About Me

Welcome to my personal website! I am Nick Letarte, a graduate student at Northeastern University pursuing my Master’s degree in Computer Science with an expected graduation date of December, 2024. My journey into tech was not a linear one, however. After I obtained my bachelors degree of science in Marine Biology from the University of Rhode Island, I began work on commercial fishing vessels as a Commercial Fisheries Observer up and down the Mid and North Atlantic before transitioning into a scallop fisherman. After about three years of endless adventure, braving through seas up to 35 feet high, I decided it was time to consider the prospect of a respectable land job. 

Having taken courses such as Human Physiology, Human Anatomoy, Calc II, and Biochemistry as free electives, I knew I had an interest in working in the medical field. I found my strengths and interests to be in biochemistry, particularly the chemical and receptor interactions. It seemed logical to apply to Doctor of Pharmacy programs and I began the Doctor of Pharmacy program at Northeastern in Boston in September 2020 at the peak of the pandemic. I worked in various pharmacy settings in the Longwood medical area, Newton and Malden. Despite being in the top of my class, and having experienced success in my pharmacy roles, I left the program with a 3.73 after seeing the pandemic further expose the cracks in our healthcare system. 

I heard about the Roux Institute by Northeastern University in Portland Maine, and it seemed like a great opportunity to break into tech. The idea stems from the desire to make Portland, Maine into a technology hub, and it has been exciting to see the progress of local companies expanding their opportunities. I started the program in January 2022 and have thoroughly enjoyed every step of the way.

Since the Roux is a new campus, I also saw opportunity to get others involved in hobbies I love that do not focus on screen time. I have helped build a sense of community on the campus, with the help of other students, by coming up with the idea to found the Roux Outdoor Club (ROC). We bring students together through outdoor activities that allow students to take a break from their studies while simultaneously having an opportunity to connect with their peers and classmates.

This transition into tech has not been an easy one, but nothing worth while generally is. During my time as a student, through coursework and internships, I have amassed different work opportunities spanning different disciplines in the field such as, software testing intern at MEMIC, research analyst COOP at Eckerson Group, part-time project managemer at Eckerson Group, LLM trainer on a contract basis at Outlier, and even exposure to cybersecurity during my internship at Covetrus. I am currently refining these skills and developing new ones through my course and part time work this semester.