Wolfson College, Cambridge
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Colleges of the University of Cambridge
This is a list of the colleges within the University of Cambridge. These colleges are the primary source of accommodation for undergraduates and graduates at the University and at the undergraduate level have responsibility for admitting students and organising their tuition. They also provide...
of the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Wolfson is one of a small number of Cambridge colleges which admit only students over the age of 21. The majority of students at the college are postgraduates, with around 15% studying undergraduate degree courses at the university. The college was founded in 1965 as "University College", and changed its name to Wolfson College in 1973 in recognition of the benefaction of the Wolfson Foundation
Wolfson Foundation
The Wolfson Foundation is a charity that awards grants to support excellence in the fields of science and medicine, health, education and the arts & humanities.- Overview :...
. Wolfson is located to west of Cambridge city centre, near the University Library
Cambridge University Library
The Cambridge University Library is the centrally-administered library of Cambridge University in England. It comprises five separate libraries:* the University Library main building * the Medical Library...
.
As one of the more modern colleges in Cambridge, Wolfson does not follow all of the traditions of some of the University's older colleges. For example, since the college's founding there has been no "High Table
High Table
At Oxford, Cambridge and Durham colleges — and other, similarly traditional and prestigious UK academic institutions At Oxford, Cambridge and Durham colleges — and other, similarly traditional and prestigious UK academic institutions At Oxford, Cambridge and Durham colleges — and other, similarly...
" reserved for Fellows
Research fellow
The title of research fellow is used to denote a research position at a university or similar institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members. A research fellow may act either as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a principal investigator...
at Formal Hall dinners; students and Fellows mix and dine together, although the tradition of wearing academic gowns to such occasions is still preserved. Both Fellows and students at the college have access to all the facilities.
Wolfson was the first college in Cambridge to admit men and women as both students and Fellows.
With students from over 70 countries, Wolfson claims to be one of Cambridge's most cosmopolitan colleges.
The current president of Wolfson College is the historian Richard J. Evans
Richard J. Evans
Richard John Evans is a British academic and historian, prominently known for his history of Germany.-Life:Evans was born in London, of Welsh parentage, and is now Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Cambridge and President of Wolfson College...
.
History
After the Second World WarWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the number of graduates of other universities who came to Cambridge to do research increased significantly. The university therefore decided to found University College in 1965 to help accommodate these students. The college was based at Bredon House, a property built in the early twentieth-century by John Stanley Gardiner
John Stanley Gardiner
John Stanley Gardiner FRS was a British zoologist and oceanographer.He was born in Belfast in 1872. His research career began in 1896 when he took part in the Royal Society's expedition to Funafuti atoll in the South Pacific ; from then onwards he was recognized as an authority on the distribution...
, who was a Professor of Zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
at the university from 1909-1937. He donated the house, with its long narrow garden running from Barton Road
Barton Road, Cambridge
Barton Road is a major arterial road linking central Cambridge, England with Junction 12 of the M11 motorway to the southwest.The road is designated the A603. At the eastern end the road continues turning northeast as Newnham Road...
to Selwyn Gardens, to the university upon his death in 1946. The college then purchased further property on its eastern boundary.
In the early-1970s, a major benefaction from the Wolfson Foundation provided capital endowment and helped fund the construction of the central buildings around Bredon House and the college's East and West Courts. In recognition of this, the college was renamed Wolfson College on 1 January 1973.
The new buildings were opened by Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in 1977. Though most of the college's buildings are modern, the design of the campus is similar to that of the university's older colleges, with buildings grouped around two main courts. The floor of the entrance hall to the main building is made of thin slices of granite taken from the old London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
(the main section of which was taken to Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
to be rebuilt in the late-1960s).
Further acquisition of neighbouring properties continued into the 1980s, culminating in the purchase of a house and garden owned by Sir Vivian Fuchs
Vivian Fuchs
Sir Vivian Ernest Fuchs FRS was an English explorer whose expeditionary team completed the first overland crossing of Antarctica in 1958.- Biography :...
on the western side on the college. Plommer House on the northern side of the college was also left to the college in his will by Dr Hugh Plommer, a founding Fellow of the college. The acquisition of property has allowed for the building of a number of new facilities, mainly funded by donations from philanthropic foundations and individuals. A major donation from the Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
an businessman and philanthropist Dr Lee Seng Tee
Lee Seng Tee
Dr Lee Seng Tee FBA is a businessman and philanthropist from Singapore.Born in Singapore in 1923, Lee is the second son of Lee Kong Chian and grandson of Tan Kah Kee. He is a Director of the family's Lee Group of Companies, a Singapore-based conglomerate of firms in industries that include rubber,...
enabled the construction of two major buildings – the Lee Seng Tee Library and the Lee Seng Tee Hall.
Facilities and activities
The college is known for its entertainment events and performances, which attract visitors from many other colleges of the university.The Club Room, at the heart of the college, includes the college bar and a dance floor space. It is the main communal space for students, and is the venue for many entertainment events and for Wolfson's weekly salsa dance classes.
The Wolfson College Boat Club is a popular society, and Wolfson is one of the strongest graduate rowing colleges in Cambridge.
Wolfson College's library is open 24 hours a day, and the college itself is a short walk from the University Library.
List of Presidents of Wolfson College
- Richard J. EvansRichard J. EvansRichard John Evans is a British academic and historian, prominently known for his history of Germany.-Life:Evans was born in London, of Welsh parentage, and is now Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Cambridge and President of Wolfson College...
– (from 1 October 2010) - Gordon Johnson – 1993–2010
- Sir John TusaJohn TusaSir John Tusa is a British arts administrator, and radio and television journalist. From 1980 to 1986 he was a main presenter of BBC 2's Newsnight programme. From 1995 until 2007 he was managing director of the City of London's Barbican Arts Centre...
– 1993 (January–October) - Sir David WilliamsDavid Glyndwr Tudor WilliamsSir David Glyndwr Tudor Williams, QC, DL , was a Barrister and the first full-time Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, 1989–1996....
– 1980–92 - John Sinclair MorrisonJohn Sinclair MorrisonJohn Sinclair Morrison , who wrote under the name of J. S. Morrison, was an English classicist whose work led to the reconstruction of an Athenian Trireme, an ancient oared warship....
– 1966–80
Notable alumni
{|{|border="2" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"|-bgcolor="#f7f7f7"
!Name
!Birth
!Death
!Career
|-
|Song Sang-Hyun
Song Sang-Hyun
Song Sang-Hyun is a South Korean lawyer, and the President of the International Criminal Court .-Biography:Song attended Seoul National University Law School, graduating with an LL.B. in 1963. He attended Tulane University Law School as a Fulbright Fellow, then obtained a Diploma in Comparative...
|1941
|
|President of the International Criminal Court
|-
|Rupiah Banda
Rupiah Banda
Rupiah Bwezani Banda is a Zambian politician who was President of Zambia from 2008 to 2011.During the Presidency of Kenneth Kaunda, Banda held important diplomatic posts and was active in politics as a member of the United National Independence Party...
|1937
|
|President of Zambia
|-
|Shahid Aziz Siddiqi
Shahid Aziz Siddiqi
Nawabzada Shahid Aziz Siddiqi is a former senior Government official in Pakistan and Vice Chancellor of the Ziauddin Medical University...
|1945
|
|Vice Chancellor of Ziauddin Medical University
Ziauddin Medical University
Ziauddin University is a degree awarding private University in Karachi, Pakistan. After the necessary approval from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council , the University established Ziauddin Medical College in 1995, which commenced its first academic session in April 1996. The first group of 55...
and fomer Federal Secretary in the Government of Pakistan
|-
|Matthew Fisher
Matthew Fisher
Matthew Fisher is an English organist and singer-songwriter, and was responsible for the organ sound on the 1967 single, "A Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum.-Biography:...
|1946
|
|English composer
|-
|Ken Yeang
Ken Yeang
Dr. Ken Yeang [Chinese]: 杨经文/楊經文; [pinyin]: Yáng Jīngwén; born 1948) is a prolific Malaysian architect and writer best known for advancing green design and planning, differentiated from other green architects by his comprehensive ecological approach....
|1948
|
|Malaysian skyscraper architect
|-
|Susan Kiefel
Susan Kiefel
Susan Mary Kiefel AC is a Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy.- Early life and education :...
|1954
|
|Justice of the High Court of Australia
|-
|Tharman Shanmugaratnam
Tharman Shanmugaratnam
Tharman Shanmugaratnam is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Finance and Minister for Manpower. He previously served as the Minister for Education from 2003 to 2008...
|1957
|
|Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore
|-
|Sabiha Sumar
Sabiha Sumar
Sabiha Sumar is a Pakistani film-maker.Born in Karachi, Sabiha Sumar studied Filmmaking and Political Science at Sarah Lawrence College in New York from 1980–83 and then read History and Political Thought at Cambridge University....
|1961
|
|Pakistani film maker
|-
|-
|-
|}