College of Arts and Letters
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Kendra Lyimo, Class of 2024
Beinecke Scholar, Marshall Scholar
MA in History of Design, Royal College of Art
Hometown: Gibbon, Minnesota
Major: Art History
Minor: Africana Studies and Italian
What is your favorite spot on campus?
Raclin Murphy Museum of Art and Sculpture Park
What has been your favorite course(s) at ND so far and why?
Latinx Art and Activism with Professor Tatiana Reinoza and Global Africa with Professor Paul Ocobock.
Latinx Art and Activism taught me to consider art in an entirely different way and to understand art’s potential to initiate change. I learned so much about African history in an expansive, yet detailed manner in Global Africa.
How did you decide on your major/minor?
I knew I wanted to study art history even before I arrived at Notre Dame.
However, it was when I arrived at Notre Dame that I fell in love with contemporary art, particularly that of Africa and the African Diaspora. I wanted to take classes that allowed me to think critically about race and identity which is why I made the choice to add an Africana Studies minor. I also fell in love with Italian and added the minor as a way to challenge my understanding of transnationalism and the state of our globalized world.
What are your research interests?
I am currently researching the presence of Black printmakers in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. In addition, I am also interested in researching the overlap between fashion, identity, and resistance within the Black community, particularly in relation to the British Black Power movement.
This particular research project and all other projects I engage with are guided by my desire to amplify and share the voices of the underrepresented artists whose ideas and practices provide new understandings of the world as we know it. It is essential to my practice that I center art made by African and Afro-diasporic artists in my work to amplify their voices and decenter Western-centric art history.
What kinds of extracurricular activities did you participate in and why?
I am a member of the College Art Association which is the central association for art history in the United States. Professors emphasized the importance of being a part of the conversation with other scholars and the people in my field. This organization became a place for me to figure out relevant research and gaps in scholarship. It was also an important networking space. I was able to talk to art professionals, artists, and researchers. Being a part of this association helped me discern my own interests and what exists.
What are your future plans? How did you decide on this?
First and foremost, I plan to apply to a Ph.D. Program in Art History back in the United States after completing my masters programs here in the United Kingdom. Over the course of my Ph.D., I also hope to engage closely with curatorial and activist efforts to achieve my goal of being a full-time curator after graduating.
Around my sophomore year, I started conducting research for Professor Tatiana Reinoza and taught at the Snite Museum (now the Raclin Murphy) as a Gallery Teacher. I figured that I could have a career in both academia and in the museum world. Teaching in an academic setting allows me to pass on learning that cannot happen in a museum. A museum career would allow me to create exhibitions and center the public in a way that I cannot in a college classroom.
How did you find out about CUSE and when?
I began working with CUSE my junior year when I started applying for national fellowships and scholarships.
How has CUSE helped you?
CUSE was an essential support system when I was applying to the Beinecke, Rhodes, and Marshall Scholarships. The CUSE staff met with me to discuss my materials and, more importantly, figure out how to articulate the nuances of my interests and goals into a format that is understandable to someone who may not be an expert in my field.
Did you apply to any grants, scholarships, or fellowships through CUSE?
I applied to the Beinecke Scholarship, Rhodes Scholarship, and Marshall Scholarship. I recieved the Beinecke Scholarship and the Marshall Scholarship.
What advice do you have for applying to grants, fellowships, scholarships, or internships?
The biggest advice I have with regard to the application process for grants, fellowships, and beyond is to use the applications as a way to really reflect on your values and goals. This may seem simple but I never had a clear sense of what I wanted to do with my academic and professional career than when I was writing my applications for the Rhodes and the Marshall. It is essential to set aside the time to really think through what matters most to you and the programs and projects that are going to help you progress towards goals you have for yourself. Life can be extremely busy and applications of this scale can feel extremely daunting. However, prioritizing that time to sit with yourself and to deeply think through why you are applying will not only make you a stronger applicant but also a stronger student and scholar.
What have you learned from CUSE that you will carry with you past your undergraduate experience?
I developed my skills to think critically about what I am doing. I have never found more clarity than talking with the staff at CUSE to know what to do. I am still utilizing these skills, especially from the questions that CUSE had asked me in the process of practicing for interviews. I still use these questions to discern my next moves. They are also very personable.
From Notre Dame, I learned to center the greater good of my community and the world in my work.