Srishti Krishnamoorthy (NC 2013)
When I got my Cambridge acceptance I was deliriously happy but I knew I could never afford to study here without funding. Winning a research scholarship was one of the best moments of my life! I now teach the politics of Virginia Woolf to undergraduates and explore the gendered poetics of gardens in my thesis. At Newnham the intellectual climate is ferocious, passionate, path-breaking. There is nowhere else I would rather be.
Katie Ruthven (NC 2011), Schools Liaison Officer 2014
I’ve seen first-hand the difference your donations are making for students who didn’t think Cambridge (or Newnham!) was for them. Visiting our beautiful College and meeting our friendly students has raised the aspirations of so many, and it never fails to bring a smile to my face when they go away full of self belief and determined to be coming back one day – as an undergraduate.
Ella Griffiths (NC 2011)
Valerie Eliot Fellow*, Alex da Costa, made a huge difference to my English degree at Newnham. Alex gave insights into texts that were entirely strange to us with such a unique, charismatic slant that they became central to the rest of my studies. Her jam-packed lectures are proof of her fresh and engaging ideas! I was lucky to have Alex, not just as a supervisor but as a trusted mentor and guide.
*The Valerie Eliot Fellowship was funded by a donation from the Old Possum’s Practical Trust.
Asia Lambert (NC 2013)
Receiving a Newnham Bursary took the weight off my shoulders. Without it I would have struggled to afford my rent and the other day to day living costs of being a student. Having wonderfully generous alumnae like yourselves is so important. It enriches my whole university experience and allows me to become a more diverse student. One day I hope to give back and to help future students, as I have been helped.
Katie Akers (NC 2012)
For me, a working-class comprehensive school student from Edmonton, the idea of going to university, let alone Cambridge, was not on my radar. If it were not for the great work of Access initiatives, many exceedingly bright, yet disadvantaged students would not have the courage to apply to Newnham. But there are still many more who haven’t been reached and that’s why continued Access work is so important. Everyone should have the right to achieve their potential.