We recently sat down with one of our newest Lassonde Studios residents Tessa Nishida to learn a little about why she chose to come to the University of Utah and what her goals for the future are. She told us about stories from her island home, how she wants to incorporate fashion with sustainability, and why she loves living in Utah.
Where are you from?
I am from Hawaii and specifically the island of Oahu. Living in Hawaii is a meaningful experience, but different than someone would think it is. I grew up really close to the beach, and that was a big part of my life. I don’t go surfing or anything, but just like having the beach as a peaceful place is kind of nice. I also grew up in a kind of diverse environment, and it was cool to get to know people from all walks of life. I used to work in Waikiki, which was this big tourist area, so it was really cool to interact with people from different countries. I grew up with a very broad worldview because my parents loved to travel, so I’ve been to a lot of different countries as well.
What is your major at the University of Utah?
I am a business major, specifically QAMO (quantitative analysis of markets and organizations), but I’m also interested in exploring other areas such as computer science or finance.
What is your favorite aspect of Lassonde Studios?
I guess I just really liked the community aspect, it’s really nice. I feel like the people that live here are really genuine and really nice. They really want to get to know you and everyone wants this place to feel like home, which is really nice, I think. The entrepreneurship part of it is what makes it different from other dorms, and I think it’s really cool how there is always something new going on, and obviously I haven’t been super involved yet since I am a freshman, but I think it is really cool that I can sit, listen, and watch, and then eventually I want to get involved. All of these resources are available to students, but it is up to if you want to pursue them.
What resources have you utilized?
I went to a Bench to Bedside event, which isn’t technically a part of Lassonde, but it is an affiliate. I thought that was really cool because I used to volunteer at a hospital and I have a background in computer programming and tech. I thought it was really interesting because I feel, from my experience in the health field that there are a lot of areas where healthcare can be improved.
Do you have any entrepreneurial endeavors?
Right now, I don’t have any big ideas of what I want to do, but I have skills that I know I want to keep on using. Hopefully, eventually, I will since that is the goal.
Tessa Nishida grew up in Hawaii and is studying quantitative analysis of markets and organizations at the U.
What is your favorite meal at Miller Cafe?
Prime rib! It comes once a month or every two months, but it is the best thing ever!
What are some of your hobbies?
They aren’t really hobbies, but some interests I have are sustainability and fashion. When I came to college those were my two biggest interests. For senior superlatives, I was voted most likely to start a fashion trend by my classmates. I used to run an account with my friends about prom dresses where everyone would post their prom dress, and the goal of this was so no one showed up with the same dress to prom. I also ran another account where people would send us in pictures or ask for help shopping. Sustainability is something I more recently have gotten into, over last summer and the end of senior year. I think it is the future and something super interesting. I’ve been looking for ways that I could combine my interest in fashion with sustainability.
What are your career aspirations and goals?
Ideally, I would like to do something in data like data analytics or even finance I would be fine with. I also think venture capitalism is super cool. I would like to use business in some way to help make the world sustainable. That is the main reason I decided to study business, I always wanted to be a part of something that I could be proud of.
What is your favorite part of living on campus?
Lassonde’s location is honestly the best, you can’t beat it. You’re close to everything and I love that I can wake up late and still make it to my classes on time. You also get to meet everyone who lives on campus, and that’s really helpful because I came here not knowing anyone, and I was really nervous about making friends, but having people living in the same place makes it easier.
What made you want to live at Lassonde Studios?
I came here for a tour in the wintertime, and obviously Lassonde is the nicest building on campus basically. This building is way above all the rest in design, is a cool, nice place to live and always has a ton of stuff going on.
Why did you want to come to the University of Utah?
I started looking at the University of Utah because it is a part of the WUE (Western Undergraduate Exchange) program, and I could come here with in-state tuition. Compared to all of my other options, I felt like coming here was the smartest choice for me. It had everything that I wanted in a college. I wanted a large campus, the college experience and a lot of opportunities. After my projects in senior year, getting involved in a project was something I knew I wanted to do, such as undergraduate research or things at Lassonde. I also wanted to get out of the state and I knew coming here I wouldn’t be sacrificing much.
