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Alumnus Tom Bonsundy-O’Bryan (BA Politics & International Relations 2013) speaking at the event.
Be inspired... Politics alumni talk and celebration event
On Thursday 31 March 2022, students from the Politics department met together for an end of term celebration and inspiring talk from alumnus Tom Bonsundy-O’Bryan (BA Politics & International Relations 2013). During the day everyone had been hard at work handing in assignments, but at 6pm the Alumni Lecture Theatre filled up with students from all years, studying a variety of Politics related courses to hear Tom speak.
Tom was challenging and inspiring, talking amongst other things about his experiences of working in both the public and private sector, taking him all over the world – he has 10 years of experience in peacebuilding, conflict resolution, governance, and human rights, and is currently working on the intersection of misinformation at Meta (Facebook).
Here he summarises the main messages of his talk:
"I was honoured to be invited back to the University of Exeter to speak to graduating students about my journey through politics, diplomacy, and tech across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. In my talk I spoke about the three most important lessons I've learned along the way this past decade.
"The first is about getting punched in the mouth – and being grateful for it. As Mike Tyson once said, 'everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.' When I was 21 years old, my plan got punched in the mouth (metaphorically...). The dream job in London I’d had lined up for months disappeared in front of my eyes right before graduation, for reasons beyond my control. I was totally heartbroken – and super nervous that I suddenly had no plan. But when something like that happens, you need to have faith that there’s something bigger and better waiting around the corner – you just wouldn’t have looked for it otherwise. With hindsight, you may even feel grateful that the punch forced you to look in another direction.
"I ended up accepting a life-changing job in the Democratic Republic of Congo instead. It gave me experiences, connections, and insights I would never have got sat behind a desk at that ‘dream job.’ And it was a springboard, unlocking opportunities I couldn't have imagined before.
"Secondly, how not to dream like a magpie. Magpies fly around looking for shiny objects to bring back to their nests, to impress potential partners. We often act like magpies when we’re thinking about careers. It’s human nature to care about what others think; we want to work for that organisation or get that job we think carries ‘prestige’ or ‘status’ in the eyes of others.
"I've made at least one career decision on that basis in the past; the opportunity that “looks good” on your CV. But the shiny things don’t make you happy in the long run; the ego boost is fleeting. I’m not sure anyone was really that impressed, either.
"And so, finally, I think it all comes down to finding and following your purpose.
"I’ve known since I was a teenager – ever since I learned about the Rwandan genocide, and my naïve confusion about its absence from our curriculum – that my purpose was conflict resolution and peacebuilding. I wanted to spend my time trying to prevent this from happening; building non-violent ways for communities to disagree; persuading people there was another way.
"When I started to follow my purpose rather than my plan, everything felt more meaningful. When you follow your purpose, it's less about you - but you also happen to shine. I believe that working on something that fulfils your purpose is the single best thing you can do for your career.
"But to do that, you need to sit with yourself and really ask: who am I? What’s my story? Why am I here? What do I want to change? There are a lot of problems out there; the world desperately needs more purpose-driven people. The best advice I can give is to start with that conversation with yourself."
The talk was followed by a buffet & drinks reception in the Ram Marquee where students were able to really relax and enjoy the time, celebrating their successes on their course, and continuing conversations with Tom and the academics who attended.
Date: 28 April 2022