Meet Nicole

Nicole Chui

Sophomore Class Pod Leader

Meet our star volunteer, Nicole Chui! Her journey with Minds Matter began as a mentee, and our community is proud to have Nicole as a Class of 2017 MMBay graduate! She has been a pillar in our mission to transform the lives of high-achieving, low-income students.

Nicole spends her Saturdays working closely with other dedicated volunteers to support the mentorship of our students. For the Class of 2022, 100% of our mentees were accepted into 4-year colleges, and 96% of our students were admitted to a top US college including UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Brown.

“Minds Matter means a lot to me, but if I had to boil it down to one word, it'd have to be community”

How have you been involved with Minds Matter, and in what roles?

As a class of 2017 Minds Matter alumni, I've had the greatest pleasure to start volunteering as a Sophomore class Pod Leader this school year. A lot has changed since I first joined Minds Matter as a mentee but what hasn't changed is the dedicated group of volunteers behind the organization's powerful mission to transform low-income students' future.

What does Minds Matter mean to you?

Minds Matter means a lot to me, but if I had to boil it down to one word, it'd have to be community. A community where not only mentors, educators, program and class leaders help students to realize their fullest potential, but also a community that continuously breeds positivity, inspiration, and commitment through everything they do!

What are your relationships like with the students you work with?

Over the past 5 months, it's assuring to know that I've been able to develop a solid and sincere relationship with the students in my pod. I'm glad to have this symbiotic relationship with students that allows me to learn more about myself so that I can also become a stronger Pod Leader for them.

What is your favorite Minds Matter memory?

My favorite memory and probably a bit embarrassing to share is singing my graduation speech at my Minds Matter graduation ceremony back in 2017. I remember the surprised look on my mentors because they had no idea I'd be singing until the music started playing. I not only wanted to do something a little different and outside of my comfort zone, but also wanted to look back later on and say "wow, I did that", all thanks to the incredible support of my mentors and the rest of the Minds Matter community!