Assistant Secretary/Chair Nominating and Governance Committee
Gavin Flynn, Downing
Treasurer
Liliya Panko
Assistant Treasurer and CAm CFO
ADVISORY COMMITTEES
As of July 31, 2024
DIRECTORS
Gabrielle S. Bacon, Hughes Hall
Alison Davis, Selwyn
Shawn M. Donnelley, Corpus Christi
Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Clare
Stanley P. Gold, Fitzwilliam
William H. Janeway, Pembroke
J. Christopher Kojima, Hughes Hall
Carlos A. Perez-Davila, Queens’
Susan L. Poland, Churchill
Professor Deborah Prentice, ViceChancellor
Professor Dame Alison Richard, DBE, Newnham
Pippa Rogerson, Gonville & Caius
David Rowitch, Clare
Jacqueline A. Spayne, Trinity
Rachelle Stretch, Trinity Hall
Alison Traub
Executive Director, Development and Alumni Relations
Joe White, Sidney Sussex
C. Kern Wildenthal, St. Catharine’s
MISSION
Cambridge in America (CAm) advances the mission of the University of Cambridge and its thirty-one member Colleges by providing expertise in philanthropy and engagement and by growing the base of support for Collegiate Cambridge among alumni and friends in the US.
The Cambridge in America Advisory Committees seek to advance the support of Collegiate Cambridge and advise on strategic regional engagement to grow and sustain the networks of Cambridge alumni and friends across North America.
BAY AREA ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Una Ryan, Girton Chair
Peter Dawson, St. Catharine’s
George Freeborn, Girton
Stephen Johnson, Trinity
Priyanka Joshi, Downing
Andy Micallef, Churchill
Ronjon Nag, Wolfson
Bob Rao, Jesus
Anu Sharma, Clare
NEW ENGLAND ADVISORY COMMITTEE
David Collis, Downing
Chair
David Ballinger, Downing
Matthew Fedors, Fitzwilliam
Srid Iyengar, Girton
John Lambert, Christ’s
David Manns, Trinity
Alan Smith, Christ’s
Antonia von Gottberg, Newnham
NEW YORK ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Peter Selman, Fitzwilliam
Chair
Atul Aggarwal, Girton
David Coulson, Clare
Udi Chattopadhyay, Sidney Sussex
Heidi Ha, Newnham
Chad Shampine, Trinity
TORONTO ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Jacqueline Spayne, Trinity Chair
Stephen Coxford, Gonville & Caius
Marc Guilbert, Sidney Sussex
John McNee, Peterhouse
Samuel Mosonyi, Darwin
Ira Nishisato, Queens’
Annemarie Pallister, Magdalene
Henry Perren, Pembroke
Wayne Pommen, Pembroke
WASHINGTON DC
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Cristina Burelli, Queens’ Chair
Justin Jacinto, Trinity Hall
Blair Lapres, Darwin
Christopher Ling, Churchill
Josef Martens, Wolfson
Donna Netschert, Selwyn
Irina Nikolic, Trinity Hall
Joe Pesce, Peterhouse
Sarah Rhodes, St. Catharine’s
Gabrielle Bennett
Executive Director
Patricia Danver
Senior Director, Strategic Engagement
Sean Moriarty
Senior Director, Development
Liliya Panko
Chief Financial Officer
2024 ANNUAL REPORT
Editor
Patricia Danver
Design
Michelle S. Baffuto
CA m LEADERSHIP
FROM THE BOARD CHAIR
Dear Alumni and Friends,
I hope this finds you in good health and good spirits. I am so pleased to share Philanthropy Matters, the FY24 Cambridge in America Annual Report with you.
FY24 was a stellar year for CAm, thanks to you and others who have supported our community as donors, volunteers, or just by staying connected and engaged with Cambridge.
This year, CAm received more than $32 million to support Colleges and initiatives across the University. This overwhelming generosity provided much needed resources for students across the Colleges; funding for research into solving global issues around climate change, health, and Artificial Intelligence; and support for the teaching infrastructure across Cambridge.
Most gratifying is that the University and Colleges together met the goal to raise £500 million for Student Support. Thanks to donors like you, there are more resources for students across the University as well as support for those in disadvantaged circumstances and might never think Cambridge, or indeed any University, is within reach.
I also want to note the success of the CAm Advisory Committees. These dedicated volunteers have helped and guided CAm to increase engagement and participation of Cambridge alumni across their various regions. In FY25, we’re pleased to welcome a sixth committee that recently launched in the Seattle area.
Cambridge in America continues to retain a robust and engaged Board of Directors dedicated to our mission to grow the support of Cambridge among our North American community and to raise the profile of the University and Colleges across the United States and Canada. I am pleased to once again report that 100% of the Board made a financial contribution to CAm in support of Collegiate Cambridge. I invite you to learn more about our Board and the Advisory Committees at the CAm website. In closing, allow me to wish you and yours the very best for the coming year and going forward.
Dear Alumni and Friends,
Dear Alumni and Friends,
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
I hope this finds you well. It gives me great pleasure to share the latest stories of CAm philanthropy and engagement in this issue of Philanthropy Matters.
In FY24, donors gave more than $32 million to support Collegiate Cambridge. We saw a 4 percent increase in contributions from alumni to CAm compared to last year. Fifty-eight percent of all FY24 donors have contributed for three consecutive years. It is immensely gratifying to see our community of donors who are willing to support Cambridge year after year.
Launched in 2018, the Student Support initiative surpassed its goal of £500 million, raising funds to support programs designed to help students get into Cambridge and once there, to have the best experience available through ongoing mentorship and access to resources across the University and Colleges.
It was also a banner year for connecting with our alumni and volunteers across North America. Our Alumni Groups held 34 events for networking, socializing, and celebration of all things Cambridge. Of note, there were 15 watch parties and dinners to cheer on the Light Blues who once again took the prize in the annual Boat Race. CAm and the Colleges collaborated on more than 28 events and CAm hosted 22 events featuring the Vice-Chancellor and well-known academics.
Over the coming year, we hope to see many of you at our events, to hear from you as you receive our communications, and to continue growing our community in support of the Colleges and the University of Cambridge.
Yours,
Peter Dawson (St Catharine’s) CHAIR
With gratitude,
Gabrielle Bennett EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
STUDENT SUPPORT SURPASSES £500M GOAL
Six years after launching its ambitious target of raising £500 million to support students, the University of Cambridge surpassed this major milestone. The money raised from the generous gifts of donors supports a range of efforts in three major areas: postgraduate studentships; undergraduate financial support and widening participation programs; and student life and wellbeing. Alongside hundreds of new studentships and improved access to bursary support, the University established several new programs, including the landmark Foundation Year program.
At a time of increasing competition for funds, more than £278 million has been set aside to provide fully funded studentships for PhD and master’s students. This money is vital in helping them continue with their pioneering research. The largest donation to the initiative came from David and Claudia Harding. Their £100 million gift was the highest single donation in the University’s
history from a UK-based donor. The Harding Challenge, which was subsequently set up in the couple’s name and ran from 2019 to 2024, enabled an expansion in bursary provision. It also encouraged 10,800 people to make gifts — 60 percent of whom were first-time donors to either the University or the Colleges. Collectively these donors gave more than £48.5 million.
The University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice, says:
“The Student Support Initiative ensures all students with the potential to excel have their chance to study at Cambridge and its Colleges. With bursaries, studentships and our landmark Foundation Year we have removed financial barriers so that brilliant young undergraduates can start their academic journeys in Cambridge. This is changing all our lives.”
The University’s Foundation Year program would not have been possible without the support it received from the Student Support Initiative. A fully paid pre-degree course in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, it is currently hosting its third cohort of students. Isaac James was successful in securing a place in the Foundation Year and has stayed at Cambridge to complete a degree in Classics. He was awarded a “Get In Cambridge” bursary to help him through his first year.
“Securing a place on the Foundation Year is one of my proudest achievements and made my life-long dream of studying at Cambridge a reality. Receiving the Get In Rajagopalan award this year has also been a game-changer. Prior to progressing on to my undergraduate course I had been worried about supporting myself financially, but the additional support from Get In has afforded me the headspace to focus on my studies. Not having to worry about working over the holidays has been a huge relief!”
Tobias Barnett is studying for a PhD in French language and history. He is a Vice-Chancellor’s and Crausaz Wordsworth scholar:
“When you have a scholarship, you feel like someone’s got their hand behind your back and they’re pushing you forward and want you to succeed. That really changes the way you do your work and your research. You have faith in yourself in many ways.”
More than £61 million has been set aside, by both the University and the Colleges, for improved mental welfare support. This has enabled more counseling and wellbeing staff to be recruited at a time of increasing demand for their services.
The University is committed to raising more funding to support students beyond their undergraduate degree so they can continue their education to complete master’s and PhD level qualifications. The fundraising effort will continue in future years with the aim of ensuring Cambridge is a welcoming environment for all to study, learn and thrive.
Donors to Cambridge in America provided more than $80 million for student support from more than 2,000 donors. Cambridge alumni and friends in North America stepped up with donations to our annual appeals, many matched by the Harding Challenge, providing much needed funds to students like Isaac and Tobias.
Christina Dawson (Honorary Fellow, St Catharine’s) and her husband, CAm Board Chair Peter Dawson (St Catharine’s), gave a significant gift to help create the new Foundation Year program, an entirely new route to undergraduate study aimed at students who experience disadvantages or disruptions that keep them from applying to Cambridge despite their ability and potential to succeed at the University.
An early gift to the Student Support Initiative came from CAm Board member Prakash Melwani (Sidney Sussex) and his wife, Anjali, who made a gift of $1 million to support an overarching program for student mental health and wellbeing at Sidney Sussex. David Wang (Fitzwilliam) and his wife Amanda Chi (Jesus) gave generously early on to create the Chi-Wang PhD Studentship at Jesus College supporting PhD research focusing on the most serious impediments to the health and wellbeing faced by children; as well as The Cleaver-Wang Scholarship Fund at Fitzwilliam to create an endowed fund, recognizing David’s gratitude to his supervisor Dr. John Cleaver, to support graduate students at Fitzwilliam College.
Cambridge in America
FY24 PHILANTHROPY
BY THE NUMBERS
In FY24, Cambridge in America successfully raised more than $32 million through generous contributions from the US Cambridge community. Donations from alumni, non-alumni, corporations, foundations supported a range of initiatives, including individual Colleges; University-wide scholarship programs, fellowships, and bursaries; and innovative research efforts aimed at addressing global challenges.
We are delighted to share a 4 percent increase in contributions from alumni to CAm compared to FY23. Notably, the number of recurring monthly and/ or annual gifts from alumni increased by 6 percent since FY22, ensuring a steady income stream to support Collegiate Cambridge’s ongoing needs. Additionally, contributions to the CAm Annual Giving program (gifts of $50,000 and under) rose by 3 percent from the previous year. Fifty-eight percent of all FY24 donors have contributed for three consecutive years.
Please accept our sincere thanks to all alumni and friends whose support makes Cambridge in America’s mission and continued success possible.
Events
Every year CAm hosts or supports events across North America — from all-alumni events with the Vice-Chancellor and other Cambridge luminaries to gatherings for individual College alumni to local and regional get-togethers. In FY24, almost 2,000 North American alumni and friends attended one of 86 events from Seattle to Toronto to Florida.
FY24 HIGHLIGHTS
In December 2023, CAm hosted Global Cambridge events with ViceChancellor Professor Debbie Prentice and Professor Andy Neely in both San Francisco and New York with more than 200 attendees at each event.
Toronto alumni and friends attended the second annual Toronto Cambridge Thinkers Series: AI For Social Good with Professors Per Ola Kristensson & Anna Korhonen from the Centre for Human-Inspired Artificial Intelligence (CHIA), on April 16, 2024, with more than 80 attendees. The lively discussion was moderated by former Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stephen Toope. The event series is sponsored and organized by CAm’s Toronto Advisory Committee. Professional conferences across the US provide opportunities for Cambridge alumni and friends to network and gather from across the country. The Bay Area Advisory Committee hosts an event for Cambridge alumni attending the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, and the DC Advisory Committee holds an event in conjunction with the American Society of International Law in Washington, DC.
Fourteen Colleges held 28 events for their alumni in North America. April was a busy month for Colleges in New York City. Mistress of Girton Dr. Elisabeth Kendall spoke on Making Sense of the Yemen War, the Houthis & the Red Sea Conflict, followed by a reception. Corpus Christi College Master Christopher Kelly and Development Director Rachel Lawson also hosted a reception for local alumni to update them on happenings at Corpus.
The 34 Alumni Group events included a networking happy hour hosted by the Cambridge Bay Area Ring with Professor Alastair Beresford, Head of the Department of Computer Science & Technology, on May 22, 2024.
And of course, The Boat Race always inspires alumni to get together to view the race — this year there were 15 events across the US and Canada to celebrate the Light Blues.
For more information about CAm events, Alumni Groups, and visits from Colleges, visit our website: www.cantab.org/events
Portrait of a Donor: EDITH JOAN MILLER
Edith Joan Miller (Girton 1941) was a passionate geographer, academic and strong voice for women in the field.
Born Edith Joan Wilson in March 1923, her interest in geography started after school, as she “did field work on my bicycle, made maps, wrote a text, bound the pages, and made a potato cut design for the cover.” This first foray into local geography sparked her passion for the field which remained throughout her life. During World War II, Joan began her studies at Girton and chronicled her experience when there was “little social life” and “paper and pencils were hard to find.” She completed her
thesis fieldwork, worked on local Ordnance Survey maps, and earned a bachelor’s degree with honors, followed by a master’s degree.
After teaching geography for many years in England, she moved to the United States in 1957 to lecture at Indiana University where she met her husband, Dr. George Miller.
The Millers moved to Illinois in 1962, where she taught geography at Illinois State University for 31 years. Joan conducted her dissertation field work in the rural Ozark Mountains, a pioneering choice for a woman at the time, and earned her PhD at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
I cannot thank Girton College and its supporters enough for the difference they have made for me and my studies in the past two years. My goal is to have a positive impact on our planet’s current conservation efforts by using the skills and experience I gain at Cambridge.”
ALEX VALENCIA (GIRTON 2022)
BENEFICIARY
OF EDITH JOAN MILLER BEQUEST
Joan was a devoted educator who taught students fieldwork interview skills, and was published to great accolades in several trade journals. As a fierce advocate for women, Joan spoke her mind and made the Geography Department a more welcoming environment for female students. After retiring in 1993, Dr. Miller returned to teaching and mentoring as an adjunct for many years. She frequently returned to England to explore various regions, mapping trails and gathering information from residents. She often sat in public spaces sketching in her notebook and striking up conversations with locals who were curious about her work.
Dr. Miller passed away in 2021, leaving a generous bequest in her will to Girton College providing funds for undergraduate students in need of financial support. According to Victoria Argent, Head of Student Services at Girton College, “Each year, I witness students who, without the support of bursaries like those generously funded by Dr. Miller, would have faced significant challenges in accepting their place and many who would not have applied to Girton at all. Her generosity ensures that talented scholars, regardless of their financial background, can attend Girton and truly thrive.”
Your Gift Matters
When you include Cambridge in America in your estate plan as Edith Joan Miller did, you open a world of opportunities for future students, helping to provide the tools they need to achieve their potential.
If you are interested in learning more about how to support teaching, learning and research at Collegiate Cambridge with a planned gift, please contact:
