Alumni Relations & Engagement Catherine Conisbee Former Alumni Relations & Communications Officer
When I reflect on the last academic year, what comes to mind first and foremost is the resilience and community spirit that Mansfielders have demonstrated throughout 2020/21. Despite much of the College’s activities taking place under varying Covid restrictions, our community has managed to stay connected and forge new bonds. At the end of Michaelmas 2020, as part of Mansfield’s Community Week and Giving Day activities in October, we were delighted to give alumni the opportunity to catch-up with current and emeritus Mansfield Fellows during two ‘Online Alumni Reunion’ events. It was such a pleasure to hear those attending reminisce about Oxford tutorials and share in their memories of student life. In February we started 2021 in style, as we witnessed alumni going head-to-head in a battle of wits against Mansfield Fellows in an online ‘Mansfield does University Challenge’ quiz, presided over by Principal (and Quizmaster) Helen Mountfield. The teams came prepared with their homemade
buzzers, from pots and pans to squeaky toys and bicycle bells, and I was, as ever, struck by the resourcefulness and creativity of our community. In March and July, we welcomed alumni to meet with current students and recent leavers as part of a programme of online careers events, providing them with an invaluable insight into what it’s like to work in a wide variety of sectors, from business and law to the creative industries. These sessions have been hugely inspiring, and we cannot thank our guest speakers enough for being so generous with their time and for their willingness to share their experiences of life after graduation. Following the success of this year’s online careers events programme, we have worked with the Mansfield College Alumni Association (MCAA) to launch a new pilot mentoring programme. This has already seen a number of current students successfully partnered with alumni at all stages of their careers. I would like to take this opportunity to extend sincere thanks to the MCAA for all
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their work ensuring the success of the pilot programme.
‘It has been a real honour to be one of the Mentors on the pilot scheme and help guide a current student as they work out what they want to do after they leave Oxford. It hasn’t been too long since I graduated which means that I remember very clearly how daunting it was, so it’s great to be able to make that transition easier for someone else, as well as get to know another English student a bit better. I’d really recommend sharing the skills that you’ve learnt since you graduated, with a current student through being a Mentor, and am proud to have been a part of something so special.’ Serena Arthur (English, 2016), Mentor
