“All of these experiences have helped me realize that in order to understand people, we need to understand their stories,” said Lillian Hammerstrom. “Language is more than words, and a narrative is more than just a summary of someone’s life; it comes with the full completeness of who they are, their background and everything they are capable of contributing to the world.”
Lillian Hammerstrom is an undergraduate student receiving a B.A. in Spanish, a B.A. in political science and a minor in English literature. She is representing the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures and will be a Standard Bearer during graduation.
“Lillian personifies the qualities of an outstanding student in every sense of the word. While her remarkable academic achievements and leadership qualities alone would make her being named as the Undergraduate Student of Distinction, her compassion and unwavering commitment to delve into unknown territory to create bridges are just as important,” said Dr. Daniel Carrellos Villarreal, associate professor.
Hammerstrom has been deeply involved in research with Fresno State. She is currently in the Honors Program for the College of Arts and Humanities, where she conducted a comparative analysis of Spanish and English literature using the poetry of Afro-Cuban poet Georgina Herrera and American Indian poet Wendy Rose. At the same time, she is in the Honors Program for the College of Social Science, analyzing the role of Spanish-language disinformation in election news cycles. She is also a student in the Smittcamp Family Honors College. She has presented her research numerous times, including at Fresno State and CSU Monterey.
Hammerstrom has interned for the Fresno City Counsel, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. House of Representatives under Jim Costa. Currently, she is a student assistant at the Maddy Institute and an intern for the Fresno County Public Defender’s Office.
In addition to the President’s Honors Scholarship, Hammerstrom has received numerous other scholarships and accolades, including the Centennial Award and the Clarence and Dorothy Wilson Memorial Scholarship, and has become a member of UCLA Law Fellows—Central Valley.
Hammerstrom has also been involved in several clubs and organizations, including Mock Trial, Kesem at Fresno State, Asociación Para la Promoción de las Culturas en Español, and Pi Sigma Alpha. She was a volunteer Mock Trial Coach at Clovis High School, a study abroad ambassador for the Study Abroad Club, and completed a semester abroad in Madrid, Spain.
“Having been accepted to U.C. Davis School of Law in the Fall, I have no doubt that Lilly will bring her full commitment and dedication to achieving her dream of becoming an immigration lawyer, assisting others whose narratives–as she explains in her personal statement–‘often go unwritten in our community,’” said Dr. Paula Sanmartin, professor of (Afro) Spanish American and (Afro) Caribbean literatures.
Upon graduating, Hammerstrom will attend U.C. Davis School of Law and plans to return to the Valley to work as a defense attorney after obtaining her juris doctor degree to promote the narratives that often go unwritten in the community.
The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 