Education
Kelsie Fernandez – Florida State University News
“FSU was the complete package for me, and upon visiting and seeing the campus firsthand, I felt a sense of belonging.”
Pre-law student Kelsie Fernandez studies both humanities and English literature to build her academic portfolio for law school applications.
Her interdisciplinary education shines in her position as the citation and research editor for the Undergraduate Law Review at FSU, where she mentors other students on how to properly cite law.
Fernandez also researched literature through the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP). Her work explored the written power dynamics of 18th-century womanhood under a patriarchal system. She continued exploring this topic through an FSU IDEA Grant, which supported her ongoing work contributing to a literature podcast and an Honors in the Major thesis on Victorian literature.
Why did you choose FSU?
I chose to attend FSU because of the unique combination of academic rigor and commitment to student life. I wanted to go to law school, so I ensured that the university I attended had adequate opportunities for students pursuing graduate school. FSU was the complete package for me, and upon visiting and seeing the campus firsthand, I felt a sense of belonging.
What academic achievements are you most proud of?
In my sophomore year, I did UROP, where I joined literature associate professor Irene Zanini-Cordi in her research. My topic was the application of social network theory to 18th-century literary salon culture.
Our research matured into the creation of a podcast series dedicated to the topic. Over the course of summer 2024, my team and I researched, wrote scripts, edited, interviewed experts in the field and ultimately recorded our podcast series. We applied for the IDEA Grant in Spring 2024 and were awarded a grant to fund our research.
I completed an Honors in the Major thesis titled “Lived Space and the Formation of Self in Jane Eyre,” which seeks to argue that the idea of the novel is more than a standard coming-of-age story. I argue that the novel is instead an example of a young woman negotiating her place in the world in a complex patriarchal Victorian society.
How do you serve the FSU community?
I currently serve as the citation and research editor for the Undergraduate Law Review at FSU. I educate new members about how to use The Bluebook, the primary format for legal research. This role has helped me grow and learn as an editor while also educating younger pre-law students about a skill crucial to legal research.
I also served as an EngageTLH volunteer facilitator, where I guided a group of students to the FSU Food for Thought Pantry. We sorted and counted the donations, then cleaned up the pantry after volunteering. Throughout the process, I asked them reflection questions, encouraging them to think about the impact of volunteer work.
