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Kristen Nettelbeck

From small classes to big adventures


When 23-year-old Kristen Nettelbeck swapped her original university plans for a brand new program at ACU, she had no idea it would lead to life-changing adventures across the globe. In just a few years, her studies have taken her from spirited classroom debates in North Sydney to legal advocacy work in Africa and set her on a path toward an international career.

When Kristen finished high school in Sydney’s North Shore, she thought her path was set. A politics and history degree at the University of Sydney seemed like the obvious choice – she’d even secured her place. But then, a fresh program at ACU caught her eye.

It was 2021, the first year ACU offered the Bachelor of Arts (Western Civilisation), a course designed for curious, big-picture thinkers who want to explore the ideas, books and events that have shaped our world. Kristen not only enrolled, but she also paired it with a Bachelor of Laws – studying the Bachelor of Arts (Western Civilations)/Bachelor of Laws double degree.

A passion for history and ideas

Kristen has always been fascinated by the forces that shape civilisation.

“I was interested in learning about the key ideas, books and events that have defined us as a civilisation – liberty, democracy, equality, the rule of law, love of justice and beauty,” she said. 

“When we know our history and the fragility of the process that has brought us here, we have all the more reason to protect it.”

She recalls one quote that resonated with her: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s observation that, “A person who does not know the history of the last 3,000 years wanders in the darkness of ignorance, unable to make sense of the reality around him.”

“I think this rings true today,” Kristen said. “It’s so important for young people to understand our past.”

Small classes, big ideas

What sets ACU’s Western civilisation program apart is not just the reading list – which spans from ancient Greek philosophy to modern political thought – but how it’s taught.

Instead of sitting in a lecture hall with hundreds of students, Kristen’s classes had no more than 15 people. The program uses the Socratic method, where professors guide learning through questions and discussion rather than lectures.

Kristen holding hands with children in Uganda.

“It was a pleasure to read the great texts of philosophy, literature, political thought and history,” she said. 

“From Plato to T.S. Eliot, Wollstonecraft to Hobbes, we engaged in the ‘great conversation’ with both ancient thinkers and modern peers.”

The small cohort, just 14 students in her first year, created a close-knit, supportive learning environment.

Adding a practical edge with law

For Kristen, pairing Western civilisation with law was a strategic choice.

“I wanted a more vocational, practical element to my degree and greater flexibility in my career path,” she said. 

“The compulsory pro bono legal unit, the only one of its kind in Australian law schools, reflects ACU’s ethos of giving back to the community.”

She currently works as a paralegal and recently studied international human rights law at ACU’s Rome Campus.

A life-changing internship in Uganda

One of Kristen’s most transformative experiences came in 2023, when she spent two months in Kampala, Uganda, volunteering as a legal intern with Kyampisi Childcare Ministries (KCM) supported by the Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust Australasia (HART).

KCM fights child sacrifice, trafficking and gender-based violence, providing rehabilitation, education and legal advocacy for victims.

During her placement, Kristen worked on legal memorandums for the Director of Public Prosecutions, developed standard operating procedures for rescue operations and managed case data.

But it was the human connections that stayed with her most.

Kristen and child at pool in Uganda.

“The locals were so welcoming,” she said. 

“I lived with a family of six children who were so sweet to me. I attended weddings, tried local dishes like matoke and chapati, and learned how different life is when community takes priority over the individual.”

She describes her routine in Uganda as wholesome and grounding: waking early, eating fresh, unprocessed food, working during the day and spending evenings with the children.

Seeing the world differently

Kristen’s time in Uganda wasn’t without challenges – power outages, limited internet, dangerous roads and confronting poverty. But these difficulties gave her perspective.

“Africa was a huge adventure. Life was rugged, but that made the spiritual side of life more important. The issues we fixate on back home seem so trivial in comparison,” she said.

One day stands out vividly: visiting a family in a small village as part of KCM’s community outreach. The family had eight children and survived on one meal a day. Their 11-year-old daughter had been the victim of a crime.

“They were so grateful when we brought food,” Kristen said. 

“It reminded me of how much we take for granted in Australia. I think it’s important to care when it’s easy to ignore.”

Looking ahead

Kristen has big plans. She’s considering a career in international relations, diplomacy or national policy, possibly paired with postgraduate study in history. Whatever path she takes, she hopes it will involve living and working overseas before returning to Australia.

Studying at ACU, she said, has shaped her both professionally and personally. It has taught her to think critically, engage respectfully with different perspectives and seize every opportunity that comes her way.

“Fewer than seven per cent of the world’s population hold a university degree. Studying is an immense privilege,” she said. 

“When you come to university you are challenged by new ideas and fresh perspectives. As young people, I believe we are highly impressionable and still learning. My advice would be to think critically, remain humble in discussion and to 
ultimately be interested in pursuing the truth.” 

Want an experience like Kristen’s? Explore ACU.

Impact brings you compelling stories, inspiring research, and big ideas from ACU. It's about the impact we’re having on our communities, and our Mission in action. It’s a practical resource for career, life and study.

At ACU it’s education, but not as you know it. We stand up for people in need, and causes that matter.

If you have a story idea or just want to say hello, do contact us.

Copyright@ Australian Catholic University 1998-2025 | ABN 15 050 192 660 CRICOS registered provider: 00004G | PRV12008