Explore, Experience, Achieve

Nikki Xiong started as an undeclared major, looking for ways to connect his passion for helping people with a specific major or career. Nikki worked with his academic advisor to identify personal values, interests, and goals before exploring major options. Major exploration began with reviewing programs and their requirements, researching possible career paths; identifying introductory courses in majors of interest, and formulating questions to ask students and faculty in those majors. Nikki's exploration in GE courses, and interactions with faculty helped him identify his passions in persuading, rhetoric, and word choice, which lead him to declare communications as a major. Nikki and his advisor also identified relevant volunteer work opportunities on campus with the Youth Educational Services (YES), Canyon Council in Housing, the Asian, Desi, Pacific Islander Collective (ADPIC), and becoming a RAMP mentor. ACAC advisors have also helped him prepare a resume that highlighted his transferrable skills and preparedness for the RAMP job. Nikki recommends that students "become actively involved in their community by exploring different opportunities on and off campus, even if it sounds just slightly interesting, because you never know how interesting it really is until you try it." Share how ACAC has helped you succeed by contacting acac@humboldt.edu.