enthusiasm for food safety with all those I meet.
Sarah Cope
Additionally, I was welcomed into the food safety world so graciously, as I
East Carolina University
presented my research at IAFP 2017. It was a blessing to see and feel the support and
Greenville, North Carolina
continued interest in food safety, and I look forward to attending IAFP Annual Meetings
in the future as I continue on my career path.
I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to attend IAFP 2017 through the generosity of the IAFP Foundation.
I have gained new found inspiration and so much more due to this opportunity, and I am so thankful for the support
from the entire IAFP community. Thank you for this wonderful experience!

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Food Protection Trends November/December

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