Where Your Year Abroad Becomes Your Edge

General Course Edge is an exclusive event for all inbound study abroad students, created to help you make the most of your time at LSE. The event brings together General Course alumni who once stood exactly where you are now, arriving in London for a transformative period abroad, whether a full year or a single semester-and who have since gone on to build careers across a wide range of sectors.

Across this half‑day, conference‑style event, you’ll hear from alumni, learn about Graduate Study at LSE, and join a session led by LSE Careers on navigating the UK job market.

To close the day, you’ll have the chance to speak one‑on‑one with alumni over drinks and nibbles. It’s a great opportunity to explore how your Study Abroad experience can become a genuine ‘Edge’ as you plan what comes next -academically or professionally.

Schedule:

Please note that all event dates and times are in local UK time (GMT).

Meet the Speakers:

Michelle Perino (General Course 2017/18)  (LinkedIn)

Michelle Perino is Co-CEO of Programs and Impact at PHID (Policy Hub for Inclusive Development), Latin America’s first Social R&D hub transforming how policy meets practice. With an MPA from LSE’s School of Public Policy, Michelle bridges rigorous research with ground-level implementation across climate justice, socioeconomic empowerment, and digital equity. She developed Brazil’s first anticipatory Digital Public Infrastructure project to protect 12 million elderly people from climate mortality—with estimated 75% death reduction through data-driven early warning systems. Her Purple Economy Initiative in LAC reveals care work’s hidden 21% contribution to GDP, directly influencing international policy agendas. Michelle’s work centers on a fundamental question: How do we design policies that work for communities historically excluded from decision-making tables? From partnering with local communities to advising governments, she demonstrates that inclusive development isn’t just ethical—it’s technically superior. For students considering careers in social impact: the future belongs to those who can navigate complexity without losing sight of the people policies are meant to serve.

Rachael Stets (General Course 2012/13)  (LinkedIn)

Rachael Stets is a Global Strategy Director based in London, where she acts as a strategic partner to senior leaders on how to turn cultural understanding into commercial and creative opportunity. She leads global strategy on the agency side for Unilever’s Dirt Is Good portfolio, a multi-billion-euro platform spanning brands like Persil, OMO and Surf Excel across dozens of markets. With a background in political science and international relations, Rachael didn’t set out to work in advertising. She fell into it by realising that the same tools used to understand geopolitics and institutions are just as powerful when applied to people, culture, and behaviour. Her work sits at the intersection of strategy and creativity: helping organisations make sharper decisions, then translating those decisions into ideas people actually notice, care about, and act on.

Bowen Bao (General Course 2019/20) (LinkedIn)

Hi everyone — I’m Bowen, currently a Senior Associate in Public Sector Audit at KPMG. I first joined LSE as a General Course student in 2019/20, where I had a fantastic experience, and later returned to pursue a Master’s in Economics and Management after completing my bachelor’s degree at China Foreign Affairs University. After graduating, I applied for multiple roles and joined KPMG in April 2023. Since then, I’ve been building my career in audit while gaining exposure to large-scale public sector projects. Outside of work, I enjoy reading and writing poetry, a hobby I’ve kept since childhood. I’m excited to be back at LSE and happy to share my experiences — please feel free to ask any questions!

Darcy Gleeson (General Course 2017/18) (LinkedIn)

Darcy Gleeson graduated with a BA in International Relations & Global business at the University of Southern California before returning to live and work London in 2019. Formerly an IBM consultant supporting digital experience transformation for clients like the NHS, Boots and Ulta Beauty, Darcy is currently a Digital Product Lead at Holland & Barrett where she helps build digital wellness journeys for customers. She is also co-founder of Outbound Buddy, an AI-enabled B2B growth agency. Specialising in digital health, e-commerce, and go-to-market strategy, Darcy was named Tech100Women Award Winner in 2025 for professional achievements, mentoring and community involvement.

More speakers to be announced soon.

LSE holds a wide range of events, covering many of the most controversial issues of the day, and speakers at our events may express views that cause offence. The views expressed by speakers at LSE events do not reflect the position or views of The London School of Economics and Political Science.

From time to time there are changes to event details so we strongly recommend checking back on this listing on the day of the event if you plan to attend.

LSE holds a wide range of events, covering many of the most controversial issues of the day, and speakers at our events may express views that cause offence. The views expressed by speakers at LSE events do not reflect the position or views of the London School of Economics and Political Science.