Christopher Kwietniowski

Christopher Kwietnioski - NANS Alumnus 2010 - quality assurance and regulatory affairs at NOW foods 

I graduated in December 2010 with a B.SC. in Nutraceutical Sciences.

Since March 2010 I have been employed by Puresource Inc, working out of the NOW Foods Canada location. My work is focused in the area of quality assurance and regulatory affairs. I enjoy working in this area, as it gives me the opportunity to continue to learn and remain informed about current health research. Additionally, I like that there are always new and unique challenges to overcome, anything from changing regulations to technical issues in manufacturing natural health products.

My time spent at the University of Guelph was invaluable to my career. It was my specific area of study and coursework that helped to make me an ideal candidate for this type of employment. More importantly, U of G helped me develop the necessary skills to take on new tasks and to learn independently. The NANS major's specific coursework surrounding careers helped me to realize that this market is experiencing significant growth, and helped me to develop the practical skills needed in seeking professional employment.

What I liked best about the University of Guelph was that the campus and surrounding area is absolutely fantastic. I am one of many who have come to this area for university and never left. Academically, I was particularly fond of the problem based learning approach used by many professors. Most of all, I enjoyed meeting my (now) wife at U of G, on our first day in Guelph.

In my first year of university, I knew nothing about nutritional sciences. After a semester or two, I found that I had an interest in nutrition and health and decided to change programs. I would advise current and future undergrads to be unafraid to change their goals. Lastly, I would suggest undergrads consider the 'real-world' applications of their studies.