Our featured alum this month is Rachel Lesniak. She was a member of the 2010-2011 International Arts and Culture Cohort. Find out more about her experiences in WLP and at GW, as well as what she's up to now.
If you're an alum who would like to be featured, please email [email protected].
1. Life after WLP
I interned at an immigration law firm in my hometown of Elgin, Illinois, for two summers, and then interned in DC at the League of American Bicyclists after my junior year. During senior year, I spent a whole year interning for the Department of Justice in the Office of Immigration Litigation.
My extracurricular activities during school were varied. I played harp for the University Orchestra and the NIH Philharmonia. I also taught harp lessons and played for parties and events throughout the city. I was the treasurer of the GW Cycling Club, which organized teams to go to local races and held bicycle advocacy events for the GW community.
My main activity in the GW community was my employment as a consultant for the GW Writing Center. Besides consulting, I contributed to the Center by creating community-building activities, joined a research group and presented at writing center conferences, and acted as a mentor to new consultants. For all of my work, I won the GW Student Employee of the Year Award and the Northeast Regional Student Employee of the Year Award from the NESEA.
Currently I worked for a large international law firm in Washington, DC. I have continued my harp studies and my interest in bicycle advocacy. I hope to go to either law school to be an immigration lawyer or get my masters in urban transportation.
2. On WLP Academics
WLP jump-started my academic experience at GW by being challenging with plenty of safety nets. I remember receiving a C on a paper after getting straight As all through high school. My professor explained why I got the grade and worked on that paper, plus the next one, to make sure I understood how to write up to GW standards.
My WLP classes also exposed me to deep critical thinking about others’ experiences and my own. In one infamous class period, our class got into a large argument about whether or not classical musicians and dancers could be considered artists if they did not technically “create” the art they were performing. I had never had to defend my artistic merit before since it had always seemed like a given, but having to articulate my place in art gave me more confidence in my performances – yes, I was an artist and I had proved it to myself, even if others do not agree.
As an English major, I found myself returning to the conversations we had in WLP classes all through my undergraduate career. Susan Sontag's Against Interpretation and our more general thoughts on "what is art?" as a class affected how I approached my assignments and still influence my thoughts on literature. I've even found our conversations on art and artistry change my approaches to consulting with writers in the writing center. It is amazing how one year of study permeates through my other experiences.
3. On WLP Community
I loved living with a group of like-minded women. While I plenty of created friendships with others not in WLP, I've always returned to the WLP women for intellectual conversations, emotional support, and outings to exhibitions and concerts. My freshman year roommate did not only become my junior-year roommate, but an incredibly important friend throughout all four years of my GW life and now in our post-graduate years, too. Running into WLP women on campus or meeting other years of WLP participants continued my excitement for WLP even though years had passed since I lived on the Mount Vernon campus.
4. Looking Back
No matter how open-minded you think you are, get ready to stretch yourself in meaningful and fun ways. The transition to college is hard regardless of what school you attend, but being in the WLP instantly gives you new experiences and support. Take advantage of both, and allow yourself to change and grow.