Nykenge (Nikki) Blue

Student at University of Massachusetts Boston

My name is Nikki, and I attend the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass Boston). I get to campus using public transport with my coach’s help. I am grateful for my coach supporting me with this. I enjoy going to the food court at UMass Boston with friends. I want to work as a hostess in a restaurant. I also attended Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) before going to UMass Boston.

What was your favorite part of going to college?

Meeting with people and loving the community!

Which courses did you take?

At Bunker Hill, I took Culinary Arts and Women’s Rights.
At UMass Boston, I took Introduction to Communication and Food and Empire.

What can you tell us about the courses you took?

I liked Culinary Arts the most, and it helped me want to work in food services.
Women’s Rights was a lot of reading and homework. It also taught me a lot about women’s rights and being a leader.
Food and Empire was hard because there was a lot of reading, tests, and papers to write. I liked keeping a food journal.

What jobs did you have on campus?

I had an on-campus internship in the food court as a greeter. My goal is to work in a restaurant.

What helped you in class?

I got support with travel, time management, reading and writing, connecting with professors, and exams.

What support has been most useful to you?

I had a very supportive tutor and educational coach. My coach helped me get through the readings and homework, which was important, especially in my women’s rights class. I can relate well to other people and want to be a leader, so doing well in classes like that is important to me.

What was your biggest challenge?

Getting around the big campus at UMass Boston and using public transportation.