Rennee Fitton has always had a passion for learning and connecting with the world around her. Born and raised in Edmonton, she says she settled on science early on. "It was evident that the University of Alberta was the best choice for my postsecondary education. I didn't even consider applying anywhere else."
From there, choosing Biology as a major was an easy decision as the concentration was broad enough to encompass many of Fitton's interests, including genetics and the human body. Like many of her peers, Fitton set her sights on a career in medicine and applied herself as a volunteer in the U of A's Faculty of Science, the University Orientation program and the University of Alberta Hospital.
She also earned an internship for the Flying Doctors of Canada program in Nicaragua, helping doctors treat patients in remote villages that did not otherwise have access to medical aid. "It was an amazing opportunity that allowed me to experience firsthand what doctors can do," she says.
Inspired, Fitton thought to start a volunteer mission of her own and co-founded the Golden Future program with three other U of A students, with a mission to educate high school students in developing countries about post-secondary opportunities, sexual health, and other important life skills.
"Thanks to those experiences I was able to delve deeper into what I loved about medicine, which was disease prevention-which at its very core begins with healthy eating and activity," says Fitton. Departing from her original med-school plans, Fitton focused on her true passion-nutrition-and started a health and nutrition blog on Instagram (@insearchoffitness) which has already attracted more than 8,500 followers in under a year.
Now with her BSc General in hand, Fitton has hit the ground running-she's already landed a position as a nutrition councilor at a healthy food startup in Los Angeles called My Fit Foods.
"I honestly feel like my experiences at the U of A, working with the faculty of science, as well as meeting so many other interesting people through volunteer work and events, have helped me find exactly what I'm meant to be doing."