The world is moving so fast these days that Trinity 2024 already feels like a long time ago. And yet, looking back, we see how rich a time this was for Somerville. Among its highlights were the artistic successes of our students, two of whom were shortlisted for the Jon Stallworthy Poetry Prize, while two others won the University of Oxford’s climate photographer of the year award. The College also hosted its first inaugural lecture in many years, welcoming in style our newly appointed Professorial Fellow in Linguistics, Professor Colin Phillips. We even managed to break our historic losing streak in cricket, with a dashing victory against Worcester College, before ending the summer by welcoming many of you back to College for our September Gaudy and reunion events.
It’s the end of 0th week, which means we have just finished welcoming another cohort of eager and excited Freshers to College.
As you will remember from your own time here, those first few days are a heady rush of new places, new customs and new friendships. But for many there will also be the quieter thrill of realising how much there is to discover in an academic community like ours. In its portraits of former Principals, its welcoming expanse of Quad, and most of all its people, our new students will see that, here at Somerville, intellectual discovery has no limits to the connections it can make or the people it includes.
In keeping with the theme of discovery, our Michaelmas 2024 newsletter highlights the many ways in which our alumni can enjoy discoveries of their own at Somerville this term. At next week’s Mary Somerville Lecture, you can hear our Principal Jan Royall reflect on all she has learned from the Somerville community, before looking to a future shaped by our new RISE campaign. Shakespeare buffs can thrill at the insights into the playwright’s life culled from a lifetime of performance by our Honorary Fellow Sir Simon Russell Beale at our Literary Tea with Professor Emma Smith (1988, English). Aspiring writers and impassioned readers can join us for ‘Somerville Creates’, a day of workshops and talks from Somerville’s top authors. Last but not least, music lovers can revel in Somerville’s Piano Festival, in which we seek to maximise the unusual good fortune of having two concert-level pianos in Chapel this year.
Somervillians attending this July's graduation ceremony
Somerville poets Harry Ledgerwood and Grace Copeland
Somerville College Cricket Club after their historic win
Professor Colin Phillips arriving at his inaugural lecture accompanied by Governing Body members and representatives of the University
Profesor Colin Phillips delivers his inaugural lecture, June 2024
Jan Royall speaking at the One Life screening, alongside One Life director James Hawes, screenwriter Lucinda Coxon and Sanctuary Scholar Andrianna Bashar
Somervillians and friends attend the One Life screening, June 2024
Jess Schiff (2023, DPhil Primary Health Care) won first prize in the University's Sustainability Photographer of the Year competition with her entry 'Northern Lights' taken on Port Meadow
Holly Cobb (2021, French and Linguistics) and Orla Lavery (2019, English) helped champion the support for Young Carers' at Somerville
Guests at the Penrose Society Luncheon 2024
Somervillians returning for the 1964 reunion, September 2024
Almost an entire Somerville College Women's Football team, pictured together at this year's 2000-07 Gaudy
A friendly face awaiting local community residents at this years Oxford Open Doors
