See what the UBCO Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences experience was like for our alumni — including some helpful advice for current students — and discover where they are now in their careers.
Name: Louis Henderson
Program: Bachelor of Arts – History (Honours)
Graduated: 2017
Hometown: Kelowna
Tell us about your journey since graduating from UBC Okanagan.
After graduating with a BA (History), I attended the University of Oxford on a master’s course in economic and social history. I then returned to Canada and worked at the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for two years in Hansard Services as a senior editor. Eventually, the allure of research drew me back and I returned to the University of Oxford for doctoral studies, winning a highly competitive Clarendon scholarship. I was also awarded a SSHRC fellowship for my research.
I completed my studies in March 2024. My first academic job was in southern Germany at the University of Tubingen, where I taught a course on the history of social mobility. I then won funding from the British Academy for research on the introduction of compulsory schooling in Canada. Consequently, I moved back to the UK, where I now work at the London School of Economics as a postdoctoral fellow.
My journey after UBC has taken me around the world. I am very fortunate to have had many rich experiences and to have met many interesting people.
What type of career are you considering? What are your future goals?
I am on a research-intensive academic career track. I would love to be a senior academic at a Russell group university or research university in Europe.
Why did you choose to study at UBC Okanagan?
I am from Kelowna. UBCO offered a rich academic experience with a world-recognized brand close to home and family. Relatively small class sizes were a plus.
What program were you enrolled in and what specifically attracted you to it?
BA (history). I believed (and still do) that a historical perspective on social phenomena is the best route to understanding the world and how to be in it.
What opportunities did the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences provide you with?
I think most important for my future career was the history honours thesis. As many European universities require undergraduates to produce a similar thesis, this allowed me to make a competitive application to graduate programs internationally. It allowed me to demonstrate initiative and commitment to research. Similarly, the Peter Harnetty prize and funding for travel to the Politics and History conference at Thompson Rivers University were very helpful.
Did any specific classes or faculty members in particular help to shape your academic journey?
Dr. Julien Vernet encouraged me to do the honours thesis and offered sympathetic feedback throughout. Dr. Catherine Higgs, Dr. James Hull, and Dr. Paul Milton were also very encouraging.
How did your experience at UBCO change you?
It made me more inquisitive and helped me to see what opportunities exist in the world. I grew up in social housing with a hardworking single mother who never went to university. I doubt I would have known about, let alone thought to pursue, the opportunities I have without the encouragement of my mentors, particularly Dr. Vernet.
If you had to convince another student to go to UBCO, what would you say?
Do it. It can open doors, and the UBC brand is very valuable.
What advice would you give your younger self about the university experience in general?
Seek opportunities beyond just attending lectures and meeting degree requirements. Don’t be afraid to talk to your lecturers and ask for advice (they want to talk to you).