Each year, since 1994, at the request of alumni and students, Somerville celebrates Foundation Day, an opportunity to honour the College’s origins and continuing history.
Traditionally, students and Fellows are treated to a performance by the Somerville College Choir and a dinner in Hall, closing with a group rendition of the Somerville Song.
In recent years, Principal Alice Prochaska has invited the Honorary Fellows of Somerville College to meet and speak to students. This year, in Alice’s final year as Principal, she has organised a series of seven exceptional panel discussions with 16 of our very distinguished Honorary Fellows – along with Somerville’s Governing Body Fellows.
The format for the In Conversation sessions will be informal – with parallel sessions of Honorary Fellows leading student group discussions on topics of expertise, starting at 4pm. Honorary Fellows will be introduced, then each will frame the discussion and give an overview of their career from Somerville to date, after which the floor will open to questions from students.
Panellists range from Tessa Ross – BAFTA winning executive producer of critically acclaimed feature films including Slumdog Millionaire, Ex Machina, the Last King of Scotland and Under the Skin – speaking on film and television production; to Principal Elect Baroness Royall of Blaisdon – former Chief Whip in the Lords and a member of the cabinet – on a panel discussing servants of the people.
Students with an interest in becoming published authors will have the exclusive opportunity to discuss ‘Writing for your Life’ with Victoria Glendenning – Vice President of the Royal Society of Literature and author of Raffles and the Golden Opportunity, and Hilary Spurling – prolific journalist, theatre critic and biographer. Science undergraduates will be able to discuss scientific research with an impressive panel of ground-breaking researchers.
For a full list of the panels, as well as a description of the panellists, please follow this link. Students are encouraged to sign up to sessions via the Meal Booking system, but if you have been unable to sign up, we still encourage you to attend!
We are very much looking forward to this very special event. Donec rursus impleat orbem!