Mahika Kukday
WUSF Rush Family Radio News internMy friends here call it ‘the spiel’. Whenever we meet someone new, they say, “Mahika, you have to give them the spiel!”
And since we probably haven’t met before, I’m going to do just that.
I was raised equally in Sydney, Australia and Pune, India.
In 2020, I was supposed to start studying journalism in New York — but a certain virus ruined that plan.
Instead, I ran a full-time baking business out of a ratty oven that only baked six cupcakes at a time and browned every single one unevenly.
That took me to Paris, France, for the next two years. I graduated from culinary school, slapped ‘Chef’ on my resume, and learnt that natives use the colloquial “ouais” instead of “oui”.
In 2022, I landed in the Tampa Bay area. I’m pursuing my BA in Journalism at the USF St. Petersburg campus and hoping to become a professional food and culture writer in the long-term.
I am currently News Editor at The Crow’s Nest, the USFSP university newspaper, and a contributing writer and columnist for the popular food blog, St. Pete Foodies.
To me, life is all about the people and the experiences that enrich my spiel. I want to eat and dance my way across the globe. And all I’ve ever really wanted to do with my life is hear your spiel — and your friend’s, and their friend’s — and share it.
At WUSF, I can’t wait to venture into broadcast journalism and tell meaningful stories that matter.
And yes, my favorite cuisine is Indian. You’re one mutton-rogan-josh-and-garlic-naan away from sharing my opinion.
-
During his State of the City, Mayor Ken Welch says the city remains committed to DEI policies and reflected on a need to remain prepared for more devastating hurricanes, "undeniable evidence of our new reality." -
Los padres de la Escuela Primaria Robles han estado preocupados durante mucho tiempo por las condiciones inseguras. Estas son las medidas que se están tomando para garantizar la seguridad de los niños allí y en todo el condado. -
The hospital COO says 93% of the families in Pasco, Citrus and Hernando counties travel outside of that market for specialty pediatric care. The new 56-bed facility will help address that need. -
According to SeaD Consulting COO Erin Williams, “the domestic shrimping industry is hanging on by a thread at this point due to missed market opportunities.” -
CEO Joe Handy said the drastic cost-cutting effort comes after last year's storms caused extremely low attendance numbers, which provide "the lion's share" of the aquarium's revenue. -
The federal grant will go toward building up prolonged hurricane resilience. The money is supposed to address residents' unmet needs. St. Petersburg was also awarded $159.9. -
A nine-foot-tall, 500-foot-long AquaFence will soon guard Lift Station 85, a wastewater treatment plant that services St. Petersburg’s downtown waterfront. -
While the latest state report shows the first significant decrease in flu cases since the peak, the numbers are still higher compared to the same period in recent years. -
A trio of English professors taught the class. Jessica Cook, Michelle Taylor and Emily Jones agreed it made them feel like they’re part of a special intellectual and cultural community. -
According to a Florida Policy Institute analyst, the law puts an unfair burden on those who are singlehandedly supporting children, parents or people with disabilities.
