Page 10 - Luce 2015
P. 10

N ews a nd  Events




          Oxford ‘versus’ JCH                                                Shani:  Is ‘pretty much everything’ a
                                                                             viable answer?! Perhaps a better way of
          While listening to a speech at another college, the Principal noted its ambition that   articulating that would be to say that I
          one day ‘people might not only go from here to Oxford, but actually come from   truly feel at home at JCH. St Catherine’s
          Oxford to here’.  It got him thinking: what is best about my own College, and in   College was a place to go back to at
          what ways is the JCH experience different to that of an Oxford college? He decided   the end of the day, a place to study, a
          to catch up with some past and current JCH students and tutors to find out.  place to eat, a place to sleep. However,
                                                                             it did not feel like home. I didn’t get the
          Leng Lee (2004), 2006 Joske Scholar                                same warm, safe feeling that I do when
          and 2007 Rhodes Scholar, Jesus College,                            I see JCH from across Royal Parade
          Oxford                                                             after a walk around Royal Park at dusk.
                                                                             To elaborate further, the inclusivity is
          Jenny Tran (2007), 2013 Joske Scholar                              a large part of what makes it feel so
          and 2012 Rhodes Scholar, Green                                     welcoming. The ability to participate in
          Templeton College, Oxford                                          a wide range of sports is fantastic and I
                                                                             feel very lucky to have been able to be
          Shani Brampton (2014), 2015 May                                    part of the rowing team in my first year.
          Dunn Scholar and Student Club General   Shani Brampton in Oxford   The numerous social events throughout
          Representative, St Catherine’s College,                            the semester provide opportunities
          Oxford                                                             for a more intellectual interaction as
                                                                             well as the space to simply relax and
          Alex Eastwood (2015), 2015 Rhodes   Shani:  The aspect I most enjoyed was   ‘hang out’ with others. Compared to
          Scholar, Magdalen College, Oxford  attending speeches from notable figures   St Catz, JCH provides many more free
                                           such as the Prime Minister of Sudan   opportunities to hear from distinguished
          Dr Powell: What have you enjoyed most   and Dambisa Moyo (author of Dead   figures and to learn how to conduct
          about your time in Oxford?       Aid), which were hosted by the Oxford   oneself appropriately at formal meals.
                                           Union. And you cannot help but fall in   The comparatively relaxed student-tutor
          Leng:  The chance to meet students from   love with the stunning city – running   relationship also contributes to a more
          hugely diverse backgrounds and learn   along the Thames, through Christchurch   comfortable living/study environment.
          about their countries, work experiences   Meadow and back past the RadCam   Furthermore, through these interactions
          and dreams.                      and Sheldonian Theatre in the early   one learns much from listening to the
                                           morning with the sunlight trickling   tutors speak about what life is like after
          Alex:  The diversity. At a graduate level,   through the cream coloured buildings   an undergraduate degree and what
          Oxford is a melting pot. I have met   was incredibly special. The camaraderie   pathways one can take.
          people from new countries and cultural   of my ‘staircase’, although it pales in
          backgrounds and that adds an integral   comparison to the ‘corridor antics’ at   Jenny:  Tight-knit community, lifelong
          depth of experience to this ancient,   JCH, also remains a stand out part of my   friends, engaging alumni and speakers,
          English shire. This is especially true of my   collegiate experience at Oxford.  opportunity to give back.
          current programme, a Master of Science
          (Neuroscience), in which our cohort of   Jenny:  Rowing bumps racing! Racing   Given that both provide collegiate
          22 comprises 12 nations. This is even   where each rowing crew then chases   education, is there anything similar
                                           the crew in front and attempts to BUMP   about the two places?
                                           them.

                                           What have you enjoyed most about your
                                           time in JCH?

                                           Leng:  Culturally, I felt strongly aligned to
                                           the values that JCH aspired to uphold and
                                           imbue students with.

                                           Alex:  My time as Residential Tutor at JCH
                                           gifted me two things: time and space to
                                           explore my passion for educating; and an
                                           insight into the potential for pastoral care.
          Jenny Tran (centre) graduates with the
          Sheldonian Theatre in the background  As for the latter, student wellbeing is so
                                           often given lip service, but it is something
          more pronounced in my next degree,   that JCH lived and breathed. The welfare
          the Master of Public Policy: 117 students   of its residents always appeared to be
          come from 54 countries. It is exciting to   paramount – as essential to their own
          witness this being presented not just as   positive personal growth, as well as
          feel-good requisite, but as an aspirational   to the health and quality of the overall
          advantage in its own right. For me, this   community. JCH further demonstrated to
          has been an invitation to socialise outside   me the role that individuals can play in
          of the cultural bubble that we often   the creation and curation of community
          happen to find ourselves in at home.  beyond family and school.    Leng Lee at Jesus College
      10    LUCE  Number 14  2015
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