Your Mansfield “ It’s wonderful to be part of a college that keeps getting better and better.” Sarah Harkness PPE, 1980
Alumni are the heart of our community
Alumni have always been a core of Mansfield’s community and we want you to know that no matter the length of your time here, or how long it has been since you left, strengthening or re-establishing the bond and benefits you have with your College family is at the forefront of Mansfield today and going forward.
Did you know?
4,500
Mansfield’s alumni community is made up of over 4,500 members
In past times, the college could not always provide a full outreach to alumni, but now Mansfield can and a growing, vibrant alumni connection is central to our values of life-long learning and community. Mansfield has gone from strength to strength and the physical transformation is striking. Yet, as those who have visited recently have experienced, the core of what makes Mansfield so special to so many remains stronger than ever. Mansfield has the same ethos and close-knit community feel – a family to our undergraduates, graduates, visiting students, and alumni alike. Your Mansfield is thriving – and we want to make sure you are part of it.
Rediscover your Mansfield
“ I am still questioning why it took me 30 years to return to Mansfield. When I did, all the warm memories immediately came racing back. I marvelled at the impressive physical transformation, but also took comfort in the familiar. The warm reception we received during our visit reminded me exactly why I felt so at ‘home’ during my time at Mansfield College.” Daniel Nestel Visiting Student, 1986
Uniting the familiar with the new Step through Mansfield’s gates and take in the beautiful landscaped gardens leading down to the terrace and Crypt café bar. This popular space incorporates some of the original Victorian features in what was once the kitchens. Stroll through the glass atrium which showcases the original stonework and links through to the Chapel – a space which continues to bring the whole community together. Head beyond the Principal’s Lodgings and take your seat in the Sir Joseph Hotung Auditorium, housed within the new Hands Building. The glass walls of the Building, which also includes an institute of human rights, allow natural light to spill through the spaces and reveal beautiful views of College.
A home from home Mansfield’s community is special. Many alumni fondly remember the bond among the students, as well as the wider College community – their favourite fellows, porters or scouts. This is still true today. Our student body is made up of 240 undergraduates, 170 graduates and 40 visiting students and there is a real sense of integration between the year groups. There is also more student welfare available to ensure that our students have somewhere to turn should they need extra support.
Did you know?
25%
More than a quarter of our alumni studied here as a visiting student
“ Every time I return to Mansfield, my heart flickers with a little thrill of joy. The warm welcome, the colours, the sounds. The excitement and pride at the new developments, the continued enhancements to the college. I urge every alum to continue (or to re-establish!) their connections with Mansfield College.� Dr Lucy Mahoney DPhil Geography and the Environment, 2009
Our diverse community
Visiting students
Our students come to Mansfield from all over the world, and from a wide variety of social and educational backgrounds. We pride ourselves on our diversity and on that quality which all our students have in common: a passion and enthusiasm for learning. In recent years, we have developed College facilities and new opportunities for students in order to enhance their time here.
A life-long relationship with alumni
Undergraduates Undergraduates now have the opportunity to stay in College-owned accommodation throughout their degree should they wish – saving them around £2,000 per year in costs and bringing more of the current undergraduate community on-site and closer to the Library, common rooms and dining facilities.
Graduates Since Michaelmas 2017, graduates have been making full use of a much needed and enhanced MCR, which is better sized and equipped for our larger graduate student body. We have also introduced a termly Michael Mahony graduate seminar and dinner.
Did you know?
75 countries Members of our community are spread across more than 75 countries worldwide
Our visiting students get a true Oxford experience – benefiting from tutorials, as well as being part of the various clubs and societies on offer. With a high number of students from the US, the college hosts an annual Thanksgiving Dinner in the Chapel, which brings all the Mansfield family together.
We hope that the knowledge gained, friendships formed and the memories built stay with our students as each generation joins our alumni. The life-long relationship between College and its alumni is something to cherish and celebrate. With more ways to stay connected, get involved and benefit from being a member of our community, there has never been a more exciting time to be part of Mansfield. Whether it’s been months or decades since your last Mansfield contact… you are always welcome!
Your Mansfield There is so much to be proud of at Mansfield. It is not about changing what Mansfield is, but growing and developing all the elements that make us special. Mansfield has been transforming and here are a few highlights.
Alumni are at the core of Mansfield 1 2
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1. Alumni engagement • New events in Oxford, the UK and overseas • More publications, e-newsletters and social media activity • Alumni offering careers advice and internships to our students • A growing community of donors
2. Hands Building • 74 additional student study bedrooms • Mansfield’s first purpose-built lecture auditorium • Home of the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights
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3. Award-winning and recognised fellows
5. Mansfield’s Chapel
• Professor Ros Ballaster named Head of the English Faculty in 2017
• Bringing the whole community together for services, music and dining
• Dr Derek Goldrei given Departmental Teaching Award 2017 • Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell awarded Institute of Physics President’s Medal 2017
• Features restored and renovated
6. Our diverse community • Mansfield top choice for more students
• Professor Stephen Blundell voted Oxford University Student Union’s Most Acclaimed Lecturer for Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences 2017
• Leading the way in access and outreach activities
4. Student teaching and support
• Thriving College clubs and societies
• Growing number of student prizes • More financial support and welfare available • Adam von Trott Scholars • Mansfield’s first Reach Scholar
• Around 90% of offers to state school students in 2017/18
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7. East Range development
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• Crypt café bar and terrace • Restoration of the Old Hall and Tower rooms • Modern kitchens
8. Friday Night Lectures with notable speakers • Dame Maggie Smith made Honorary Fellow of Mansfield • Ben Okri OBE made Honorary Fellow • German Ambassador speaks at the annual Adam von Trott Lecture • Free and open to all or available online
Alumni are our past, our present, our future. Become an active member‌
Visit: Come to the Summer Garden Party See: View our Friday Night Lecture podcasts Share: Visit our Mansfield Oxford Facebook page Offer: Mentor a Mansfield student Keep in touch: Read our publications
Find out more online at
www.mansfield.college
Photography by Photovibe Keiko Ikeuchi Thomas Barnett (2013)