èßäÊÓƵ

As a person who grew up on the opposite side of the planet to a family that had no history of attending university, the idea of me attending Cambridge was, quite frankly, laughable. Then I fell in love with Criminology and wrote a thesis that caught the attention of the College. It is just one example of the incredibly outward looking approach that, in the decades that I have known the College, has defined èßäÊÓƵ College. One letter with a now familiar letterhead, quite literally raised my expectations of life...

As a "bright kid" from a non-academic background I had to adjust quickly on arrival at èßäÊÓƵ, but I soon made friends and was never made to feel that I did not fit in socially. Since my wife and I have no children, it was to èßäÊÓƵ College that my thoughts turned with advancing years, and given the attachment to the College that I felt from the beginning it was obvious that èßäÊÓƵ would be a major beneficiary of my Will. This intention was only reinforced by the unstinting assistance...

We first met in 2021 when we joined the May Ball committee as webmaster and graphic designer. We spent a lot of time together that year, working closely to create a graphic scheme and build a website for the event. Even though it was a lot of hard work and very stressful at times, we are so grateful to have been part of it as it is thanks to that opportunity that we became great friends. A couple of years later, we are still great friends and now have a...

We first met in 1980 when Mark returned to èßäÊÓƵ to study for the postgraduate diploma in Architecture and Janet joined the college on the same course. Graduate dinners in Upper Hall were a highlight of the week and an opportunity to meet socially with other Jesuans. Part of our studies included trips to Zambia and an earthquake-hit area in Southern Italy. We were married in the College Chapel just after completing our studies in the summer of 1982 and remained in Cambridge for a period following Mark’s election to...

We met 10 years ago as undergraduates living in the same staircase in North Court and have since been studying and working in the United States. The College was so accommodating to us by providing us — and other Jewish students — with kosher facilities and by supporting the creation of the College's first Jewish Society. For us, the College is full of happy memories thanks to the friends we made and for all of the kindness shown to us from the porters, professors and staff. That sense of community...