CV
Education
University of California, Riverside
September 2016 - June 2020
Bachelor of Arts in Media and Cultural Studies
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Summa Cum Laude - Highest Honors
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Cumulative GPA - 3.95
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Top 2 of graduating class
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Upper-division Media and Cultural Studies Major GPA - 4.0
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Primary Area of Study - Film theory, history, and culture
Queen Mary University of London
September 2019 - December 2019
UCEAP Semester Program
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Alfred Hitchcock and the New Film History
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Seminar Teacher: Dr. Mark Glancy
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Final Essay (3,000 word) Grade: 85%
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British Horror: Film, Television and Literature
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Seminar Teacher: Dr. Matt Jacobsen
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Final Essay (3,000 word) Grade: 85%
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Film Philosophy
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Module Organiser: Dr. Lucy Bolton
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Final Essay (3,500 word) Grade: 70%
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Contemporary French Cinema
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Module Organiser: Dr. Hannah Paveck
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Final Essay (3,500 word) Grade: 75%
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The American University of Rome
June 2017 - August 2017
FLEAP Summer Program
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Program in Ancient Roman History Studies
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Program Instructor: Dr. Michele R. Salzman
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Internships and Fellowships
Editorial Intern
September 2022 - January 2023
Paste Magazine (Movies Section)
Kathy was Paste Magazine's Movie Section Editorial Intern for the Fall 2022 semester. During her time at the magazine, she authored over 20 original articles that ranged from film reviews, features, new coverage, and interviews. Of the many works penned during this internship, she is most proud of her film review of Alejandro González Iñárritu's Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths—which the magazine hailed as one of the best reviews they published in 2022—and her interview with legendary animation cinematographer Frank Passingham.
Gluck Fellow Program of the Arts 2019 - 2020
December 2019 - June 2020
Gluck Fellows Program of the Arts
Kathy was selected for a fellowship to work on Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful, a free workshop program that addresses the negative effects of the media on body image, self-esteem, and beauty standards for girls (in grades 6-8). Through a combination of interactive activities and open group discussions, Kathy and her team aimed to teach media literacy to provide young women with critical tools to detect, deconstruct, resist and heal from the sexism and racism pervasive in the media. During her fellowship, Kathy acted as both a speaker and group leader, providing the free program to over 170 students across 5 local schools.
Literature Marketing Intern
March 2018 - June 2019
Guardian Princess Alliance
At the Guardian Princesses Alliance, Kathy acted as a Digital Content Creator and Social Media Coordinator. Within their marketing division, she created campaigns and designed graphics to promote the organization’s feminist literary works and build their social media presence.
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Supervisor: Dr. Setsu Shigematsu
Japan Empowerment Program Group Leader
July 2018 - August 2018
GPI US
Kathy was invited to Japan to act as a mentor in the Japan Empowerment Program, a program that encourages self-empowerment, critical thinking, and global awareness in students. She acted as a Group Leader in 4 high schools across Kanazawa, Toyama, Funabashi, and Konan City and mentored over 120 students. During her month-long internship, Kathy lived with 4 host families, sharing meals, learning customs, and forming life-long friendships with those who selflessly opened their homes to her.
Brand Ambassador
April 2017 – June 2018
Java City, ecoGrounds Coffee
Kathy’s duty was to create media content and host product tasting events on campus to educate university students on the importance of sustainable agriculture, fair working conditions for farm workers, and consumer consciousness.
Student Welfare
Campaign Intern
September 2016 – April 2017
California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG)
During her internship with CALPIRG, Kathy worked on campaigns to promote student wellbeing, environmental protection, and civic engagement. Kathy worked on CALPIRG’s New Voters Project, a campaign that focuses on registering university students to vote, and the Hunger and Homelessness Campaign. She is most proud of her role as the Campaign Manager of CALPIRG’s Tampon Drive, a campaign that collected feminine hygiene products to be donated to UCR’s R Pantry, a department that provides emergency non-perishable food, personal hygiene, household care, and childcare items to both undergraduate and graduate students experiencing food insecurity.
Work Experience
Film Critic and Essayist
December 2021 - Present
Freelance
Kathy prides herself on being a Gen Z, Latina writer who brings a singular and fresh perspective to film criticism and analysis. In her writing, she is most interested in genre cinema and representations of women on screen. Her work has been featured at Paste Magazine, Film Cred, and her personal website.
Online Discussion Leader
August 2021 - September 2021
GPI US, ISA
Nara Women's University's Empowerment Program | Ichikawa Japan Empowerment Program
Kathy worked as an Online Discussion leader at Nara Women's University's virtual 9-day Empowerment Program. Her duties included facilitating student discussions on ideas such as Global Mindset and Design Thinking. Additionally, she worked as the Lead Online Discussion Leader at the Virtual Ichikawa Japan Empowerment Program, a 5-day program that strived to challenge and inspire Japanese students to pursue their own unique passions, goals, and aspirations. Her duties included communicating with the Head Program Coordinator and overseeing Leader and student discussion to ensure program success.
Women's Studies Empowerment Program Discussion Leader
July 2021
ISA
Shirayuri High School's Virtual Women's Studies Empowerment Program
Kathy worked as an Online Group Leader at the Shirayuri High School's Virtual Women's Studies Empowerment Program, a 3-day program with the specific goal of empowering young Japanese women to explore their identities and build the confidence and mindset necessary to become future leaders.
Web Designer and Copywriter
November 2020 - Present
Kathy is the lead designer, copywriter, and site administrator at Setsushigematsu.com. She is also the co-designer and copywriter at Strongedutainment.org, a website for Strong Edutainment 501 (c)(3), a non-profit committed to creating literature and media that will guide and inspire young people to protect the people and the planet for future generations.
Student Data Analyst
June 2018 - September 2021
Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research
Kathy's duties included performing rare books descriptive cataloging and conducting data cleanup for the CBSR at the University of California.
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Supervisor: Dr. Brian K Geiger
Awards, Honors & Memberships
North American Language and Culture Assistants Grant 2021-2022
This grant supported Kathy's work as an Auxiliar de Conversación in Andalucía, Spain.
Dean's Honors List
Awarded at the University of California, Riverside for the following terms:
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Spring 2020
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Winter 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017
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Fall 2018, 2016
U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program Recipient 2019-2020
John Phillips Memorial Scholarship Recipient 2019-2020
Judith Stolpa Neveau International Studies Endowed Scholarship Recipient 2019-2020
Chancellor's Honors List
Awarded at the University of California, Riverside for the following terms:
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Spring 2019, 2017
Golden Key International Honour Society Member
The National Society of Collegiate Scholars Member
Women in Film Los Angeles