Nicole Gasparian

Nicole has set high expectations for herself and plans to graduate from UC San Diego’s Seventh College in three years instead of the usual four. Her plan is to attend law school while working as a paralegal, then work in a large firm, while also doing public service helping people who are underserved by the legal community navigate the justice system.

She feels fortunate to have worked as an intern in a law firm last summer, working in the personal injury department. Among her other assignments were writing discovery questions, organizing medical bills, delivering paperwork, and communicating with potential clients and other attorneys. Nicole is looking forward to working as a volunteer in the Legal Aid Society of San Diego.

Since she was a little girl Nicole has loved figure skating. Before watching the 2014 Winter Olympics she had switched from one sport to the next, but the Sochi games inspired her to focus on skating. Her coaches have often served as surrogate parents and she continues to stay in touch with them. She believes that skating has taught her how to be disciplined and how to express herself through art and movement. Most importantly, it has helped her be true to herself and others. Even with her compressed academic schedule, she has found time to participate in UC San Diego’s Collegiate Club Figure Skating team. In addition to her commitment to train consistently, she also is dedicated to making figure skating a “more inclusive and accessible community to those who are new to the sport.”

Nicole has had her share of personal hardships. “I feel like these hardships are really what make me who I am and instead of tearing me down, they have made me into a stronger and wiser version of myself. To even call them hardships feels so wrong because these experiences have taught me how to be human.”