When Nicolette Lecy began her graduate studies at UC Merced, life was anything but typical.
It was August 2020, in the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lecy’s classes were held remotely, and she had limited access to campus.
Another challenge that could have hindered Lecy’s academic goals — she became a mother during the Thanksgiving break of her first semester at UC Merced.
Persevering wasn’t new to Lecy, who was adopted from China at age 1 and grew up in rural Minnesota. She recalled facing discrimination during her schooling, which inspired her passion for sociocultural research.
“My experiences growing up as a transracial Chinese adoptee have shaped my academic path in profound ways,” Lecy said. “My upbringing, while often isolated from larger cultural communities, fostered a deep curiosity about identity, belonging and the intersections of race and culture, which have guided me toward studying adoption, diaspora and visual culture.”
She attended college at South Dakota State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. She then earned a master’s degree in sociocultural anthropology at California State University, Long Beach.
Lecy chose UC Merced for its Interdisciplinary Humanities Graduate Program, which offers a unique opportunity to combine her research interests in critical race and ethnic studies, anthropology and global arts.
“My academic journey began with a foundation in studio art and museum studies, but my growing interest in cultural identity and societal structures led me to pursue graduate studies in sociocultural anthropology,” she said.
She sought out her advisor, Professor Kit Myers, who is a critical adoption scholar and fellow transracial adoptee.
“He is a parent as well, and was incredibly understanding of the challenges I faced balancing academics while raising a colicky infant and later a toddler,” she said. “His support in both my personal and academic life has been invaluable, especially in helping me frame my dissertation through my own experiences as a transracial adoptee, anthropologist and visual artist.”
I had a lot of struggles as a student parent, which inspired me to start doing advocacy informally within my department and on campus.
Lecy’s dissertation explores how transracial adoptees create art as a form of resistance and creation of knowledge. By analyzing the creative works of adoptees, she is challenging the marginalization of adoptee voices in scholarly and social spaces. Her research has the potential to expand the understanding of adoption, race and identity while contributing to the growing body of knowledge on the experiences of transracial adoptees.
Lecy participated in the Graduate Division Commencement ceremony in May and will wrap up her dissertation this summer. She plans to work in higher education administration, focusing on student resources and events so she can keep doing advocacy and community building work and adoptee community art projects.
She’ll depart UC Merced soon, but she is leaving a legacy through her dedication to being involved.
When in-person learning returned in fall 2022, Lecy facilitated rebuilding the department’s events, including mid-term and end-of-the-year socials. She had experienced grad life previously and wanted to make sure other IH grad students had that opportunity at UC Merced.
Lecy credits the ability to stay involved throughout her time at UC Merced to leveraging resources and creating those she felt were missing.
“I had a lot of struggles as a student parent, which inspired me to start doing advocacy informally within my department and on campus,” she said. “I know my capacity for things, but I also know when to ask for help, and whose support I can get. I rely on my mentors.”
She produced UC Merced’s Todo Cambia Film Festival in 2024 and 2025, working with Professor Yehuda Sharim. She served three terms as student president for the Interdisciplinary Humanities Graduate Group and was chair of its annual graduate conference in 2024. She also served as the vice president of the Graduate Pedagogy Association in the 2024-2025 school year.
In addition to her campus-level work, she advocated for student parents at the UC system level and in Sacramento.
Then, in fall 2024, she founded the Pregnant and Parenting Student Association at UC Merced to support advocacy and community-building among student parents and soon-to-be parents. PPSA meets monthly and holds special events such as the Student Parent Networking Night held last May.
Through her various roles, Lecy said she is gratified to have worked to foster inclusivity and collective support in academia.
“My proudest accomplishment is persisting in graduate school and reaching the final stages of my Ph.D. while balancing numerous responsibilities and staying involved.”
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