9 CREDITS GRADUATE

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September 2019 Student of the Month:

Leonardo Leonardi of Venezuela

Leonardo is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture. In his interview with us, he talks about his many motivations, inspirations, and more!

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What is your home country and what are you studying here?

I am originally from Venezuela and I came to United States to finish my undergraduate studies since the political and economic situation in my country would have prevented me from doing so over there.

What are your success habits or qualities you admire about yourself?

My success habits include lowering my self-defenses mechanisms against people, allowing myself to realize that not everyone possesses a hidden agenda, and realizing that by simply opening myself to the opportunity of discovering someone else’s point of view, I can immediately benefit. Also. The qualities I most admire about myself include being open to new or different points of view, being open to sharing my own experiences and simply allowing myself to be open to a world of possibilities.

-Tell us your best moments of studying at City College of New York as an international student so far?

The best moments of studying at City College of New York so far include fulfilling my English level requirements after having spent almost a year in ESL classes and being admitted to the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture.  My favorite moments are when I come to my studio at the Architecture building

-When was a time when you thought that you would fail and how did you overcome that?

I thought that I missed my chance to apply to the School of Architecture and that I would have to go back to my country.  I realized two weeks before the start of 2018 that I still could apply. I needed to request, ship, collect and translate all my academic records from Venezuela and I also needed to submit a creative portfolio and get selected.  Thankfully, I made it before the deadline and was accepted.

What motivates you?

All the people I love, those who depend on me back home and the effort and sacrifices my family, including those who have become my family, make in order for me to be here. I am motivated by the desire to one day return the favor to them, or at least to pay the favor forward to someone else. In other words, I am motivated to become the reason for someone’s life changing for the better.

-What book and/or movie inspires you and why?

One of my favorite books is Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, where he writes:

“To be is to be perceived, and so to know thyself is only possible through the eyes of the other. The nature of our immortal lives is in the consequences of our words and deeds, that go on and are pushing themselves throughout all time… Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future”.

One of the most inspiring movies I have seen is Gattaca, since it portrays the differences made by staying focus, having a clear goal, having discipline, never stop trying and always giving your best.

-What do you think are the skills or habits needed to get to where you want to go (in your studies, in your career)?

Being kind to everyone, not being too hard on yourself and trying to realize that the journey itself worth more than achieving the goal.

-What made you decide to study in the U.S.? Upon reflection, what were the immediate challenges and rewards of this decision?

I would not have been able to complete my studies back in Venezuela. Adapting to a different culture than mine and the language barrier have been, and still are, constant challenges for me.

-What piece of advice you would give to a new international student coming to study here?

Meet as many people as you can, the beauty of New York and especially of CCNY is that you get to meet people from literally the most remote parts of the world, without having to travel.

-Who is your greatest inspiration and why?

I have many people from whom I draw inspiration, for many different reasons and in different fields. In general, anyone who decides to love and to be kind, when the opposite is generally the norm, is somebody I would be inspired by.

-What is your favorite quote or words to live by?

“I understood that if I wish to understand life and its meaning, I must not live the life of a parasite, but must live a real life, and taking the meaning given to live by real humanity and merging myself in that life”. (A Confession by Leo Tolstoy)

-What do you love about living and/or studying in New York City? Please include any of your personal recommendations for fun and interesting things to do in or around the city (favorite restaurants, coffee shops, parks, museums, galleries, etc.)

I love the cultural diversity of New York and CNNY. St John the Divine Cathedral is a wonderful place to visit, because it is not only a beautiful building, but it is also a place that welcomes persons of all religions, is full of art exhibitions, live music and is surrounded by wonderful places such Book Culture and the Hungarian Pastry Shop.

-Tell us more about your degree program or your academic achievements and opportunities

Architecture is a wonderful program since it not only opens the doors for a career in architecture, but to many other professions. It teaches you how to creatively solve problems through the design process, which is a never-ending circle:

1. Define the problem
2. Collect information
3. Brain storm and analyze ideas
4. Develop solution/built a model
5. Present you ideas to others for feed back
6. Improve your design

-Tell us about a special project you are working on?

I have been working for the last two years on building a coffee table from a tree that used to be in CNNY’s quad. I needed to wait for a whole year to let the wood dry. After that, I started sanding the wood and curating it with many layers of natural and Danish oils. During the last two years, with the help of the Department of Archives and the Special Collections Library of CCNY, I have been gathering information about the history of this tree, what species it belonged to and all the historical events it has witnessed. Currently I am working on designing the legs that will support the table since previous ideas for its legs did not do justice to the tree and its past.

-What are your best study tips?

Try not to forget that learning is a treat.

-Talk more about a notable staff and/or faculty member that helped you during your studies who'd you'd like to mention here

I will literally have not been able to make it if it was not for the guidance and help of Maribel Morua and the entire team of international students.

-What's next?! If you'd like, tell us how you envision life moving forward after CCNY

After I have finished my degree, I would love to work for a while, travel and eventually move to a different country where my knowledge could really make the difference.

-Any other words, stories, or thoughts you’d like to share…you can create our own interview question here...

Thank you for this opportunity.