Early Career Development

Meet an Alum sessions are informal opportunities to build your industry knowledge and make connections with General Course alumni. 

In this session, you'll have the chance to meet alumni who have graduated within the last five years and find out how the General Course helped them get started with and develop their careers. The panellists come from a variety of sectors and industries and represent the diverse backgrounds and career destinations of General Course students. You can ask the alumni about their day-to-day job, how they got started, and for any other career-related advice or tips they’ve picked up from their journey so far. 

This event will be particularly useful if you are:

• thinking about the realities of a career in one of these areas or a related sector
• looking for advice on internships, further study or getting started with your career
• curious about the sort of work and responsibilities jobs in these industries can entail
• interested in finding out how utilising the experience of studying at LSE can be used to get ahead in this area
• keen to build your connections

Meet the Speakers:

Bianca Garvin (LinkedIn). Bianca joined the General Course at LSE in 2021 from Sciences Po, where she graduated with a BA in Social Sciences, majoring in Economics and minoring in International Relations. After completing her undergraduate degree, she stayed in London to pursue the MSc Climate Change, Management and Finance at Imperial College. As part of her MSc degree, she interned at EY’s climate change and sustainability consulting section. She is now working at the Global Maritime Forum as a Decarbonisation Project Coordinator, where she works on projects to drive global action for the shipping industry to decarbonise.

Anusha Agarwal (LinkedIn). Anusha graduated from Georgetown University in 2021 with a B.A. in Mathematics and Economics, having spent a year on the General Course from 2019-2020. She returned to London for a graduate role at BNP Paribas in Global Markets, and is now an analyst in Debt Capital Markets at BNP Paribas where she works on Capital Products (Hybrids) and FIG DCM ESG.

Smriti Ahuja (LinkedIn). Smriti joined LSE from Carnegie Mellon University to study on the General Course from 2018-2019. After graduating with double majors in International Relations and Politics and Decision Science and work experience in politics, issues advocacy and public affairs, she joined GSK as a Communications and Government Affairs Future Leader. Over two years, she worked on three different teams including COVID Communications, Digital and Media Relations, and Health Security and Corporate Policy. In early 2023, she returned to London to join the Trade, Multilateral Affairs and Intellectual Property Corporate Government Affairs team at GSK. She currently supports GSK's advocacy and relationships with health organisations such as the G7, the World Health Assembly, the MHRA, etc. 

Helen Broad (LinkedIn). Helen attended the General Course in the 2015-2016 academic year in the Social Policy department. After completing a degree in English and Political Science at University of Virginia, Helen went on to work for the Mayor’s Office in New York City’s Commission on Gender Equity. At the end of the de Blasio administration, Helen returned to the LSE to pursue a master’s degree in International Social and Public Policy. After completing her degree, she decided to stay in London and is currently working at the Social Care Institute for Excellent as a Policy and Public Affairs Officer. 

You may like to read LSE Careers' list of information interview questions for ideas of what you can ask the alumni.