Hello! My name is Nikki Tecco and I’m probably going to get lost on campus a lot. Whereas maps aren’t my strong suit, my drive to get involved is. This past spring, I earned the title of Medina County Female Student of the Year for all of my community and school involvement. In college, I hope to continue to seize every opportunity that I come across. At my high school in Medina, Ohio, I really enjoyed devoting my time to a multitude of activities and clubs. I was President of Student Council, President of the National Honor Society, Vice President of the senior class, Vice President of DARE Role Models, a Peer Leader, and Captain of the Varsity volleyball team. I am extremely organized so I took pride in planning successful charity and school events through every club I was a part of. Some of my favorites include a Powder Puff football game that raised proceeds for an alum, who was battling Leukemia, and the yearly Volley for the Cure volleyball matches, which raised funds for breast cancer awareness. I also worked as the Editor of our yearbook and am highly anticipating the release of the book, for which we spent long hours compiling. At OSU, I hope to continue my journalism career by involving myself with The Lantern.
During my junior year of high school, after more than four years of studying Mandarin Chinese, I made a decision that helped me choose my Major. I boarded a plane for the first time in my life and flew to Guangzhou, China with a group of 13 other students. We lived there for a week with host families and it was an incredible experience. I attended classes at Nanwu High School, met with elementary school students, advised English teachers, and truly dove into the entire culture. The next week was spent in Beijing, where we passed by the American embassy, and I finally knew what I wanted to do with my life. I decided to pursue an education in International Relations and Chinese, with a focus on Diplomacy. I still keep in touch with my friends in Guangzhou and can’t wait to update them on my academic progress at OSU.
One of my biggest passions is for a program called YoungLife, which is composed of weekly Bible studies as well as fun activities like paint wars. Last summer, I attended a week long camp, where I finally decided to pursue a relationship with God. Since then, I’ve become so involved in the organization that I can’t imagine not continuing with it. I plan on working to become a YoungLife leader, adults who serve as mentors to high school students and help guide them on their journeys with Christ, and am so excited to do so.