2023/4 COHORT
100 + hours of mentoring con versations
£ 29K+ assigned to adv entures & internships
18 students in the 2nd LEAP cohort
30 + non-LEAP students directly supported
18 internships undertaken
8 adventures organised
400 + attendances at LEAP events
66 hours of 1:1 coaching
The LEAP Programme at Pembroke has been established in response to both an initial idea and a generous donation of funding and time from alumnus Andy Crossley (1986) and Cindy Crossley.
LEAP has subsequently been supported by a number of additional donations from our alumni.
Kate has managed the Corporate Partnership Programme at Pembroke College since 2019 and has overseen the LEAP programme since its inception.
Hannah has managed the LEAP Programme since June 2022 and previously worked in Pembroke’s Development Office as the Senior Development Officer.
Leti undertook a 6-month secondment from the College’s catering team to support the programme’s administration.
“ For me, LEAP has achieved what it was set up to do. It has helped me find career directions that I am passionate about and has given me the transferable skills and tools to be able to achieve these opportunities. LEAP has also enabled me to grow by enhancing my academic
We did a lot of thinking when developing the LEAP programme at Pembroke. We consulted, we researched, we considered, we researched some more, and we piloted - but we still weren’t sure we had got it right until we tried it for real. Thankfully, all our hard work came to fruition and the first soft-launch year was more of a success than we even dared hope. We still did a lot of learning, but the building blocks that we had thought so hard about and the fundamental principles that we had developed to drive all aspects of the programme were indeed the right ones. Our first cohort taught us a lot, but more importantly they flourished themselves and those who have graduated are already emerging into successful careers.
For this, our second year, we have refined some aspects of the programme based on feedback and experience, for example, we now only take students entering their second year and we focus our skills sessions earlier in the academic year. We have also been able to expand a little and take more students into the cohort, while still retaining the hands-on and bespoke approach we now know works well.
Our ultimate aim is for all students who may need it to benefit from the LEAP programme. We already open up many of our skills sessions to the wider student body and provide funding for ‘non-LEAP’ activities that support non-cohort students with participation in vital experiences, but we’d like to do more.
The LEAP programme is a collaborative effort and works on a continuous improvement model. We could not do this without the effort of a great many members of the student body, our staff, Fellowship, alumni and others who give their energy to support our students with their confidence and careers – particularly our co-Founders Andy and Cindy Crossley who spearheaded the programme’s development and Dr Caroline Burt who suggested how it might be designed. Together, we have identified a clear need and developed a programme that successfully addresses this need. As we grow and learn we are starting to fundraise to be able to improve what we do and expand our support.
This 2023-2024 Impact Report provides an overview of the LEAP programme in its second year, giving examples of the skills sessions we have delivered, the mentoring relationships that have been built, and the internships and adventures that have provided vital confidence-building and learning experiences for our cohort. It is a joy and a privilege to lead the LEAP programme and to be able to make such a difference to our students at the outset of their career and personal development journeys, and to be in a College that so fully embraces and supports this ambition.
Dr Kate Parsley Director of the LEAP Programme
In my foreword for the report of LEAP’s first year, I said that I dearly wished something like this had been available when I was a student at Pembroke, a very long time ago. I still think this – and I’ve been both impressed and heartened by the way LEAP has developed and grown, and has impacted the lives of more students during this, its second year. I tell all of our first-year students that they’re not here to try and be better than everyone else. I say “you’re here to try and become the best you that you can possibly be”. LEAP is a key part of trying to help them achieve that. It’s all about building selfconfidence, finding the courage to do things they’ve never dreamed they’d be able to do, stretching their ambitions beyond the horizon.
It does it with the help of alumni as mentors, with the sharing of lived experience, with the opportunity of internships, and with adventurous challenges in new places and new settings.
LEAP is a wonderful opportunity for our students to grow and to flourish. I’m delighted that it’s been able to draw in more students this year than was possible in the first, pilot year. It goes from strength to strength, and as a result our students do, too. This report tells something of how this has happened. It’s a powerful story.
Lord Chris Smith, Master of Pembroke College
Overcoming impostor syndrome
LEAP workshops aim to build confidence while developing the skills that employers look for. Working alongside the University Careers Service, Life Beyond Pembroke and the Pembroke People Programme, LEAP offered a range of workshops and training opportunities for members of the LEAP cohort and the wider Pembroke student body.
Lucy Romijn, from the University Careers Service, runs our workshop on alternative careers
Communicating with confidence and authenticity
Networking
Skills that employers look for
Interview skills
Finding an internship
How to manage money and feel in control
LEAP roundtable with Tim Pick (1991), the government’s first offshore wind champion
careers “Thinking outside the box”
“ The students were reassured to see the breadth of careers they can progress into from Cambridge. The workshop provided a range of strategies to support their ongoing career exploration to enable them to forge their own paths.”
“ Prior to starting my internship, each LEAP event helped prepare me for what to expect. I had coaching on presentation skills (which particularly helped at the end of the internship), career advice and even a trip to BT Labs where I was able to discuss telecom communications with a background in quantum computing (a particular area of interest of mine) with researchers at the forefront of these technologies. ”
Dylan, 2nd Year, Mathematics
“ I think the whole concept of LEAP is much needed and very valuable. What’s interesting, as well, is the interaction between participants. They can all support and learn from each other. The workshop I did with the students enabled them to explore different aspects of their relationship with money that have been problematic for them and to learn various ways of resolving those challenges. The sharing of experiences makes it much more powerful.”
Linda Davies: “How to manage money and feel in control”
Mentoring and coaching continue to be core elements of the LEAP programme. Each LEAP student was matched with a mentor for a minimum of 6 months; in most cases this was a Pembroke alum working in a relevant field, or a career coach who could help the student explore a wide range of options. This year, we also connected students with mentors working for Pembroke’s Corporate Partners and with Cambridge-based professionals working at the Cambridge Junction and Octopus Energy.
Mentors provided practical guidance about CV writing, internship applications and interview technique, but just as importantly they instilled confidence and helped LEAP students build their resilience.
Alongside this long-term mentoring, LEAP students were encouraged to use the Pembroke Online Community to reach out to a range of Pembroke alumni for one-off chats. This has helped broaden their career horizons and build their networks.
Denise Taylorson
Effective communication, assertiveness and managing personal impact
Andy Halley
Envisioning and planning adventures
Lucy Romijn
Careers Consultant at the University of Cambridge Careers Service “ I help students unlock the confidence they need to define and achieve success on their own terms.
Together we tackle the underlying causes of stress as an undergraduate: from breaking free of limiting selfbeliefs, to opening up difficult conversations with people in positions of power. It’s really about building the micro-skills needed to thrive after Cambridge, as so many alumni struggle with burn out in silence or feel lost in the “washing machine of life”. I love working with the LEAP team and wider network of support. We’re creating something incredibly valuable. ”
Aryanisha Lawes
Breaking free from limiting beliefs
“ I have been very fortunate to mentor students both years of LEAP. The LEAP team work collaboratively with mentors to tailor the support for each student involved. Within that framework, I have been free to act as a constant supporter, giving students the space to reflect, to focus on what is important to them and to develop and follow a deliverable plan. My multitalented mentees have been a joy to work with, embracing the process and responding very positively to my questions, suggestions and encouragement. ”
Sandie
Townsley, LEAP Mentor
“ Sandie was an amazing mentor because I had many ideas about what I wanted to explore but found it difficult to manage them. I was indecisive about what I wanted to pursue, and Sandie was very patient. Instead of treating career exploration like a rat race, I was able to see that trial and error is a key part of the process. Sandie was great at putting me in touch with people in various sectors so I could hear directly from them. I have become more confident in my understanding of what I might want from a career. ”
Di’Mario, 2nd Year, Theology
Internships are incredibly valuable to students, both in terms of providing vital practical work experience and in terms of informing the nature of work and the type of workplace that might suit the individual in their future career. 13 LEAP cohort students completed one or more internships in the UK and overseas, gaining work experience ranging from consulting and law to art curation, research and fieldwork. LEAP internship grants totalling over £5000 were provided to support accommodation, travel and clothing costs. Some of the LEAP donation was provided to the tutorial office and used to support 9 non-LEAP students undertaking internships and travel over the summer.
Working with Pembroke’s corporate and strategic partners enabled visits to organisations to explore potential internship opportunities and for three bespoke internships to be created for members of the LEAP cohort. Highlights included a tour of the innovation showcases at BT’s Adastral Park and driving an Ohmio experimental self-driving vehicle in Milton Keynes.
Daniel & Ross
Cambridge Management Consulting
Matthew Centre for Climate Engagement
Ayeda
C. N. Murray, Darwin Gray
Di’Mario
Slaughter & May
Rida
Utrecht University & Schonerr, Prague
Vihaan
Macfarlanes and NRF
Dylan Ofcom
Hana
UROP, Department of Computer Science and Technology
Mohammad
PGIM
Rachel Bank of America
Merrill Lynch
Jenna Bamburgh Castle and Czech Republic
Bear
Artworks, ArtUK, Arvon
“ The whole team was very welcoming from the beginning and has been a fantastic support network throughout the internship. ”
Ross, 2nd Year, HSPS
“ It’s an enormous pleasure for Cambridge Management Consulting to be able to support the LEAP programme and have the privilege of employing a number of LEAP interns each summer. The team love the Pembroke students, the Programme is superbly organised and we have had nothing but positive feedback from both the team and students alike. We look forward to continuing to support the Programme and growing our relationship with both the College and LEAP in future. ”
Tim Passingham, Chairman, Cambridge Management Consulting & William Pitt Fellow, Pembroke College
Pembroke’s corporate partner Cambridge MC again provided two internships to LEAP students: Daniel worked in London and Ross in Portugal on very different projects, but both gained a real insight into consulting and how Cambridge MC works. Ross was able to enhance his professional understanding of Portuguese whilst developing business development skills in both Portugal and Latin America. After completing his internship, Ross also helped to represent Cambridge MC at Cambridge Tech Week - a major conference partly held in Pembroke, which provided networking opportunities and insights into the local tech sector.
Arvon LEAP supports all potential career avenues, and this year we supported Bear to attend a TV and screenwriting course. In a writer’s room, Bear was challenged to put his fears aside to explore unrealistic pitches (a tidal wave of evil twins may have been involved); in a production workshop, he considered how to safely blow up an antique gate! Table readings and feedback from experienced tutors, alongside explainers on the pitching process, were all useful to help Bear improve his chances of seeing his stories translated from the page to a screen.
Non-LEAP internship LEAP supported Millie with funding to attend a creative writing course at the University of Amsterdam. The course involved developing writingas-a-practice skills, meeting with authors, individual activities and group excursions to provide inspiration, focus and feedback.
“ It was a privilege to be given those three weeks where I could focus on my writing, I now feel far more confident in both poetry and prose. ”
Millie, 1st Year, English
“ The course undoubtedly helped to accelerate and streamline my writing and gave me a grounding in the industry and practical essentials that I will need to make a career out of my longstanding creative interests. ”
Bear, 2nd Year, History of Art
As part of our experiential learning approach, the LEAP cohort is encouraged and supported to apply to undertake an adventure and / or internship in order to build their confidence or explore their career horizons. Students self-select their adventure and make all the arrangements themselves, with the College doing extra checks to help ensure their safety. Some students worked with a consultant, Andrew Halley from Enduring Missions, to help them explore the potential opportunities and refine their adventure proposals.
Over the summer, eight LEAP students travelled across Europe, Asia and Central America. They undertook language courses, volunteered at NGOs, explored new countries and immersed themselves in new sights, sounds and experiences. Adventures lasted from one to eight weeks and all students grew in confidence and gained valuable experience for the future. Blogs and photos from all of their adventures can be found on the LEAP website.
Student Ayeda – 2wks in Italy
Focus Language course and cultural immersion
Student Di’Mario – 2wks in Thailand
Focus Cultural immersion & conservation
Student Emma – 3wks in Costa Rica
Focus Language course, internship & hiking
Student Genevieve – 8wks in India
Focus Internship at an NGO & exploration
Student Isabella – 4wks in France
Focus Language course & exploration
Student Mo – 2wks in Qatar & Indonesia
Focus Work placement & hiking
Student Rida – 1wk in Netherlands
Focus Law course and exploration
Student Vihaan – 2wks in Bali, Indonesia
Focus Solo travel & cultural immersion
4 non-LEAP students travelled to China as part of a collaboration with Shijiazhuang Foreign Language Education Group, these students were immersed in Chinese culture, as well as providing lessons for a summer camp for Chinese students.
“ I’ve always wanted to speak another language, but it felt insurmountable. Going to the language school gave me a chance to overcome this. I’d love to say that I’m magically fluent, but really what the whole experience gave me was the confidence to speak and learn, and the inspiration to do so. ”
Isabella
“ My favourite part of Rome was undoubtedly the museums. Getting the opportunity to pore over artwork and visit sites I have learnt so much about over the years was life changing. ”
Ayeda
“ I was able to get two internships after my visit in Utrecht, so LEAP really is the gift that keeps on giving. ”
Rida
“ Travelling alone for most of my journey, coming across several different languages, one of which I am now learning, and undertaking an internship in a completely different part of the world in a different culture are just a fraction of my adventure. ”
Mo
Emma’s five week adventure in Costa Rica was action-packed. She started with a week of language immersion in San José, followed by a two-week internship at satis.FACTORY. At this independent cultural space, Emma gained hands-on experience in a gallery, including assisting with the setup of an art fair and the installation of the Kim Torres exhibition “Florece La Sombra”.
The community-centric ethos of the gallery meant she often shared dinner with the artists, curators and other creatives connected to the space. Emma rounded off her trip with a fortnight of hiking in the rainforest and solo-travelling around Costa Rica. The whole experience built her confidence and independence, proving that she has what it takes to thrive in unfamiliar environments.
“ In the middle of the Costa Rican jungle, we were totally off-grid, eating dinner by candlelight and drinking water from a spring. Though this hike was beyond my comfort zone, I absolutely loved it and realised that I was capable of more than I imagined. ” Emma, 2nd Year, History of Art
Genevieve completed an 8 week internship at SEWA Bharat, a non-profit organisation in New Delhi, India. Her research focused on female internal migrants coming to large cities for employment opportunities in the informal sectors. She met with many female migrant workers to understand the various challenges they face, and used her research to make recommendations for India’s first migration policy.
The experience really helped Genevieve to develop her independence and offered lots of opportunities for travel and exploration. Highlights included joining a Sufi Qawwali night and visiting the Jama Masjid, Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and Rishikesh.
“ As someone who is interested in international development, this internship adventure was a great opportunity for me to understand what travelling and living away from home would be like. I was able to adjust to my environment and face any challenges that I had. ”
Genevieve, 2nd Year, HSPS
During my time in the LEAP programme I participated in various workshops, including a session on “Overcoming Imposter Syndrome.” This helped instil more confidence in me as someone who barely had any, and who felt somewhat undeserving of their place at Cambridge. It also gave me the confidence to apply for the LEAP adventure grant and volunteer in the Dominican Republic! “ I am so happy to now be working at the charity founded by Pembroke Students 140 years ago. We empower the local community through various initiatives such as the Walworth Living Room, The Pembroke Academy of Music and the Neighbourhood Food Model. It was through my experience volunteering with Aldeas de Paz (or ‘Peace villages’) during my LEAP adventure that I became interested in the idea of working within a charity. LEAP and its aims of increasing confidence and encouraging growth helped encourage me to apply to Pembroke House and eventually get the job.”
Juliette, 1st LEAP Cohort
The 15 students from our first LEAP cohort are now pursuing a wide range of careers and further studies.
Georgina
Applying for graduate jobs
Campbell Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Sydney
James
MSci in Physics at Pembroke
Abby
Working for Southwark Council in Leader’s Office & Cabinet Office
Aleena
Applying for training contracts with law firms
Juliette Charity Management & Communications Trainee, Pembroke House
Max
MSt in Modern British History at Oxford; Future Trainee Solicitor at Skadden
Alexander Broadcast and multi-media journalist
Asmaa
Secondary English teacher at Sarah Bonnell School, Newham
Carys
Access and Outreach Officer at Jesus College, University of Cambridge
Joseph Secondary Science teacher with Teach First
Freya
Applying for graduate jobs
Safa
MSc in International Relations at LSE
Joshua
MSci in Materials Science at Pembroke; Future Leaders internship at British Airways
Shania Graduate internship in Communications at Airbnb
Whether it is a one-off conversation or a longerterm relationship for up to 6 months working on a specific aspect of personal development, we’re keen to hear from alumni with experience from all sectors and at all stages of their own career journey. Some students want to talk to experienced professionals and some would prefer to meet with people who were in their shoes relatively recently.
Could you be the person that helps build their confidence, expand their network and help them get on their favoured career track?
a skills session
Do you already provide professional training in some of the areas we wish to develop in our cohort?
We’re specifically looking for experienced small group trainers for both soft-skills and digital skills. Insights coming from a Pembroke alum make it particularly relevant to our students.
Provide funding
LEAP is entirely funded through donations - could you give £1000 to help support an internship or £2500 for an adventure?
As we learn and grow, we hope to expand our cohort and enable more of our students to undertake the transformational experiential learning that makes LEAP unique and has such a massive impact on our students.
Please get in touch if you are interested in helping Email leap@pem.cam.ac.uk
First year undergraduate?
We open the LEAP programme for applications in Lent Termkeep an eye on our website or your email and join the LEAP launch event to find out more and talk to past LEAP students about their experiences of the programme.
We aim to select the cohort in the Easter Term and start matching students with mentors in readiness for completing the programme in your second year.
We open our skills sessions to all students after the LEAP cohort priority booking closes – keep an eye out for these being advertised in Michaelmas and Lent terms. We also provide funding to the tutorial office to support travel grants.
Life Beyond Pembroke
Is open to all and connects current students with our alumni for talks, workshops, and speed-networking and BAME future leaders events.
The Pembroke Online Community Has nearly 2000 alumni members from across the world who are able to provide advice, contacts and opportunities.
LEAP sits within a College that promotes academic excellence and actively supports the personal development of each student.
LEAP builds on this to focus on a selected, small cohort of students who, for different reasons, need extra support.
Networking
Opportunities
Life
Careers
Events
Interview
Training
Internships
Work
Experience
Exploring
Career
Choices
Mentoring
CV Writing
COHORT
Our student support ecosystem
Objective: Secure LEAP’s future
Objective: Support more students
2024/25 marks the completion of the first phase of the LEAP Programme and the end of our initial seed-funding. We want LEAP to continue to provide
transformational experiences for our students and are actively developing a case for support to enable the programme to last for many years to come.
LEAP works closely with a mixed cohort of students who will most benefit from the programme –based on their confidence levels, certainty of career direction and
Objective: Create more opportunities
“ This journey was like nothing I have ever experienced. I found confidence I didn’t know I had to throw myself into everything we did, which allowed me to hugely enjoy the experience whilst learning so much and developing many transferable skills.”
Nathan, 1st Year, Natural Sciences
This year, we partnered with Shijiazhuang Foreign Language Education Group Summer School to provide an opportunity for nonLEAP students to travel to China.
potential constraints. We’d like to support as many students as possible, while recognising the intensive LEAP programme is not necessary or appropriate for all.
We’d love to explore developing more strategic partnerships in order to provide more of these opportunities and expanding the benefit beyond the LEAP cohort.
LEAP is governed by Oversight & Steering Groups
We are incredibly grateful to members of these groups who help to formulate our strategy, review our impact and ensure LEAP works for all our stakeholders.
Oversight Group:
Robert Mayhew Senior Tutor (Chair)
Kate Parsley (Secretary)
Charlotte Bradshaw External Careers Coach
Andy Crossley Founder
Cindy Crossley Founder
Amber Cuttill
Deputy Director of Admissions and Head of Widening Participation
Geoff Hayward Fellow
Matthew Mellor Development Director
Hannah Wilson
LEAP Programme Manager
Steering Group:
Kate Parsley (Chair)
Hannah Wilson (Secretary)
Becky Coombs College Registrar
Loraine Gelsthorpe Tutor for Graduate Affairs
Fern Hay JP Access Officer
Carys Myers Young Alumni Representative
Libby Prodger Schools Liaison and Admissions Support Officer
Emily Quin
GP President & Access Officer
Sarah Richey
Senior Development Officer (Alumni & Student Engagement)
Expenditure 2023-24
42.6 % Internship & Adventure grants
11.9 % Mktg & events
45.5%
Employee salaries
LEAP is grateful to a huge number of people who have helped the Programme in a variety of ways. This list includes many of our supporters and we would like to take this opportunity to apologise to anyone we may have missed. LEAP is a team effort - in addition to the members of our governance groups, we would like to say thank you to everyone who has helped as we establish, improve and expand our activities.
Mohammad Al-Ubaydli (1995)
James Anderson
Beth Bailey
Holly Beck
Jenny Blakesley
Polly Blakesley
Andy Baughan
Naaz Bax
Sue Black
Vicky Bowman (1984)
Keith Briggs
Gemma Brown
Alligan Bundock
Jessica Burge
Rachael Burcher
Caroline Burt
Ian Carry
Matt Castle (1999)
Andrew Cates
Anton Chambers
Eleanor Chipps (2016)
Duncan Clubb
John Collis (1963)
Prune Corel (2017)
Andy Crossley (1986)
Cindy Crossley
Russell Davey
Linda Davies
Gavin Dent
John Durrell
Lizzy Ennion-Smith
Anna Ferrari (2009)
Carol Fletcher
Emma Fletcher
Mischa Foxell (2006)
Leti Garcia
Andras Di Giovanni (2017)
Martine Goncalves
Jenna Govier
Andy Halley
Kate Hancock
Deki Hathorn
Jeanette Hurworth
Rhianna Ilube (2012)
Stella James
Rob Kinnear
Michaela Koseoglu
Dee Kunze
Petra Kwan
Aryanisha Lawes (2008)
Hamish Lazell (2011)
David Lewis
Hongxia Li
Joanna Lubanska
Jonathan Lynn (1961)
Jan Maciejowski (1977)
Sarah Mackenzie
Matt Mahmoudi (2016)
Jonathan Mantle (1972)
Sally March
Lizzie Marx (2016)
Matthew McBride (2010)
Nick McBride (1997)
Sarah McCreary (2004)
Karen Milne
Nami Morris
Ian Morse (2015)
Johann Jakob Napp (2006)
Clive Newell (1972)
Gilbert Nkpeniyeng
Jason Okundaye (2015)
Rebecca Oldfield (1993)
Charles Orsel Des Sagets
Ben Paites (2009)
John Palfrey (1996)
Simon Parry
Tim Passingham
Christelle Perera (2014)
Tim Pick (1991)
Jo Prior (1984)
Michael Pritchard
Ian Pulford
Anas Al Rawi
Catherine Rawlings
Sophie Reece-Gadhvi (2007)
Nina Rhodes
Kathryn Robinson
Lucy Romijn
Molly Rowlands (2020)
Charran Santhalingam (2016)
Richard Schomberg (1987)
Kate Shirlaw (2003)
Beth Simpson
Dick Skelt
Janette Skinner
Lord Chris Smith (1969)
Miranda Stearn (2001)
Emily Stoner
Martin Taylor (2006)
Brian Taylorson (1975)
Denise Taylorson
Layton Thompson
Mariola Thorpe
Sandie Townsley (1987)
Angela Walters
Matteo Yoon (2010)
