Lauren Acevedo ‘25
Majors: Economics and Philosophy
Next Step: Harvard Law
Q.) How did you end up choosing LMU?
A.) I wanted to stay in L.A. to be close to my family, and LMU was the closest school I was considering. I also went on a driving tour of the campus with my parents once I had committed, and I was taken away by how beautiful it was (and still is!). I didn’t get to see everything, as there were no in-person tours in 2021 due to the pandemic, but I was optimistic about college in general and all of the opportunities that would be offered to me at a liberal arts school.
Q.) Why did you decide to major in Economics? In Philosophy?
A.) Studying Economics and Philosophy has been both challenging and intellectually stimulating. As someone who is particularly interested in ethics, I like that both fields examine what people are motivated by. I’ve focused a lot of my attention on my Philosophy major, especially on ancient philosophy, and Aristotle specifically. We call studying philosophy “useless” in the department, not because it serves no instrumental value (in fact, I have become a much better reader, writer, and thinker as a result of studying philosophy), but because we study philosophy for its own sake. By thinking about what it means to be, how we know what things are, and what it means to flourish as a human being, we move closer to satisfying our desire to know. I’ve really enjoyed my time at LMU, and I’m proud to be graduating and feeling satisfied with my degree and with the level at which I’ve engaged in my classes.
Q.) What experiences influenced your decision to apply to Harvard Law School? What area of law are you interested in? What did it feel like to be accepted?
A.) Honestly, applying to Harvard Law School was not something I thought I would be doing even a year ago, but I’m glad that I was encouraged to apply before the admissions cycle started. When I started doing my research, I was happy to find out that Harvard has an education law clinic, as I’m hoping to gain hands-on experience in impact litigation during my time in law school and pursue a career in education law. My undergraduate experiences tutoring, serving as a TA, and volunteering at an elementary/middle school have influenced my decision to pursue law school, and education law specifically (I’d like to advocate for underserved communities), and I’m really looking forward to being surrounded by so many incredibly accomplished peers next year. I got the acceptance call in January, and it was a moment I will always remember, because I screamed, “I GOT IN!!” for my family to hear, then immediately called all of my friends to share the news.
Q.) Have you had any faculty mentors and/or meaningful and impactful classes, internships, global, or research experiences?
A.) Yes! Anyone who knows me knows this, but Dr. Erin Stackle in the Philosophy Department has made a huge impact on my time at LMU. Not only have I taken six classes with her, but I’ve also been a TA for her Honors Philosophical Inquiry class, I’ve done research on friendship with her for SURP and presented my research at the Undergraduate Research Symposium, and I’ve been able to teach in her Logic class on a few occasions. Her guidance throughout my undergraduate career has been invaluable, as it has allowed me to better evaluate my own actions to determine how to become a better person and, ultimately, be happy (and I think that everyone should read Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics to do the same). She is the reason I am graduating with a degree in Philosophy, because she initially asked me to be a tutor for the department after I took Honors Philosophical Inquiry with her my freshman year. I am so grateful to have her in my life, and my time at LMU absolutely would not have been the same without her.
My favorite class with her has been an upper-division elective I took my sophomore year focused on Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, as it changed the trajectory of my undergraduate career and solidified my interest in ethics and, specifically, friendship. My philosophy research from last summer focused on (a) why close friendships end, and (b) how we can tell that they’re ending despite the difficulties.
Q.) What do you appreciate most about your liberal arts/Jesuit/LMU education?
A.) I appreciate that it’s made me a better thinker and writer and has exposed me to subjects I didn’t know I would be interested in. I’ve said this to my family before, but I really couldn’t imagine myself having gone to any university other than LMU. I am incredibly grateful for all the friends I’ve made here, the professors I’ve connected with, the organizations I’ve joined, like the LMU Choirs, Mock Trial, and Gryphon Circle, and the experiences I can look back on in the future. I’m excited to represent LMU next year at Harvard Law.
Q.) Do you have any parting advice for other students in BCLA?
A.) Read and write as much as you can, and don’t always think about classes in terms of practicality! Being in college is a privilege for many of us, and I think we should take advantage of our time here by developing our skills as readers, writers, and speakers. And, as someone who has taken many a (seemingly) “useless” class, I think it’s made me a better student. Also, college is a time where you can think critically about the kinds of friendships you’re in and want to be in, and I think it’s really important to surround yourself with people who will allow you to be most you.
Q.) Where are you originally from?
A.) I am originally from L.A. (specifically, the San Fernando Valley).