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When Manichanh Naonady (’19 journalism and mass communication) was considering her transfer destination as a non-traditional student, she had three goals in mind: a school that would challenge her, care about her and help her follow her passion for food journalism.

She found the perfect recipe in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa State, where she has interned with the World Food Prize Foundation, reported on food science for the Iowa State Daily and served as editor-in-chief of Cardinal Eats magazine.

All the ingredients for adventure

“I became interested in journalism because I love to write and tell stories,” Naonady said. “I love hearing people talk about their passions, interests and fears. I knew [ISU’s Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication] was for me because their compassion and drive mirrored mine.”

Now she is mixing her love of stories with her interest in food.

“The one thing that connects us is food,” she said. “Food can be written about in scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, even podcasts! Food can be a fun topic, but it is also a topic that needs attention. I would love to bring awareness of world food scarcity into the public eye.”

A full plate of opportunities

This semester, Naonady is getting a well-rounded look at food journalism and communications, from the view of a world stage to the smallest detail of a magazine page.

As the George Washington Carver intern with the World Food Prize Foundation in Des Moines, Iowa, Naonady produces digital content for the organization’s newsletter and website, and also assists with a week-long event that brings world leaders together to discuss global hunger issues.

“My internship has helped me understand the inner workings of a non-profit organization,” she said. “It also has brought to my attention how impactful food is as a subject. I love the feeling of helping where I can when it comes to world hunger issues. Being able to use what I have learned as an ISU student has helped me tremendously.”

Her term as editor-in-chief of Cardinal Eats is also bringing together all the ingredients of her experiences as an Iowa State Daily food science reporter, recipe writer and food podcaster as well as a writer for the Ethos campus magazine.

“The clubs I have been in allowed me to flourish in my passion as a food journalist,” she said. “I never thought that by the end of it I would be in charge of a food magazine! I have loved every minute of it and I’m forever grateful for the experiences that I will continue to have. I know this will not only further my career but also bring more confidence in my future career endeavors.”