After five years, Kathleen was awarded an Orient Scholarship from UQ to study overseas for two years. She chose to study French language at the Sorbonne University in Paris and taught English for three years—and became a dedicated Francophile. 

On her return to Brisbane, Kathleen was appointed French Mistress at St Margaret’s Anglican College where she introduced a direct method of language teaching to enable her students to learn spoken French. From St Margaret’s she went to tutor at UQ where she was known for her passion and her high standards. 

She was an active member and later vice-president of the Brisbane Branch of the Alliance Française, Kathleen was also involved in the International Federation of University Women and helped develop the Staff and Graduates Club at UQ. 

The French Government honoured her by awarding her the Palmes Academiques in 1958 and later appointed her Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite in 1967. UQ commissioned a sculpture of her to add to the portrait sculptures in the Great Court. 

A portrait bust of Kathleen Campbell-Brown, sculpted by Rhyl Hinwood in 2000, resides at Brisbane Girls Grammar School, where Kathleen was both a student and teacher.

Aside from French, Kathleen also pursued golf, tennis, photography and enjoyed breeding Persian cats alongside her younger sister, Lesley Campbell-Brown. 

Known as KC-B to her students, Kathleen was passionate about French culture and held fond memories of her time at Girls Grammar, leaving the School a substantial gift in her will.