“Dr. Shriver has pushed me to write better and pay attention to how I’m reading these research papers. I really enjoy that,” Gourdine says. “I’m very thankful.”

Shriver describes Gourdine as a dedicated, organized, and goal-oriented team member. Over the past year, she says, she’s enjoyed watching Gourdine embrace research and grow in her skills.

Gourdine graduates this May and plans to enter a master’s program in nutrition. She says she’ll carry her training with the iGrow team into her career as a dietitian.

“Being a part of research has shown me the groundwork, evidence, and real people behind those numbers,” Gourdine says. “As a dietitian, it makes my recommendations a lot more credible.”