Kendall Wells ( She/Her )

Bachelor of Humanities, Programme Officer – Gender Focal Point at Start Network

B.Hum Graduate 2020

What was your experience like in the program and how has your degree helped your career?

The Bachelor of Humanities fundamentally shaped how I understand and engage with the world. By reading so many of the most important pieces of literature spanning from the earliest written texts to contemporary philosophy, I developed the analytical ability to see beyond surface-level explanations of contemporary crises. When I work on humanitarian responses across the globe, or analyze gender dynamics in emergency contexts, I’m drawing on an understanding of colonialism, political theory, and human dignity that I first encountered through those seminal readings. This program allowed me to trace the roots of today’s human rights abuses back through centuries of political, economic, and social development – and made me not only a competent writer but, crucially, a genuine critical thinker. The College’s emphasis on critical inquiry gave me the intellectual tools to navigate complexity with both rigor and humanity – essential capacities for someone working where the risk of causing harm is ever-present.

I do absolutely need to note that what truly set the program apart was the exceptional staff of the College of the Humanities. They didn’t just do admin work or teach their texts, they cared about me as an individual and actively helped me chart a path toward the career I wanted in human rights and humanitarian action. Their mentorship and genuine investment in my success gave me the confidence and skills to pursue my Masters at Sciences Po Paris, work with IOM Somalia’s Community Stabilization Unit, join Oxfam as a Project Officer, and now serve as Programme Officer and Gender Focal Point for the Start Network.