Grad Kai Selmes turns perseverance into a path to master’s studies in Europe

Kai Selmes on a recent trip to Iceland. His travels will continue this fall as he begins a master’s program in Spain.Photo credit: Supplied.

For new graduate Kai Selmes, earning his degree reflects years of perseverance and overcoming personal challenges that began more than a decade ago.

Selmes is graduating this spring as a member of New College from the Faculty of Arts & Science’s political science specialist program, with a minor in European affairs.

“It’s surreal that I did it,” says Selmes.

“There’s still some disbelief — there was a long period of time when I didn’t think this was possible, even though I was taking the right steps. But even if something doesn’t seem possible, you keep going.”

Selmes began his studies at U of T in 2012 and soon found himself experiencing anxiety. The transition from a smaller alternative school to huge lecture halls, filled with hundreds of students, left him feeling disconnected and anxious. He gradually stopped attending classes.

“It was a difficult time of life, and I always had the feeling that I didn’t belong,” he says. “I think a big part of that was not finding community and not being very social.”

Selmes received just one full credit in his first year. At the beginning of winter term in his second year, he completely withdrew from school. Initially, he told himself he needed a year to ground himself and then he would return.

“But various circumstances made that difficult,” he says. “It was supposed to be a year off but that turned into eight.”

Selmes returned during the COVID pandemic in 2020. He found online learning suited him and made his transition back to school easier. But this time, he sought help and was connected to New College academic advisor Amber Gertzbein.

“She gave me great recommendations and pointed me towards resources,” says Selmes. “She always had solid advice, which I didn’t always follow but should have. Even this year, I sent her an email with the subject line, ‘You’re always right.’”

Other adjustments were made through U of T’s Accessibility Services, such as accommodations for tests and exams. Gradually, his confidence began to rise, along with his grades. But his return wasn’t without setbacks. In addition to anxiety and other challenges, he wrestled with alcohol addiction.

“I was still in active addiction when I came back to U of T in 2020,” he says. “For that, I entered treatment. So a lot of the turnaround has been from personal work as well. But U of T offered an academic path back, which allowed me to try again.”

With steadily improving grades and a renewed focus on his studies, a deep passion for European affairs emerged.

“Europe’s problems around cooperation, conflict and war are not easily solved,” says Selmes. “When I was younger, I was very unhappy with how the world is. I can be angry about it, or I can try and do something. I can channel that feeling, be proactive and work toward making a difference.”

In the summer of 2025, Selmes took part in exchange courses overseas — a course on international security at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic, and a course on entrepreneurship and cultural identity in Berlin.

“Going to a new and foreign place alone to learn and live is scary — there are a lot of unknowns,” says Selmes.

“There were so many challenges, both personal and academic, not to mention the logistics of different applications and funding processes. But I took the steps needed to move forward and found myself in the middle of Europe; and I thrived.”

And he was grateful to U of T for preparing him for his overseas experiences.

“I was academically prepared,” he says. “I came in with solid foundational knowledge, the ability to handle a condensed workload, and was already accustomed to the academic rigour expected from me at U of T.”

Selmes will have the opportunity to fully immerse himself in European affairs next year. He’s been accepted to a two-year European dual-degree master’s program that will have him studying at two different institutions.

This fall, he will attend IE University in Madrid, Spain this fall for a master’s in international relations, followed by a second master’s in international affairs at the Hertie School of Berlin in 2027-2028.

“At the end of the day, it was never about just getting my undergrad,” says Selmes. “In returning to U of T, I realized that with the competition and job market, just having an undergrad isn’t always enough, especially in a specialized field where you’re competing with people from different countries.”

Selmes hopes to embark on a career in international policy with organizations like NATO, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Looking back on his journey, what’s his advice to students with similar struggles?

“Things often don’t go the way we plan, or the way we envision for ourselves,” he says. “But that doesn’t have to break you. You just have to bend and adjust. And if that means taking a year off, taking less than a full course load, or asking for help, it doesn’t make you a worse student or not worthy. Being kind to yourself and allowing for plans to change is okay.

“Everything that’s happening to me is amazing, but it still scares me. But I’ve learned that if I sit through the uncomfortable bits, that’s when the good stuff comes.”

Originally published on June 10, 2026 by Sean McNeely – A&S News