Catheryne Kelly

Choosing the European Institute as my Masters destination was, without doubt, the best decision I could have made for myself.

Admittedly, I approached my MSc in ‘Culture and Conflict in a Global Europe’ with more enthusiasm than knowledge. Having just completed a BA in English at UCL, studying ‘Europe’ through whatever lens or discipline was entirely new to me. But thanks to the incredible resources on offer, a host of inspiring professors, and plenty of lively debate I was able to quickly shape my understanding across a range of new topics – from multilateral negotiation to political risk, policymaking to post-conflict reconciliation.

Every single course I took was fascinating but, above all, I found a passion for philosophy. By the time it came round to writing our dissertation, I had gained the confidence to develop my own reading of Jacques Derrida’s L’Autre Cap. I ended up receiving my year’s prize for that work upon graduating. I still see this as a huge achievement. It goes to show how far you can progress in the right environment. The EI spares no effort in handing you the tools for success.

Looking back, the EI experience was formative in securing the job I enjoy today. That doesn’t just come from the knowledge I gained, but the experiences I was able to learn from. Since starting work, I’ve realised that the first step to getting anywhere is simply getting ‘in the room’. The EI helped me with exactly that. Through the EI, I travelled to Germany to represent the department at a summit for European unity, I was part of discussions with leaders and policymakers from across the EU, and I tried my hand at professional skills such as advocacy and consultancy with industry experts.

Little more than a year on, I’m now part of the brilliant communications team at Lloyd’s – the world’s marketplace for insurance and reinsurance. Predominantly, within that team, my role is to write speeches for our corporation’s most senior executives. For me, the job has come at an exciting time as it challenges me to think about the shifting nature of risk and its global impacts - so there’s never a dull moment! While I fell into the profession, I find speechwriting immensely rewarding because a lot of it consists of research and argument-building – I honed these skills at the EI.

I’m very grateful for the friendships I made and the support I received throughout my time at the EI. If I can share any advice along my journey as it progresses, I’d be happy to give back to this incredible community and perhaps even join you again as a student at some point!