Lesley decided to attend Loyola because she found inspiration in the Jesuit ideals; she loved the passion of the city and admired the professors within the English department. Timid and soft-spoken when she arrived, Lesley soon became the editor of reVisions and the director of the 1718 reading series. Being around so many eloquent, ambitious students helps Lesley stay dedicated to her studies without feeling overwhelmed.

1718, named after the year New Orleans was founded, is a student-run reading series that takes place the first Tuesday of every month. Each reading is held at the Columns hotel off St. Charles, attracting students, professors, New Orleanians interested in literature, and local writers. After the reading, students can talk to the featured reader, buy their book from a local book vendor and have them sign a personal note. Talented students from each school are given the chance to read their work, giving those students both the experience of giving a reading and a great audience to read to. Over the summer, Lesley has been building the schedule of featured readers for her senior year. Lesley feels so grateful that she is able to help plan a successful reading series while an undergraduate.

ReVisions, the undergraduate literary magazine, gives students the opportunity to see their own creative work in print and gain experience in an editorial staff. Working in ReVisions has given Lesley a unique perspective of the publishing world and the chance to see the incredible things her peers have been working on. As co-editor in chief, Lesley worked with a graphic designer, compromised a printing company and learned how to run an editorial staff. Each issue she has worked on has been full of well-written fiction, poetry and thoughtful artwork.