Meet Kirsty Sutherland

Learn more about Kirsty Sutherland, Alumni (Class of 2012)

Where are you living now?
Auckland, New Zealand

What did you do after you left ISL?
Moved to London for a bit then came back to Luxembourg for a few years, until 2020 actually.

What did you study at University? 
Economics with LSE online in Luxembourg and DJ'd full time all over Luxembourg as well as residencies in Ibiza, Paris, Frankfurt, Metz, Amsterdam and a couple of other places in Europe.

What are you doing now? 
Global Studies specialising in International Relations with Business & French at Auckland University, and DJ'ing the club scene here in New Zealand.

Do you think that your time at ISL helped you pursue this? If yes, how? 
The DJ'ing happened on its own as it's not an IB subject (ha!) but I wouldn't have had the drive to pursue it nor the time management skills had it not been for ISL. However, for my academic studies, the school definitely helped and I probably would not have chosen those subjects had I not attended ISL.

What advantages has studying at ISL given you? 
The ability to blend in and mix with different cultures from all over the world. That it's great to have a variety of subjects and curricular activities. I was the new kid on the block, joining to start the IB and I felt my whole grade was very welcoming, to this day it has given me the courage to make new friends without being shy.

What advice would you give students to help them make the most of their time at ISL? 
Pursue classes that you enjoy, talk to your teachers if you are struggling they won't bite and will be happy to help you! Join extracurricular activities, there's something there for everyone - don't be afraid to try something new. I joined the football team for the first time not having really played before and got into the Varsity team as the goalkeeper for 2 years. It was great as I got my CAS hours (IB students will relate), I made friends with people from across the grades of high school - still in touch with most of them, and I got to discover new places in away matches with Dusseldorf, Germany and Stavanger, Norway being the highlights. You'll also make friends with your host from the away teams, so new friends in new cities too. If you have a cool idea for a club or society launch one, my friend Philip Howard and I launched the business club which I hear is still going today as is the same for the Monday Mayhem radio show on Radio Ara (more CAS hours) which I started with my friend Andreas Vannimmen. These are all experiences and opportunities that I never would have got if it weren't for ISL.

Describe some of the things that ISL does above and beyond teaching and learning: 
Definitely extracurricular activities answer for this but the school is also very orientated at giving back to the community which I think is a great thing. 

How did your time at ISL help shape you as a person?
It helped me to find what things I liked and didn't like. It also helped me to develop social skills tremendously as I'm not much of an extrovert believe it or not. 

What do you think is unique about ISL?
The encouragement, you have support in anything - in academia, sports, and even entrepreneurship. 

Describe ISL in 5 words: 
Multi-cultural, demanding, ambitious, supportive & friendly