Where can a passion for Humanities take you? From law and finance to broadcasting and international relations, Trinity students discovered just how many doors these subjects can open during this year’s Humanities Week.
The annual celebration brings together departments across the school to explore what makes Humanities subjects so fascinating, and the opportunities they can lead to.
A highlight of the week was our Humanities Futures event, which welcomed four Trinity alumni, Krista Goodwin, Isabelle Lambert, Jenna Murphy and Anna Russell, back to school for a lively panel discussion about their studies and careers.
Head of Classics, Miss Van Dal, who hosted the panel and leads the week, explained: “The aim of it was really to bust some myths about the career options which students of humanities have, and to showcase the wide variety of possibilities which are available to them and the wealth of transferable skills which they develop in doing so. It was so wonderful to hear from students following the event how inspired they had been by the excellent speakers.”
Each alumna shared her journey from Trinity to university and beyond, highlighting the different paths their Humanities studies had opened up.
Krista Goodwin, now an Underwriting Assistant at Amphitrite Underwriting Limited, spoke about how her interests and ambitions evolved. Initially hoping to study Medicine, her passion for Humanities led her to reconsider her plans. She went on to study Geography at the University of Birmingham before switching to Politics and International Relations, followed by a Master’s in International Security.
Isabelle Lambert’s experience of studying Liberal Arts at the University of Warwick particularly captured the audience’s attention. She described the freedom to explore modules across different disciplines before specialising. Isabelle now works as a Sustainable Finance Policymaker at the Financial Conduct Authority, having joined through its graduate scheme.
Jenna Murphy, now a trainee solicitor at A&O Shearman, encouraged students to make the most of opportunities beyond their degree. While studying History at the University of St Andrews, she took part in legal insight programmes and completed internships with the Home Office, Shelter Scotland and the University of Glasgow, helping her build experience that led to her current role.
Anna Russell, Senior Strategy Manager at the BBC, reinforced the importance of choosing a subject you genuinely enjoy and can excel in. Discussing leadership opportunities, she explained how employers value people who have demonstrated excellence and commitment in their chosen field.
Fourth Year student Hal said, “Attending the Humanities Week talk expanded my understanding of the subject and the journey that humanities students can take. Learning about the wide range of careers that studying humanities can lead to helped me picture my own future, while hearing about the speakers’ experiences of higher education made me feel more confident about studying a humanities subject at university. Before the talk, I felt apprehensive about where those subjects might lead, but it gave me a much clearer sense of the opportunities available.”
The event was a wonderful reminder that studying Humanities is about far more than a particular career path. It develops curiosity, critical thinking and communication skills that can take students in all sorts of exciting directions.
Thank you to Krista, Isabelle, Jenna and Anna for returning to Trinity and sharing their experiences so generously.
Scroll right to see more stories
