In this Senior Spotlight, meet Nikki McDonald, a senior from Madison Connecticut! Nikki is in the School of Fine Arts as a Communication Design major with a minor in Business Fundamentals. Nikki has a deep passion for designing, which has paved a successful and recognizable path for her!
What are your post graduation plans?: I’m currently exploring my options but I want to move to LA for a couple years right after graduation. My sister lives out there and it will be nice to explore the city we traveled to every summer together for years as a new hometown!
What is your favorite UConn memory?: One of my all-time favorite UConn memories is performing at the open mic nights on campus. I sing and play the ukulele and got up on stage my freshman year to sing a song I wrote for the SUBOG open mic night. I was humbled by the attention and kindness the audience gave me as I conquered one of my fears. Huskies supporting huskies. And it’s the reason I keep singing to this day.
Why did you become a husky?: Why UConn you ask? UConn was the best option for me at the time. I would not be the person I am today if I didn’t come to UConn. Being a husky helped me to be myself, and find out who that was.
What is your favorite place on campus?: My favorite place on campus is the art building. The bishop building is tucked way behind Shippee; a second home to basically all the design students. We eat, breathe, and live in this building.
What have you been involved in at UConn?: I was part of a TV show my freshman year as an actress for UCTV which was a really fun experience. After that, I got involved with Greek life and am a sister of Delta Gamma. My sorority has given me so many opportunities to be myself and explore my talents as a person and designer. Other than that I live, breathe, and sleep graphic design. Being a design student is the most rewarding educational experience you can explore for the creative soul inside yourself.
What will you miss the most about UConn?: I will miss the sense of community. The UConn community has been the most comforting experience. Being a husky unites so many people together. Even as we all travel back to where we came from, we will all have this sense of pride to be a husky. Whenever we see the husky logo or UConn t-shirt, the urge to scream the husky chant will probably be uncontrollable. Being a husky is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.
What was your biggest accomplishment while at UConn?: Going abroad changed my life. Getting into Central Saint Martins was a surreal experience. Through the design program, I was able to travel to London with 9 of my fellow design students to live the dream. Studying at a design and fashion school that taught the amazing Alexander McQueen and denied Kanye West says it all. And if it wasn’t for UConn, I would not have the passion that drives my future career as a designer.
What advice do you have for underclassmen?: Take advantage of every opportunity UConn offers you. You are building yourself as person as you study and evolve here at UConn. Play hard and study hard. When you find the balance between the two, you will see the amazing friendships you have and the amazing opportunities that are in front of you as a student.
What is one little known fact about you?: I was born in Paris, France so you could say I was born with the need to travel and love of croissants.
Anything else?: Cheers UConn, it’s been an amazing 4 years.