Lilly Lew (r), with her cousin Jamie (l) and brother Albert (c) at Disneyland

Lilly Lew will be graduating with a Ph.D. from the Department of Education at the Gevirtz School. She hopes to one day pursue a tenure-track professorship that allows her to establish university-community partnerships.

GGSE: Tell us about your research projects. What are your research interests, and why are they important to you?
Lew: My primary research interest is the social construction of literate identities through multimodal literacies. I am also interested in issues of equity, specifically the distribution of technology (and appropriate supports) amongst youth in historically marginalized communities.

GGSE: If you could give us one piece of information that you wished every person knew and remembered about your research, what would it be?
Lew: I wish every person finds my research sheds light on education issues that are culturally relevant to the local community group but has significant implications for communities experiencing similar conditions in other locations. I hope people remember my research as community work that recognizes and expands enrichment opportunities for young people.

GGSE: What’s next? What do you hope to do after earning your Ph.D.?
Lew: After earning my Ph.D., I would like to continue conducting research as a research analyst at a think tank or as a postdoctoral scholar at an institution of higher education. Eventually I hope to pursue a tenure-track professorship that allows me to establish and/or bolster university-community partnerships.

GGSE: What piece of advice would you pass on to future students in the Gevirtz School?
Lew: I have several pieces of advice. First, embrace the process of pursuing an advanced degree. Developing mastery with pre-existing hobbies and acquiring new forms of recreation is so important during graduate school since they expand the mind. I would recommend future students keep up with leisure reading in addition to research material. Most importantly, staying healthy all around (physically, mentally, emotional, spiritually, etc.) and safeguarding one’s well-being is crucial, especially during a pandemic and period of rapid societal restructuring.

GGSE: Is there anyone in the Gevirtz School that you would like to thank?
Lew: There are so many people at the Gevirtz school I would like to thank. I would like to thank my advisor Richard Duran for always encouraging my intellectual pursuits and providing me with room to tinker/explore my research interests. I would also like to thank my committee members Betsy Brenner and Diana Arya for guiding and supporting my research early on. I want to thank my colleagues in our local University-Community Links team for inspiring me and reminding me why our partnerships are important for local youth and how our work is important for our network of international colleagues. I would also like to extend my thanks to many GGSE alumni who have also been supportive and encouraged me along the way.

GGSE: What is one of your favorite memories of your graduate school experience?
Lew: Many of my favorite memories of graduate school include preparing conference presentations and traveling to new locations all over the United States while representing GGSE. My favorite occasion was participating in a networking dinner at Boudro’s on the San Antonio Riverwalk and meeting over 50 colleagues at my first American Education Research Association (AERA) conference.

GGSE: In lieu of an in-person ceremony, how will you be celebrating your graduation?
Lew: I am celebrating graduation remotely with my family and extended family during this time of COVID-19. We definitely want to have a barbecue and pool party to celebrate together when it is safe to gather. I definitely want to take time off and road trip/travel to visit friends (when it is safe) before starting the next chapter of my career.