Nikolas Parisis was born in Lodi, California to two wonderful parents, Angelos and Thekla. He is the oldest of four siblings and their family’s heritage hails from the island of Kefalonia. His childhood involved frequent trips to the motherland and strong involvement in the communities of Stockton and Modesto through Greek music and dance. At the age of 13 years old, Nikolas began learning to play music from Crete, specifically the Cretan lyra and mandolino. He now performs Cretan music at FDF, weddings, and dinner dances, with his brother who plays laouto.
In 2014 Nikolas received his bachelor of science degree in molecular, cell, and developmental biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. During his undergraduate studies, he competed in D1AA collegiate rugby and was selected for the All-Star Conference Team for both the 2013 and 2014 seasons. While applying to medical school, he worked in San Francisco at a Google Glass startup that focused on remote medical documentation for physicians.
Nikolas is currently a fourth-year medical student at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Bradenton, Florida. He is pursuing a career in diagnostic radiology and his professional interests involve computational biology, artificial intelligence, sports medicine, and nutrition.
Nikolas is now completing his clinical rotations in San Diego and strives to contribute to the Greek community. He is honored to receive a scholarship from the Hellenic American Medical and Dental Society of Southern California and their support is sincerely appreciated.