The roots of Nyota Uhura’s desire to enroll in Starfleet are not without tragedy. A child of parents who retained successful careers in academia, expectations were high for a young Uhura to continue this tradition and seek a similar career. After initially enrolling in the University of Nairobi where her parents worked as educators, it seemed that Uhura was primed to continue the family’s pursuits in education. However, Uhura’s life drastically altered course when her parents and brother tragically lost their lives in a shuttle accident. Upon moving to live with her grandmother, Uhura decided to abandon her place in the university as its very halls retained too many painful memories of lost loved ones.
Finding strength and inspiration in her grandmother, who once served in Starfleet, Uhura decided to instead follow in her grandmother’s footsteps, enlisting in Starfleet Academy as soon as she was able. Upon graduating from Starfleet Academy, Cadet Uhura’s first fateful assignment would be under the guidance and command of Captain Christopher Pike. From the hallowed bridge to the decks of the USS Enterprise, Cadet Uhura would soon understand that this ship would become synonymous with her future career and endeavors. An exceptionally skilled linguist and mathematician, Cadet Uhura was regarded by her commanding officer as a “prodigy” – a reputation that she was more than capable of living up to.
