Nikki Tashian joined us as a WISCIENCE Peer Leader in spring 2025. Peer Leaders are undergraduate students who support their peers in WISCIENCE programs and courses while learning valuable leadership skills. Find out more about Nikki!
Pronouns: She/her
Peer Leader for: Exploring Biology (INTEGSCI 100)
Major: Global Health (Pre-dentistry)
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan
If you could choose anyone for a mentor, who would it be?
Malala Yousafzai
What is your favorite place on campus?
My favorite place on campus is the boathouse room in Memorial Union. It’s a great place to study and you get a nice view of the lake.
What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
I am the Director of Community Inclusion for Pi Beta Phi. I also am in Pre-Dental Society and I am a team leader for Badger Volunteers.
What are your favorite snacks for a study session?
I love to snack on goldfish, airhead sour strips and dried mango.
What is your hidden talent?
I have relative pitch which means I have the ability to identify or produce a musical note in relation to other notes.
What is an academic accomplishment that you are proud of?
An academic accomplishment I am proud of is graduating high school with honors and achieving a seal of biliteracy in Spanish.
What are you looking forward to about being a peer leader this semester?
I am looking forward to meeting students and being a good resource to new students navigating their academic and personal growth.
What sparked your interest in STEM?
My interest in STEM first sparked when I went to Peru and visited my mother’s best friend who is a dentist. She let me sit in on cleanings and work with patients. It was the first time I realized I might want to pursue a career in healthcare.
What is your vision for life after graduation?
My vision for my life after graduation is going to dental school and becoming a pediatric dentist.
Meet the rest of the WISCIENCE Peer Leaders.
Learn more about the WISCIENCE Peer Leader program.