Kate Herndon is a Blackburn Fellow (Class of 2022) from Newburyport, Massachusetts. She graduated from The University of Alabama with Bachelor of Arts degrees in criminal justice and history, with a concentration in legal history. A student in the University Honors Program and Honors College, she was deeply engaged in both academic and campus leadership. Herndon served as managing editor and director of campus outreach and recruitment for The Capstone Journal of Law and Public Policy. She also held leadership roles as vice president of XXXI, a female honor society, and was an active member of the Anderson Society, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Mortar Board. In addition, she worked as a student ambassador for the Women and Gender Resource Center and served as director of the Student Government Association SAFE Center Committee. Outside the classroom, Herndon worked with Alabama Heritage, a campus-based magazine dedicated to the state’s history. She is a recipient of the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service and the John Fraser Ramsey Premier Award. In recognition of her academic excellence and leadership, she became the 17th University of Alabama student to be named a Rhodes Scholar.
How do you describe the purpose of your Rhodes Scholarship work?
My work as a Rhodes Scholar allows me to focus on expanding my understanding of the legal, structural, and social factors that contribute to domestic violence and prevent victims from accessing justice. Through this deepened understanding, I hope to identify and create better policies that reflect the realities of domestic violence victims’ experiences.
How has studying alongside people from countries around the world influenced the way you approach problem-solving?
Although it may seem cliché, the Rhodes Scholarship has completely changed the way I approach problems, particularly in my work with domestic violence victims. I used to work within the boundaries of the environment around me, whether it be geographically or in the archives, but working alongside my peers from all around the world expanded my boundaries of thinking. Now, when I am stuck, seeking new ways of doing something, or want a different perspective, I look to how they might approach it or consider a different source, that I maybe was previously unaware of. I have been lucky to learn so much from my peers and continue to seek new ways of approaching problems. My peers challenged my assumptions about best practices for supporting victims of domestic violence, and I continue to approach this work both critically and intentionally.
How do you think differently about ethical leadership when working across cultures and national contexts?
I feel a renewed sense of responsibility to consider what my work should look like in other contexts, and how I can adapt my work in different spaces. Approaches to problem-solving are not universally applicable, as I have learned in my course, so working collaboratively with individuals who have hands-on experience in spaces and communities that may be new to me is essential. The differences presented across contexts can actually provide alternative methods to problem-solving that are aligned with the realities of their context.
Is there a connection between what you learned and experienced in the Blackburn Institute and the work you are doing now?
The Blackburn Institute allowed me to begin the work I am continuing now by teaching me the skills that guide my work both academically and in hands-on experiences. Through the Blackburn Institute, I learned the value of addressing problems from several levels, where I could address the various contributing factors, rather than from only one direction, causing me to miss all the other sides of an issue Because of the Blackburn Institute, I also emphasize the value of both hands-on and theoretical work because actually being in communities allows me to see the strengths available and possible structural issues contributing to problems.
How can Alabama benefit from globally minded leadership?
As I learned from the Blackburn Institute, particularly through the travel experiences, Alabama already has incredible and important work happening within the state. As a Massachusetts native, I fell in love with the state of Alabama largely because of the Blackburn Institute allowing me to see a side of the state I might have missed without it. However, Alabama continues to face the problem of losing individuals, as they leave the state. Because of this, globally-minded leadership can play an essential role in connecting the state with individuals that no longer live there who still deeply care about its future. By maintaining connections between these individuals and those in the state, Alabama, in addition to its existing strengths and unique qualities that make it special, gains further ideas, networks, and approaches to problem-solving.
What advice would you give to students and Fellows for learning about expanding their influence and global impact?
I used to think all my actions always needed to make an immediate and big difference, but through Blackburn and my courses at Alabama, I learned the value that incremental steps can have for enacting change. While in Oxford, my peers and professors encourage me to openly engage with my work and what it looks like in different contexts. By thinking in this way, I can often identify new and valuable ways of approaching my work. Now, I would encourage anyone to do the same and think about your work, or the issue you care deeply about, and how someone, in a different context, might approach it. By considering these other perspectives, there is an opportunity to learn from others and create change over time with lasting, positive effects.
What are your next steps as you complete your Rhodes scholarship?
I am currently working on my Criminology dissertation, which is a media study analyzing how the British media frames women who kill their abusive partners. I am interested in understanding how victims of domestic abuse are understood and framed in different contexts, and I will continue this work as I study the Masters of Public Policy at Oxford for year two of my Rhodes Scholarship. Through that program, I hope to deepen my understanding of different policy frameworks supporting victims of domestic abuse or that continue to uphold structural barriers to justice.