PRONOUNS: SHE/HER/HERS
Lesdi earned her BA in History of Art from NYU in 2015. She moved back to her hometown of Oakland, CA where she worked as a middle school educator and later as a gallery assistant in San Francisco while applying to graduate school. She is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of History of Art.
Lesdi is a native Spanish speaker and is proficient in Portuguese.
Mentor Interests:
- Majors and courses in the arts
- Underrepresented and minority students
- Imposter syndrome
- Building community on and off-campus
What do you enjoy talking about with undergrads?
I enjoy talking to students about their interests and finding creative ways to make sure that their interests will be explored and grow during their years at Cal!
What is one thing you wish you had known as an undergrad?
As a first-generation, Latinx student, I wish I had been more involved in the campus community, particularly within groups that represent POC, migrant, and first-generation students—although I have gotten to be more involved as a graduate student. I wish I had known that through these spaces I could have been part of a larger community that advocates for POC students and exposes undergrads to resources and opportunities available to them.
What was your major college mistake?
My major college mistake was not taking enough classes outside of my department. After arriving in college, I quickly declared as an Art History major and only took classes within the department and didn't venture out—despite having some wiggle room in my coursework requirements. Looking back, I didn't really know that I could take classes in other departments outside of general requirements. Perhaps I could have explored more and taken coursework in departments that I am now very grateful for as a graduate student!
