4 minute read
Alumni Relations & Engagement
Here at College, we never fail to be impressed by the remarkable things our alumni go on to achieve in the world. We want to ensure you benefit from being part of Mansfield’s amazing community.
Tess McCormick Development Director
It is vital to the Development team to do all we can to support our former students throughout their whole lives. A key part of our work is helping alumni connect back with Mansfield, with students today and with one another.
In August 2023, we welcomed a new Alumni Relations Officer, Ellie Hutson, taking over from her predecessor, Fran Rigby (Geography, 2018), who has moved on to a new opportunity in London.
Our events in 2022/23 were many and varied. In September 2022, we held a gaudy for 1980-89 alumni jointly with a Mansfield College Alumni Association (MCAA) Dinner, complete with a barnstorming after-dinner speech by the BBC’s (first ever) Climate Correspondent, Justin Rowlatt (PPE, 1984).
In November, students and alumni gathered at College for an evening of impressive legal debate at our Law Moot, presided over by the Principal and distinguished alumni at the bar: Prashant Popat KC (Jurisprudence, 1987), and the Lord Justice (James) Dingemans (Jurisprudence, 1983). Helpful support came from Joel Semakula (Jurisprudence, 2014) and Tim Storrie KC (English, 1986), and particular thanks go to Mansfield’s Law tutors, Professor Andrew Higgins and Elizabeth Drummond.
March 2023 saw well-attended alumni events at the London Stock Exchange – with thanks to James Pearson (PPE, 1993) for the fantastic venue – and the Oxford University North American Office on Fifth Avenue, New York.
In April, we held a fun 1887 Society Dinner for Mansfield’s Geographers past and present, with a lecture by Professor Susan Parnell from the University of Bristol, followed by dinner with our 1887 Presidents, the Tony Lemon Fellow in Geography, Professor Derek McCormack, and Emeritus Fellow, Dr Tony Lemon himself.
When summer arrived, we welcomed alumni and their friends and families back to Mansfield for an informal gathering on the Quad with strawberries, cream and tours of College by students, followed soon after by welcoming our newest alumni to the community at our annual Student Leavers’ Celebration.
Look out for exciting new alumni initiatives soon to be announced as part of For Mansfield. Forever. Dates for College events in 2024 are published on the back cover of this magazine.
Thank you for your engagement with Mansfield across the year. We always love hearing your news and welcoming you back to College. We are here to assist in connecting you with former classmates, tutors and Mansfield students today.
Mansfield College Alumni Association updates
Daniel Tarry (Geography, 2011) MCAA President
At the end of the academic year, Mike Walton (English, 1956), then MCAA Secretary, joined the Student Leavers’ Celebration to welcome the latest graduates into the alumni family and present the 2023 John Muddiman Student of the Year awards. Congratulations to Daniel Surrey (History, 2021) and Ji Ma (MLitt Law, 2020) for receiving the JCR and MCR awards respectively.
At our AGM in September 2023, we welcomed back Rebecca Loxton (English, 2011) to the Committee as she was elected Secretary after Mike stepped down from the role. We thank Mike for his hard work and the dedication he has shown in his stint as Secretary over the past few years.
The MCAA Committee works with the College’s Development & Alumni Relations team to keep our 6000-strong global alumni community connected, communicating, and contributing to College life. In this important Campaign year, we are working closely to ensure the alumni voice is heard, and know the College has an exciting programme in the coming year for us all. We are an increasingly younger and more international group and are always keen to welcome new members to ensure we represent a good spread of subjects and matriculation years – either to join the Committee or simply to help reconnect alumni via specific events or communications.
Do contact us at MansfieldCollegeAlumniAssociation@outlook.com to find out more.
