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MORE ABOUT LEIVYS
Juggling three majors and a variety of extracurricular activities is all in a day’s work for Leivys Garcia, a first-gen student from New Jersey.
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Leivys, who is heading to law school after graduation, came to Hofstra with a plan to major in political science. As she started taking classes in other areas throughout the University, she decided to add writing studies, global studies, and a geography minor to her courseload.
“I didn’t just do it for the academic credit. I was genuinely interested in all those areas,” she said. “I fell in love with each of those departments and found there was a lot of crossover. For example, taking a class for one major often satisfied requirements in another. Hofstra makes it very easy to pick up multiple majors and minors.”
Those majors have also made it possible for Leivys to conduct interdisciplinary research projects, such as Latino immigration in New Jersey, the effectiveness of different United Nations reform policies, and cross-cultural interactions in academia across the nation.
The latter was a yearlong project focused on the lack of resources – specifically writing centers – that could provide a more supportive academic environment for international students. Leivys presented her findings at the Naylor Workshop for Undergraduate Research in Writing Studies in York, PA; the National Conference in Peer Tutoring in Writing in Omaha, NE; and the Conference on College Composition and Communication in Chicago, IL.
Leivys is a member of Rabinowitz Honors College; tutor at the Hofstra Writing Center; resident assistant; member of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity and the club Get Global, secretary of the Hofstra University Moot Court Club, and a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
After law school, Leivys is hoping to pursue a career in intellectual property or entertainment law, and work on human rights and immigrations issues on the side.
Leivys believes the experiences she has had at Hofstra could not be replicated at another institution. “The people I’ve met here – all the friends I’ve made and the professors I’ve had – I don’t think I would have received the same level of support and encouragement anywhere else,” she said.
If there is any advice Leivys can impart to incoming students, it would be to embrace opportunity. “Don’t let the fear of failure stop you from expanding your studies or taking on an additional major or minor. And don't be afraid to make connections with other people – your classmates and professors. They are absolutely your gateway to preparing for the future.”
» Leivys’s story isn’t unique. In fact, among Hofstra University’s 2021-2022 undergraduate degree recipients, 88% of alumni from the Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs reported they were employed or had started or were planning to start graduate school within one year of graduation. Results are based on data collected from the Alumni Outcomes survey, LinkedIn, National Student Clearinghouse, and Hofstra enrollment (78% knowledge rate). Visit our outcomes page at hofstra.edu/outcomes for detailed information.