Living Abroad

Carley Burroughs (MA Early Modern History, 2019) lives in Washington, D.C. After completing her BA in History, Carley was in search of a postgraduate course that could further her pursuit of a career in academia.

‘I have always been interested in cultural and intellectual history, particularly that of 18th-century Europe,’ Carley says. Her undergraduate study in History confirmed her wish to continue down the academic path. Her area of focus was clear, but her chosen programme required a high quality and known pedigree of teaching: ‘I was looking for a community of experts in these subjects.’ The Early Modern History master’s at King’s was the perfect fit. ‘The professors are pioneers in their respective specialities and they provide excellent training for future historians,’ she says.

Since finishing her MA, Carley has turned her attention to the fields of public health and social justice. She currently works as a proposal specialist at Georgetown University in Washington, where she assists clinical researchers with their proposals for research study funding. She is also a research assistant at the Institute for Reproductive Health at Georgetown – a position in which she works on the design of public health interventions to improve reproductive health and to prevent gender-based violence in West African communities.

Alongside her roles at Georgetown, Carley is part of the King’s Alumni Ambassador Programme. Alumni Ambassadors are based internationally and volunteer to share their university experience at student recruitment events. They act as a point of contact for prospective students and offer-holders in their local area. ‘I heard about the Alumni Ambassador Programme at an alumni networking event in Washington. I spoke with other alumni who are part of the programme and their enthusiasm about the active King’s network in Washington inspired me to join. I loved the idea of being able to connect with alumni in D.C. and to give back to the King’s community by helping it grow.’

Carley considers her experience as an Alumni Ambassador to be positive: ‘I enjoy working with prospective students from the USA, sharing my experience at King’s and answering their questions about life in London.’ Her time as an Alumni Ambassador began just before the COVID-19 pandemic started, so Carley has primarily participated in virtual events: ‘I attended a number of webinars for offer-holders and prospective students to answer questions about the application process, why I chose King’s, and how King’s prepares students for their careers.’

I enjoy working with prospective students from the USA, sharing my experience at King’s and answering their questions about life in London.

Carley believes that the alumni community has done a fantastic job of maintaining a feeling of connectedness during the pandemic: ‘The virtual events are well-planned and the Q&A sessions are just as helpful via Zoom.’ Furthermore, she thinks that we can take our learnings from online events and virtual meetings into the post-COVID world: ‘I think a hybrid programme of virtual and in-person events would provide the best possible experience for our alumni. We have all learned to work well in the virtual space and adding in some virtual events would allow more flexibility for people with busy schedules.’