2015 Bio-Kult bursary winner revealed!
Bio-Kult are delighted to announce that Stephanie Daniels has won the Bio-Kult Student Bursary and bagged herself £1000 to spend on her nutritional career goals. Runner up, Kristin Gilchrist also won £500. Stephanie and Kristin were invited to CAM Summit to be presented with their cheques.
Due to its success, the student bursary will return in 2016. Students can be notified when 2016 applications open by registering at www.bio-kult.com/student.
Interview with Bio-Kult Student Bursary Winner, Stephanie Daniels
Course: MSc Nutritional Therapy
University/College: University of Worcester
Why did you decide to study your course?
I’ve had a life-long interest in natural, healthy eating and when I found out about Nutritional Therapy I decided it would be a great opportunity to deepen my knowledge and embark on a new career.
What have you enjoyed most about your course so far?
It has been great meeting the other students on the course and the course lecturers, all with a similar passion! The assignments are really well designed as they provide a framework for you to take a deep dive into the literature so that everything you write is backed up by the evidence.
What are you plans for after you graduate?
My main goal is to set up my own Nutritional Therapy practice. Alongside this, I’d like to partner with local businesses, run cookery demonstrations and write articles... and maybe even a book!
How does it feel to have won the Bio-Kult student bursary?
Amazing and really energising! It feels like it’s opened up a whole new world as on top of the bursary I was invited to attend the CAM Summit to be presented with the bursary cheque.
What are you going to spend the bursary on?
I will be using the bursary on a mix of things to invest in my professional development and to help launch my nutritional therapy business. This includes, continuing my subscription to BANT and the CAM magazine, as well as attending the CAM conference on Meeting the Microbiome in September, which looks particularly relevant to my course.
Next semester I’ll be studying functional medicine and so I’ll have the wonderful luxury of buying a copy of the Textbook of Functional Medicine!
Within the next few months I will also be buying a good quality food processer so that I can experiment with recipes to use in my future practice. This will also be invaluable for cookery demonstrations when I’m qualified.
I also intend to join the Female Entrepreneur Association Members’ Club this month, which will provide lots of practical support in planning and running a business.
The Bio-Kult student bursary will be running again in 2016. What would you say to people who are thinking about entering?
I would definitely encourage people to enter. It’s good to dream about what you would spend the money on as it really gets you thinking about your future path – and who knows you might even win!
Anything else you would like to add?
A very big thank you!
Interview with Bio-Kult Student Bursary Runner Up, Kristin Gilchrist
Course: Diploma in Naturopathic Nutrition
University/College: College of Naturopathic Medicine, London
Why did you decide to study your course?
I started studying nutritional therapy for two reasons (a) I developed food intolerances and I found it fascinating (yet disappointing!) that they can develop at any point in someone's lifetime (b) family members have started to exhibit more and more health concerns and diseases over the years from heart disease, two incidences of cancer as well as rashes due to various chemicals and cosmetics. These factors have driven me to explore natural health and find ways of finding natural remedies via food supplements or natural products in every day life to preserve health.
I very much believe in the idea 'let food be thy medicine' and how an understanding of the body and its workings can lead to a more effective remedy in natural products versus pharmaceutical drugs. While I very much believe that conventional medicine has its place I find that it is not perhaps as up to speed on certain systems and solutions such as digestive health for example.
What have you enjoyed most about your course so far?
I have enjoyed the scientific side to the course the most. Understanding why certain systems behave the way they do is fascinating and makes certain symptoms make sense to pathologies experienced by clients. Once you know the biological and biochemical background it is easier to come up with an effective nutritional plan.
What are you plans for after you graduate?
I would like to first join a wider practice and work with a multi-disciplinary team, focusing on fertility, endocrinology, oncology and/or mental health. Ultimately I would like to open my own practice.
How does it feel to be the Bio-Kult student bursary runner up?
I am over the moon to win the Bio-kult Student bursary! It feels as if I am a little further along in my plan to get my career off the ground in this area. It will allow me to pursue further specialist courses in the areas I wish to focus on.
What are you going to spend the bursary on?
I have chosen to study two courses with ION, one with Nutri Advanced as well as BANT membership and Genova testing. I am really excited about the tests I have ordered as I think it will be really beneficial to become familiar with ordering tests and it may help to overcome some fear when I will be required to analyse results in clinic.
The Bio-Kult student bursary will be running again in 2016. What would you say to people who are thinking about entering?
I would certainly recommend applying. It is such a boost to win it and most importantly it helps a future practioner start thinking about how they wish to get their career started. Don’t think the odds are stacked against you, you have nothing to lose! Also, a major perk was being invited to the CAM Summit!
Anything else you would like to add?
I would like to thank Bio-kult for this Student Bursary. With working full time and studying part-time it is easy to feel both time and cash poor. I am approaching the end of my second year and this prize has re-energised me and helped me formulate a plan around what I want to specialise in and how I wish to go about it.
To register your interest for the 2016 bursary award click here.
- 22nd June 2015
