Callaghan French

Meet Callaghan. Callaghan’s love of history inspired him to study at Herts and now he is teaching in Italy.

A love of history

Callaghan’s love of history started in primary school, and it stuck with him up until it was time to apply to university. He visited Herts for an open day and was impressed. He says, ‘Herts offers the opportunity to study a wide range of historical topics, they have a huge library, and extensive resources available to students. I also had a compulsory academic support module in the first year which was very helpful for my studies.’

His time at Herts was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but one of Callaghan’s favourite moments was when he and fellow committee members were able to revive the History Society once restrictions were lifted. He says, ‘Working together to achieve this after such a tough period is an experience I will always value. I’d recommend that everyone join a society!’

Callaghan says that the most interesting part of his degree was his dissertation because he had the opportunity to research a topic of his choosing and present it to his lecturers and course mates.

Teaching in Italy

Callaghan is now a Teacher in Italy, where he teaches English as a Second Language. He says, ‘My course shaped me into a strong and confident speaker, which has greatly helped me in my current role. I was able to practice this skill in seminars and the occasional presentation.’

Callaghan is considering a career in academia or the Civil Service. His advice to current or future Herts students is to, ‘Work hard, but ask for help if you need it.’