Yi Shuen Lim
Yi Shuen Lim wants to educate others as a community dietitian in the future. When Yi Shuen isn’t studying, she enjoys evening walks, watching sunsets, baking, and sharing her baked goods with her friends and family.
Get to know Yi Shuen
- Major: Dietetics
- Minor: Psychology
- Class: Junior
- Hometown: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Career goal: Community dietitian
- Clubs/activities: Student Wellness, Fresh Conversations, CHS ambassadors, Student Dietetics Association, Students Helping Our Peers food pantry (SHOP)
- Awards/honors: Dean’s list, Global Scholars Award
- Favorite place on campus: Parks Library
- Most influential ISU mentors: Amber Kargol, Linda Svendsen, Kevin Schalinske
- Favorite class: FS HN 115, Food Preparation Laboratory
- Why Iowa State: Accredited dietetics program and the beautiful Iowa seasons
Yi Shuen Lim prepares to impact communities through food access and education
After Yi Shuen Lim first started learning about biology in high school, she was immediately interested in the food we eat and how the body works. She knew that she wanted to pursue something related to biology in college, but she wasn’t drawn to the medical field.
As she conducted her search for a major, she found the dietetics field, something that wasn’t a prominent major in her home country of Malaysia. This led Yi Shuen to discover the top-notch dietetics major at Iowa State University, where she’s now a junior.
Along with her interest in nutrition is her interest in human beings, and helping them. Because of these passions, she knew from the beginning that she wanted to pursue a psychology minor to complement her studies in dietetics.
“I think that psychology — it kind of goes hand in hand [with dietetics] because it’s related to people, and it allows me to learn more about how [people] work,” Yi Shuen said.
At Iowa State, Yi Shuen is involved as a peer wellness educator with Student Wellness, and as a volunteer for Fresh Conversations, a nutrition education program for low-income adults. Additionally, she participates in the SHOP food pantry and the Student Dietetics Association, and is a CHS ambassador.
Along with enhancing her communications skills, these experiences in her field will aid her on her path to becoming a registered dietitian. Yi Shuen specifically hopes to become a community dietitian so she can work more directly with people.
“I feel like going out into the community and teaching people about nutrition and access to nutrition — that has a good impact,” Yi Shuen said.
Yi Shuen’s main career goal is to help others and improve their access to healthy food. This is something she will strive to do while teaching people in her community about the importance of good nutrition.
“I am interested in food security, and how it affects malnutrition and undernourished children right now,” Yi Shuen said. “I really hope to go into the community and educate people on this and raise awareness for everyone.”
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