We caught up with alumnus Elliot Settle. He took on a Master’s in International Relations and has since landed an incredible job as a PR lead in Portugal’s tech sector. With the help of Kent’s support system and career resources, Elliot’s story shows just how far a Master’s from Kent can take you.
Tell me a bit about yourself!
So I’m Elliot, I did both my Master’s and Bachelor’s in politics at the University of Kent from 2017-2021 and have so many good memories from my time there. I’m a huge basketball fan (go Timberwolves), a world traveller, and in my free time I volunteer at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
What made you apply to Kent?
Kent was an immediately appealing choice for me. A great location in Canterbury, an amazing student city, and so close to the coast. My secondary school experience was a very intense grammar school, and I wanted to go for a place that was more student-centric rather than stuffy or institutional. Kent ticked a lot of those boxes, with great support for its students and a lot of interesting, free thinking faculty.
What are you up to now?
I’m starting a new job this month as the PR lead at a tech solutions company based in Madeira, Portugal. It’s been my dream to move out there for a long time and I’m overjoyed that I was able to find a career that could make that happen. The best thing a great education can do is give you options – I’ve felt having a great educational qualifications base has given me the confidence and ability to choose the careers and lifestyles I’ve wanted, which is incredibly empowering.
When you first started your Master’s degree here, how were you feeling?
I started my Master’s during COVID, when I really worried about getting a job. Originally, I thought of it just as a net-positive use of my time when I couldn’t do much else – but it turned out to be a lot more than that. I really loved the more practically minded courses, we had a module on negotiation from someone who had been a labour relations mediator in South Africa, and a module on the politics of resistance that encouraged me to think about the world differently.
Of course, my modules on US and Middle East politics were invaluable for understanding the nuances of today’s politics.
Fave thing about the course?
My favourite thing about the course was how available my teachers felt – even when it was mostly online. I briefly considered doing a PhD, and they were all on hand to discuss and walk me through it. Even though I didn’t decide to go through with that, I was so grateful for the support.
Any stand-out memories from your time at Kent?
The most standout memory of mine was writing my dissertation. I had a great tutor in Charles Devellenes, who struck the balance between guiding me to some great research (particularly in terms of methodology) and letting my interests go where they wanted. He provided some great moral support, and some very interesting chats. I wrote a very interesting media analysis about Mitt Romneys presidential campaign I still talk about to this day.
“University was a time where I grew a lot, made a lot of mistakes and figured out so much about who I am. That journey is still ongoing, but my time at Kent put me on great footing.”
How was the careers/employability support at Kent?
I’d personally like to shout out the wellbeing staff at Kent. I had some mental health struggles during my time due to things going on in my life, and they were so understanding. They set me up with a great therapist, and helped me negotiate my deadlines so they didn’t feel so oppressive. I didn’t need a lot of accommodating, but to see they cared tangibly about my wellbeing meant a lot.
The career staff at Kent were also great, they helped me write my first CV template I still use to this day (and which helped get me several jobs).
What are you hoping to do next? Anything in the works?
I’ve always been a person more motivated by my ideal lifestyle rather than my ideal job, personally. I’m hoping to get to work in a lot of different countries and work for some impactful companies. I’m really excited to start my life in Portugal, and I do think I can make a home there.
Advice for your first-year self?
In closing – my advice for my first year self would be to embrace the fact that life is unpredictable. What you’ll want for yourself will change a lot, but what doesn’t change is that you are worthwhile, intelligent and capable of what life throws at you. Trust your instinct and enjoy the fact that your life has no set path!