Benefactors - St John's College, Oxford
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Benefactors
Contents
3 From the President
4 From the Development Director
6 Your Gifts
8 Coronavirus Hardship Fund
14 Graduate Scholarships
18 Hillary Rodham Clinton Chair of
Women’s History
20 Access and Outreach
26 1555 Society
30 Legacies
34 Our Endowment
38 Financial Report
40 Roll of Benefactors
Including Summary Financial Report, Sources and
Use of Funds for the year 2019–20
We are proud to feature images of our current
students in this publication. The photographs were
taken during lockdown, but all students observed
social distancing and College regulations.
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1
2
From the President
It has been an extraordinary twelve There are good experiences to reflect
months – as we all keep saying to each on too. Our tutors have adapted
other – and an experience like nothing magnificently to the challenge of
else in our lifetimes. Of course, the online teaching. Our admissions
College has survived a number of team managed the online interview
plagues over the centuries and always process in December very skillfully
comes back stronger than ever. This has and the access and outreach team
been a very heartening thought to hold have continued to reach many students
onto in the dark days of winter. through the Inspire Programme. Just
as importantly, the SJC Online events from
It has been a privilege, but also of course an the Alumni team have been very popular and
enormous challenge, to lead the College over this have enabled more of you to dip into College life
period. The past year has caused me to reflect a again than could have come to a physical event.
lot on the meaning of community and I have been
reminded at many points how lucky we are in St John’s I very much look forward to welcoming our students
to have such a wide network of strong support. You back to College and to being able to meet many of you
have contributed very generously to the Coronavirus at some point in the next eighteen months, whether
Hardship Fund and I know our students have been here or abroad, at a Gaudy, a lecture or a party – for
extremely grateful for your support and friendship. such events will be possible again. Most of all, I look
The past year has been particularly disruptive for forward to being with the whole College community –
them with multiple lockdowns curtailing their we will all, I think, value that more than ever.
independence, putting them back to studying in
their childhood bedrooms or on cramped kitchen Thank you once more for all your support. It has
tables alongside younger siblings or, for our overseas been a huge source of strength for us all in College
students, preventing them from getting back home over the past twelve months to know that we have the
and leaving them in the eerily quiet atmosphere of friendship of such loyal and engaged St John’s alumni
an Oxford city centre devoid of people and traffic. all around the world and we are truly grateful.
All this with the same intensity of academic work
that you will remember from your own studies
but without any compensatory fun. The students
have borne it with great fortitude, but it has not
been easy, especially perhaps for the Freshers.
Professor Maggie Snowling CBE FBA FMedSci
3
From the Development
Director
I know I am not alone in wishing that the been physical rather than virtual. We have
past year had been different. The impact found a way to keep in more personal
on College life and our students needs contact with many of you, particularly
no amplification but, as the President those far from Oxford, even if we are
says overleaf, St John’s is a community all feeling Zoom fatigue. More of you
and our alumni and benefactors are have become involved in all aspects
very much a part of it. You are not of College life, providing external
just visitors and correspondents but membership on College committees,
our friends – and your support, given mentoring and offering your wisdom and
through your time, advice, philanthropy expertise to Fellows and students alike. You
or just your presence in College, is integral to have also continued to be generous to St John’s for
St John’s. It has therefore been very challenging for which we are immensely grateful. Your gifts to the
me and for my team to see so few of you in person, College’s dedicated Coronavirus Hardship Fund, to
either in St John’s or near your home, whether that meet the extraordinary needs of our students during
is Edinburgh, New York, Brisbane or elsewhere. the pandemic, has been equally extraordinary. You
have collectively contributed over £220,000 to help
It is a testament to the strength of that community, our students, some of whom found themselves in
that sense of lifelong connection to St John’s, that, extremely difficult circumstances. A good number
in spite of the enforced distance, we all feel that the of those of you choosing to help our students in this
past year has not, in fact, been a period of isolation way are loyal and committed supporters of St John’s
and disconnection from you. More of you have been but it is particularly inspiring that for over 40% of
able to attend our online events than if our events had these donors it is your very first gift to St John’s.
Jacob Ward Angharad Jones James Driscoll Conor Jordan Alexandra Lindqvist Jones
Deputy Development Alumni and Benefactor Development Senior Development Alumni and Benefactor
Director Relations Manager Operations Manager Officer Relations Officer
4
Beyond supporting students in financial need, your Jacob, my capable deputy, and Conor have been talking
generosity has encouraged us to push ahead with to many of you about how your financial support can
establishing new graduate scholarships to work make a real difference at St John’s; James continues
alongside our new Professorial Fellow in History to help all of us by keeping everything running in the
(pp. 18-19), attracting the brightest young men and background! We were sorry to say goodbye to Stephen,
women in their field to work alongside an exceptional who has moved on to a new role at the central
academic, and, even in the first few months of 2021, University this year: we wish him well.
you have leapt to the challenge of helping to secure
a tutorial post in Medicine. Our medical students Thank you from each of us to all of you for your
continue to volunteer on the front lines of the support in this difficult year, however you have shown
pandemic: this funding will ensure that the quality it. It means a huge amount to us and we do very much
of teaching we offer them is uninterrupted and look forward to seeing you – in person! – soon.
undiminished by the current financial constraints
affecting the University.
None of this would have been possible without the
wonderful team we have at St John’s. Angharad and
Alex have been assiduously creative in making sure
that you continue to feel connected to your college; Robert Crow
5
Your Gifts Your gifts have a significant impact on every aspect of St John’s life. In the 2019-20 financial year your gifts, totalling £2,605,797, were directed to the following areas: 6
7
Coronavirus Hardship Fund The Coronavirus pandemic has involved considerable financial cost to many students. In response, St John’s launched its Coronavirus Hardship Fund in early 2020. This Fund has been providing emergency help to all those who require support – especially our most vulnerable students. 8
Holly Stapleton (2020, Jurisprudence)
Holly Stapleton is a first year law student who has been studying at home
for the duration of Hilary Term 2021. Here, she explains how she has
benefited from your donations to the Coronavirus Hardship Fund.
Without access to the many study spaces in St John’s home. The Fund meant that I was able to purchase
and the wider University, and without the large a much better desk chair, instantly improving my
desk and comfortable chair in my College room, I study space and home working situation. Without
have been really struggling to work the long hours this support, I would have really struggled to do
necessary at home. Since the beginning of the January my exams at home, but now I’m able to study for
lockdown, I had been spending long days studying longer which will help me to get a better grade
on an uncomfortable desk chair that was causing in my Mods. The fund also meant that I didn’t
me to have serious back pain. What’s more, the need to put financial pressure onto my family.
pandemic has meant that money at home is limited.
I would like to thank the donors to the Coronavirus
This is why the support that I received from the Hardship Fund for their support. It has made a big
Coronavirus Hardship Fund has been so important difference and I am very grateful.
to me; it benefits me every single day that I study at
Lucy Vickers (2019, Geography)
Lucy Vickers is a second year geography student who has been
studying from home since the beginning of the pandemic. She
explains how your support has affected her studies.
The pandemic has hit everyone hard and we have all second screen, my new monitor has been particularly
had to find new ways to go about our everyday routine. useful to split the source I am working from – reading
In particular, this has forced us to adapt our usual or lectures – from my laptop screen that I use to
working methods in order to try and maintain some take notes. Being able to organise my workspace like
level of normality. As a second year geography student, this has allowed me to approach the time I spend
having matriculated in 2019, I spend most of my at my desk in a much calmer manner, making my
time switching between reading on my computer and Hilary Term from home just that bit easier. The best
watching lectures, now also all on my computer. As thing about the monitor is that I will be able to use it
such, most of my day at the moment is spent staring when I am eventually able to return to St John’s, so
at a computer screen – as is the case for a lot of people it really is a long-term investment that will help me
– and so the monitor that I have been able to purchase for the rest of my time at Oxford. So, I want to say
thanks to the generous donors to the Coronavirus thank you to the donors to the Hardship Fund for
Hardship Fund has been vital for my academic work making my Hilary Term easier, more organised and
and in making my studies easier. By functioning as a helping to improve the efficiency of my worktime.
9Supporting our students
Total number of students Total number of students
who received an academic who received an academic
grant in Trinity Term 2019 grant in Trinity Term 2020
225 439
214
more students
needed financial support from
College in Trinity Term 2020 than
during the same period in 2019
We spent an additional
£91,347.45
on our students in Trinity Term 2020 to alleviate the
impact of the pandemic on their studies.
In 2020, grants were spent on:
Laptops Monitors Wi-Fi boosters Noise-cancelling Desk chairs
headphones
10Dr Matthew Nicholls, Senior Tutor
Matthew is the Senior Tutor and has been instrumental in supporting
St John’s students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. He writes
about the steps that the College has taken to ensure every student
has access to the resources they need to continue their studies.
As the COVID-19 situation in the our academic grant by £150 per head,
UK began to impose restrictions on and to adopt a more flexible attitude
Universities, around the end of Hilary than usual to what might constitute
Term 2020, we had to ask our student a necessary academic purchase.
population to leave College with no Computers, tablets, Wi-Fi boosters, desk
clear return date in mind. As it turned chairs, and noise-cancelling headphones
out, the large majority had to stay away have been popular purchases and much
from College throughout Trinity, and appreciated by our students. Money alone
into the summer. Many of them had exams cannot solve every problem, but it can go a
to sit, and all of them had important academic long way to help in many cases. By the end of
work to do. At University and College level plans Trinity Term, our expenditure on academic grants had
were quickly made and put into operation; exams and increased by over £90,000 compared to the previous
tutorials, for example, were put online. The College year. As it became clear that the current academic
began to deliver its teaching by Teams and Zoom, year, and the new first year cohort, were also going
with books scanned or posted by the library, or bought to be seriously affected, we increased the grant again
as e-copy. Colleagues across the College, and our and are seeing many applications. We have also put
students, adapted magnificently to these extraordinary in place group sessions and one-to-one consultations
circumstances, and did so again in the autumn as with expert study advisers for students who cannot
restrictions began to tighten, and again at the start yet return to College and who are finding it difficult to
of 2021 as we found ourselves once again in a full study at home. COVID-19 funds donated by our alumni
national lockdown, with most students at home. By have also been invaluable in supporting our graduate
now, we are all pretty used to teaching remotely, and scholarship holders, where research delays have caused
find that it works well; we have even been able to move them to seek an extension to their funding, or to apply
lecture events and other gatherings online. Other to our Coronavirus Hardship Fund.
elements of College life, and the College environment,
are of course harder to replicate and we all eagerly St John’s always seeks to provide our students with
await a return to normality. the best possible academic environment and support
for their studies, but alumni generosity has allowed
All of this is a credit to everyone involved, but it us to extend this in new ways quickly, and flexibly, to
has not been straightforward. We know that many respond to a quite unprecedented crisis. For this, we
of our students have home circumstances that are are all very grateful.
not ideal for quiet study; early in the first lockdown,
University surveys began to take a measure of that,
and to categorise and quantify the problems (lack of
desk space, of suitable computers or tablets, of reliable
internet, of peace and quiet).
Money alone cannot solve every
Here the generosity of our alumni has been very
helpful, and much appreciated. One of the first
problem, but it can go a long
measures we took to support students was to increase way to help in many cases.
11Angelika (2011, Experimental Psychology) and
Edward Love (2010, Oriental Studies)
Angelika is a social integration and diversity researcher who, following the
completion of her DPhil, now works as a leadership specialist for Russell
Reynolds Associates in Frankfurt. Edward stayed in academia following
the completion of his DPhil, and is now a Postdoc at the University of
Würzburg specialising in Egyptian magic. They married in the College’s
Chapel in 2017, and now live together in Germany. Here they tell us
what inspired them to give to the Coronavirus Hardship Fund.
The most significant influence on For Angelika, an EU national who joined
our time at Oxford was the College the St John’s community before student
community; peers in our respective fees tripled in 2012, Brexit and the
Undergraduate and Graduate cohorts, resultant fee changes for EU students
as well as the academic and academic- have brought the role that grants play
support staff. As part of a diverse and in maintaining a multicultural learning
dynamic community, they shaped environment into even sharper focus.
our development as students, young
citizens, and researchers. Giving back to Given that the situation for students
this community, and ensuring that the Junior from the EU is now much more financially
and Middle Common Rooms continue to be made challenging, it is again important to us that the College
up of students from the greatest possible range of experience remains as international, culturally complex,
backgrounds, has always been important to us. and stimulating as it was during our time at St John’s.
For Ed, as a prospective Undergraduate applicant Neither of us would have been able to study at
from a non-traditional background, the facilities and Graduate level without funding, and Ed’s DPhil was
financial support that St John’s offered were critical funded entirely by a Graduate Scholarship endowed
factors in his decision to apply to Oxford in the first by a St John’s alumnus. Ed is, then, one among
place and throughout his undergraduate degree, Ed hundreds of graduate students who never would have
received means-tested support. been able to take up their DPhil offers if it were not
We are eager to help ensure that St John’s
can play its part in making financial means
an ever-smaller contributing factor in the
decision-making process of young people who
are contemplating an Oxford application.
12We hope that supporting the Coronavirus Hardship
Fund can help to offset at least some of the factors
that will prevent students from making use of what
virtual College life can contribute to intellectual
and personal growth.
for the funding provided specifically by alumni. Also The restrictions that have been in place for most of
importantly, some of the most formative research the academic year 2019-20, and that look to curtail
and cultural experiences we had throughout our College life for much of 2020-21, have prevented
time at St John’s, a period of intense intellectual and several cohorts of students from making full use of
personal development, were facilitated by the Special what College and the University have to offer. Coming
Grant. Among them were Angelika’s research trip to face to face with leaders in their fields, serendipitous
Stellenbosch University in the Western Cape of South encounters, and spontaneously arising discussions:
Africa, and Ed’s time excavating in the Valley of the in a virtual learning environment, money cannot buy
Nobles in Egypt. these quintessentially Oxford experiences that we
so treasured. However, we hope that supporting the
With these experiences in mind, it was always going Coronavirus Hardship Fund can help to offset at least
to be important to us to give back as soon as our some of the factors that will prevent students from
own means allowed. We are eager to help ensure making use of what virtual College life can contribute
that St John’s can play its part in making financial to intellectual and personal growth.
means an ever-smaller contributing factor in the
decision-making process of young people who are
contemplating an Oxford application.
13Graduate Scholarships St John’s is home to a thriving graduate community. We are fortunate to be able to offer a number of graduate scholarships, enabling us to attract the brightest and best students, who might otherwise be unable to undertake their studies. 14
Justin Wormald (2020, DPhil Musculoskeletal Sciences)
Justin is researching Musculoskeletal Sciences for a DPhil
funded by a St John’s scholarship. He writes about what
receiving a scholarship has enabled him to discover.
As a plastic and reconstructive surgery wrist injuries. Developing an infection
registrar training in the NHS, I have in the hand and wrist following
spent the last three years treating surgery can result in substantial
patients with cancer and traumatic morbidity, including loss of hand
injuries. Repair and reconstruction function, need for further emergency
of injuries to the hand and wrist surgery, prolonged hospital stay and
form a substantial caseload for plastic even amputation. Surgical sutures
surgeons, accounting for roughly 1-in-5 that are coated in an antimicrobial
A&E attendances and around 5 million substance, triclosan, may be effective
injuries per year in the UK. The hand and for reducing the risk of infection, but have
wrist are important for social, occupational and never been studied in this patient group. I plan to
recreational activities with injuries often occurring conduct a number of studies that will better define
at work, playing sport or in domestic accidents. The the risk of infection in this patient group, and
most common injuries we see are fractures of the then to perform a small-scale clinical trial of these
hand and wrist bones, nerve injuries, tendon injuries antimicrobial sutures to understand their role in
and traumatic amputations, all of which can cause preventing infection.
significant morbidity, loss of earnings and loss of
independence for patients. The evidence base for The recent and necessary focus on COVID-19 research
management of hand and wrist injuries has lagged has resulted in fewer funding opportunities for
behind other areas of healthcare. In order to get the surgical research, especially at doctoral level. I have
best outcomes for patients with these debilitating felt the impact of this since the pandemic began,
injuries, further clinical research is required. with a number of funding bodies withdrawing
fellowships and grants due to financial uncertainty
I began my DPhil at St John’s and the Nuffield or prioritisation of COVID-19 research. The decision
Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and of St John’s to award this scholarship to me has
Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS) in October been instrumental in realising my aspiration
2020. My research focuses on understanding and to pursue my research and I hope will translate
preventing infections following surgery for hand and directly into better care for trauma patients.
The decision of St John’s to award this
scholarship to me has been instrumental
in realising my aspiration to pursue my
research and I hope will translate directly
into better care for trauma patients.
15Professor Rebeccah Slater, Professorial Fellow in
Neuroscience and Fellow for Graduate Studies
Professor Slater is one of the College’s Fellows for Graduate Studies. She
explains the invaluable role that graduate scholarships play in College life.
The College’s graduate community maintenance, such as the Daniel Slifkin
is a vibrant group of 250 students, Scholarship, which is awarded based
who study subjects ranging from on academic excellence to a student
theoretical chemistry, musculoskeletal studying the BCL or MJur at the
sciences, through to social policy, Oxford Law Faculty. Other awards
ancient history and film aesthetics. make partial contributions towards
The students have created a thriving the costs of studying. For example,
international community that sits at the the Dr Yungtai Hsu Scholarship is
heart of research activities at St John’s. available to MSc students studying
The students’ enthusiasm and passion for Environmental Change & Management. The
learning generates a dynamic atmosphere where College is incredibly grateful for your generous
their intellectual and personal development is contributions that enable us to support our graduate
encouraged through numerous college initiatives. students in this way during their studies.
For example, the termly Supper Lecture Series allows
students to share their academic work with peers and As a Fellow for Graduate Studies, I have first-hand
college Fellows in an informal and supportive setting experience of seeing how students supported by
and to be guided in their next steps. these schemes flourish during their time at St John’s.
I watch talented students dedicate themselves to
To support our students, St John’s offers a number their study, and see directly how new ideas flourish
of scholarships to those embarking on graduate and become transformed into new knowledge. The
study. A key success of our scholarship programme Scholarship programme allows us to attract the
is our ability to partner with external institutions best minds from a broad range of backgrounds,
and sponsors to provide additional funding for our and ensure that students with diverse interests and
students. For example, partnership with UK Research skills can join together to share their intellectual
and Innovation (UKRI) has enabled us to offer eight experiences. In the coming years, I hope to see the
scholarships across the disciplines of Social Sciences, support for our graduate students go from strength to
Mathematical, Physical & Life Sciences and Medical strength while I watch our current graduates progress
Sciences. Some awards provide full course fees and and excel in their studies.
The Scholarship programme allows us to
attract the best minds from a broad range of
backgrounds, and ensure that students with
diverse interests and skills can join together
to share their intellectual experiences.
16Dr Yungtai A. Hsu (1971, Modern History)
Yungtai matriculated in 1971 to read for a degree in Modern History,
and then returned to St John’s in 2006 to undertake a DPhil. He tells us
about the reason he chooses to support a Graduate Scholarship.
In life, we accomplish a few memorable Flag. Having become tired of running
things: we learn ideas that shape our my own business – though successful,
thinking and we pass these ideas on it had become monotonous without
to those who wish to learn from us. much intellectual stimulation – I
St John’s is a place which encourages was inspired by my reconnection
this knowledge exchange. I decided with Oxford. I asked around about
that to help develop the young minds pursuing a higher degree and, under
of St John’s to the fullest would be very the encouragement of President
rewarding, and this is why I chose to Michael Scholar, I reapplied to the
support men and women with potential by University and was accepted by St John’s,
establishing a graduate scholarship in 2003, and have this time to pursue a DPhil in economic history.
been helping students in this way ever since.
Returning to St John’s in 2006, 32 years after
When I first arrived in Oxford in October 1971, it was graduating with my BLitt, on the surface everything
a cold late autumn near the beginning of winter. I was seemed to have changed. Oxford is not as tranquil
the only student from Taiwan and everything British and quiet as it was in the 1970s, now that there are
was so original and new to me – the antiquity and so many tourists and businesses. But my academic
tranquility of the town and the greenness of the grass life remained unchanged: busy and full. The
and fields in the surrounding areas appeared in sharp tradition of seeking truth and knowledge at Oxford
contrast to where I came from. Surprised and excited, still carries on and I was thrilled to live and study
I began to pursue a postgraduate degree. again in one of the best colleges in Oxford.
I remember my first dinner at St John’s, when Whenever I think about how St John’s gave me
President Southern told us that our days at Oxford the opportunity to nourish and grow my mind, an
would be busy and full, and we should get used to it opportunity which has impacted my life in many
and keep it that way, even after graduation. This is the ways after leaving Oxford, I feel obliged to give back
first lesson that I learnt at St John’s and throughout my to St John’s, to pass on the same blessing to today’s
life it has remained the most inspiring piece of advice promising students. It is very gratifying to see them
I have received: we should never waste our most flourish and knowing that I have played a part in
limited resource, time. their achievements.
After I obtained my BLitt in 1974 (later reinstated as
an MLitt), I returned to Taiwan before migrating to
the USA. Although I wished to stay in academia, I
ended up in the shipping and logistics business. In
2005, I attended a St John’s reunion in New York Whenever I think about
and met many old friends who used to live on
Museum Road and spend evenings at the Lamb &
how St John’s gave me the
opportunity to nourish and
grow my mind… I feel obliged
to give back to St John’s.
17Launching new scholarships in History 18
Hillary Rodham Clinton Chair
of Women’s History
In 2020 St John’s was delighted to announce that College, already one of our strengths, it is particularly
the newly established Hillary Rodham Clinton Chair pleasing that the post was created in a year which
of Women’s History – the first professorship of its commemorated both a century of women’s formal
kind in the English-speaking world – was to be held admission to the University and also the 40th
in conjunction with a Fellowship at St John’s. The anniversary of women being admitted to St John’s.
inaugural holder of this post will be Professor Brenda
Stevenson, an extremely distinguished historian of sex, The Chair itself comes to St John’s fully funded through
race, and politics, who is currently at UCLA; Brenda external philanthropy, and the College now seeks to
will take up her post in September. endow two new graduate scholarships in History at
St John’s to work alongside the Chair. We hope to raise
This is a highly prestigious post in Oxford and also a total of £1.5m to create these new awards which will
a very important one for St John’s, as it will be the be open to the best scholars in the field. If you would
College’s first Professorial Fellowship in History. be interested in discussing this initiative please contact
Beyond being a tremendous boost to History in the Robert Crow by emailing robert.crow@sjc.ox.ac.uk.
Professor Brenda Stevenson, the incoming holder of the Hillary
Rodham Clinton Chair of Women’s History gives her own view
on why scholarships are so important for this post.
Growing up in a small southern town in To that purpose, I want to assure you that
a segregated, working class community one of the most significant contributions
and then moving on to be among that can be made to support Oxford’s
the first generation in my family to distinction in these initiatives is to
attend college, I could not imagine provide graduate student funding for
that I would have the great fortune those exceptionally bright minds to
and blessing to one day serve as be able to evolve and contribute to the
the inaugural recipient of the Hillary intellectual and social imperative that
Rodham Clinton Chair of Women’s History is women’s history. As a grateful recipient
at the most magnificent university in the of scholarships my entire career, I know
world. I am truly humbled by this extraordinary personally how absolutely essential financial support
opportunity and honor. As I look forward to moving is to encouraging the brightest and best among us
to Oxford in the autumn of 2021, I am anxious to to dedicate their lives to scholarly endeavors that will
embrace and expand the history-making efforts at the have positive impact on our university community and
university to not only further embrace women’s history our larger society. The Hillary Rodham Clinton Chair
and all that it does to enlighten and inform social, at St John’s needs this kind of student support in order
political, economic and cultural progress world-wide, to fulfill its great potential as a true game-changer in
but to truly be a global leader in this effort. women’s history and gender-equity in our society.
19Access and Outreach St John’s is proud of its reputation as a socially diverse community. We are committed to recruiting the best students regardless of background through a variety of programmes for pupils, parents, carers and teachers. 20
The pupils have loved it
when we have received
I thought it was a brilliant programme. something physical from
Some of our pupils who struggle Oxford, like the [DNA]
with confidence for various reasons blocks. It’s very powerful
benefited from this. They grew in to have a physical object;
confidence and started to think of the pupils feel special.
themselves as skilled academics. I
Teacher coordinator from Ealing
cannot wait to run it next year.
Teacher coordinator from Harrow
The joy when [the pupils] In these times, I couldn’t be more
knew they were right grateful that you and others at Inspire
… was one of the rare acted so swiftly on the feedback I
moments of, ‘I know why gave … about the lack of IT and
I am a teacher’. These web provision. It has been truly
do not happen often. wonderful to see the way that Oxford
acted on this with the swift result
Teacher coordinator from Ealing that a student without, now has a
tablet to work off and therefore can
continue her learning successfully.
Teacher coordinator from Ealing
I feel this programme really helps
to give us all that extra push so
that we can extend to the best of
our abilities because we are all The Biology sessions were
capable. This just gives us more particularly interesting
knowledge which helps to make us and interactive. The
understand a variety of subjects. pupils really enjoy sessions
where the science and
Pupil participant from Ealing the ethics are considered
alongside each other.
Teacher coordinator from Harrow
21Matt Garraghan, Pre-GCSE Project Lead
Matt Garraghan is the Pre-GCSE Project Lead for the Inspire Programme. He
outlines the challenges that the Access Team has faced in this unprecedented year.
The St John’s Inspire Programme is one March 2020, of course, was a month like
of the largest access programmes in no other, upending even the best-laid
Oxford, with over 1,300 pupils currently plans, and the Inspire Programme was
enrolled on our programmes. In spite no exception. Within the space of a
of the unprecedented challenges of the few weeks, trips, clubs and summer
last year, this is a number that continues schools were cancelled or suspended,
to grow, as the invaluable support of as the programme moved wholly
our Fellows, alumni and benefactors online. However, we were determined
has enabled us to reach out to more young that the pupils on the programme would
people across the UK than ever before. be able to continue to benefit from their
participation in the programme. Thanks to the
One of our most ambitious projects is the pioneering heroic efforts of colleagues in the Inspire Team to
Pre-GCSE Inspire Programme, which is being piloted keep the wheels rolling, a series of self-guided online
in the College’s two link boroughs in London: Ealing classes was created for the Pre-GCSE Programme and
and Harrow. This sustained-contact programme released periodically, complete with challenges and
is taking over 300 high-attaining pupils from 24 competitions for which participants could win prizes.
different non-selective state schools through a three- And despite the cancellation of all events in College,
year course, from the age of 13 through to 16, with the office was delighted to run three simultaneous
St John’s funding a designated Teacher Coordinator in virtual summer schools during the first week of
each participating school. These Inspire coordinators August 2019 – not only for our Year 9s on the Pre-
deliver bespoke material created by the programme to GCSE Programme, but also for other pupils from non-
their cohorts in after-school Inspire Clubs, on topics selective state schools in Years 10-12.
that have so far ranged from black holes and DNA, to
the ethics of poverty and global justice, encouraging Beyond the Pre-GCSE Programme, this year has also
debate and intellectual curiosity as well as subject seen a record-breaking 982 pupils enrolled on our
engagement. In addition to these clubs, we were also Inspire Programme for Years 10 & 11, an increase
fortunate to have been able to run four large-scale from last year of more than 50%, demonstrating
‘Aspiration Days’ through the programme, including a strong appetite for opportunities such as those
two trips to the London Science Museum, before the provided by St John’s. Being online-only, this strand
COVID-19 pandemic struck. of the programme was open to all pupils in non-
22selective state schools across the country, and we have and to expand the reach of our programmes. As a
been particularly pleased to see pupils registering result of the pandemic, the challenges of educational
not only from the College’s own link areas in London disadvantage have grown to unprecedented levels,
and the South Coast, but from across the whole of making continued engagement with young people
England, from Northumberland to Dorset. Moreover, across the country more important now than ever
there is more to come: we are excited to launch both before. Thanks to the vital support that we receive
a revamped programme for Year 12s and a brand-new from St John’s Fellows, alumni and benefactors, the
programme for Year 13s later this year, ensuring that College continues to rise to the challenge.
pupils from the ages of 13 right the way through to 18
are able to benefit from one of our programmes.
Throughout all of this, the barriers that digital poverty
can pose to pupils’ access to education have become
increasingly apparent in a time of remote learning.
Inspire has therefore taken steps to ensure that those
on our programmes are not disadvantaged due to lack
of online provision; this has included the funding It has been a source of
of a number of tablets for pupils on the Pre-GCSE
Programme who otherwise lacked access at home.
great pride to see the whole
St John’s community respond so
When I joined St John’s in summer 2019, I certainly
could not have foreseen the challenges that would
enthusiastically, enabling us to
emerge half way through my first year. However, it has continue to engage with so many
been a source of great pride to see the whole St John’s
community respond so enthusiastically, enabling us
young people, and to expand the
to continue to engage with so many young people, reach of our programmes.
23Dr Ana Wallis, Post-GCSE project Lead
Ana designs and delivers a wide range of STEM workshops and activities
as part of the Inspire Programme. She tells us about how she has
adapted to engaging with schools and pupils in a virtual setting.
The purpose of the Pre-GCSE Inspire try fitting the pieces together in different
Programme is to provide opportunities ways and form their own conclusions,
for pupils to engage with new topics, which replicated the scientific process.
and to create interesting, interactive
extra-curricular activities allowing The second workshop focused on
them to explore subjects in ways they some ‘real-world’ applications of DNA.
would not usually encounter in the We focused on DNA sequencing, as
classroom. Having recently completed this is an area with many contemporary
a DPhil in Genetics, I was involved in ethical considerations, and allowed us to
designing and creating a number of STEM incorporate a debate – something that pupils
workshops for the programme, on topics ranging may not often encounter in a STEM subject at school.
from the physics of black holes, to the impact of This interdisciplinary element fitted well with the aims
plastics on our environment. of the Inspire Programme – to encourage pupils to
look beyond their syllabus and to link their subjects
One of the early workshops I created was a pair of with their own lives and the wider world.
sessions on DNA, based on my own DPhil research
topic: I thought this would be an appropriate theme, as To enable non-specialist teachers to deliver the
I vividly recall finding genetics confusing when I was workshops, we also created videos to explain some
in school! of the key terms and concepts, with animations and
examples. The workshops were successfully delivered
The first workshop examined some basic DNA to over 300 pupils in their schools, and I was delighted
concepts: how the DNA molecule, ‘genes’, and the way that we received very positive feedback from our
we look are related to one another. We designed some Teacher Coordinators, with pupils really enjoying both
DNA pieces, which we produced using a 3D printer, the physical interactivity, and the ability to grapple with
so that pupils could discover – literally – how DNA some of the most crucial ethical debates in the field.
fits together. One aspect I particularly liked about
this physical representation was that pupils had to
This interdisciplinary element fitted well
with the aims of the Inspire Programme
– to encourage pupils to look beyond
their syllabus and to link their subjects
with their own lives and the wider world.
24Peter McManus (Literae Humaniores, 1959)
Peter spent most of his life working in IT, developing new IBM products and
founding a software company, and then spent many years being a Trustee of
a water harvesting charity working in rural Rajasthan and Gujarat. He tells
us why he continues to support our Access and Outreach programmes.
To me, giving back is important. When we are
students, we are largely in ‘take’ mode, almost by
definition, and we are privileged by our first-class
education for the rest of our lives. Like most, I have I hope to be able to continue
always felt a strong affinity with the College, and I
think it is especially important to support efforts to
to give to St John’s in the
mitigate the enduring advantage of access enjoyed future, because
by those from privileged backgrounds. I was lucky
to be educated at a grammar school where Classics
there is no
teaching reached a good standard. In many modern evidence that
state schools, such teaching is simply not possible
with the resources available, and the College Outreach
today’s social
Programme seeks to remedy this situation. I hope divide will
to be able to continue to give to St John’s in the
future, because there is no evidence that today’s
narrow.
social divide will narrow. If anything, it continues to
widen despite our aspirations to make a difference.
251555 Society 26
Regular donors to St John’s make all the difference when it comes to preserving
and improving all areas of College life, and we are delighted that almost 1,000
alumni currently have a monthly, quarterly or annual gift set up to the College.
Regular gifts allow us to plan for the future, and These areas are all ongoing priorities for St John’s.
ensure that every generation of students and staff can Each year we depend upon the kind philanthropy
be supported. We rely on these gifts, whatever the of alumni, and we are delighted that so many have
amount, and want to express our thanks to everyone chosen to join the 1555 Society with such generous
who makes a regular gift. regular gifts.
We are especially grateful to the many St John’s alumni In thanks, 1555 Society members will be invited to
who choose to make particularly generous regular an annual event, will receive regular updates on the
gifts to the College. To convey our gratitude, we have impact of their generosity, and will be recognised as
created a new group to celebrate these donors. members in College publications. Take a look at the
roll of Benefactors towards the back of this magazine
The 1555 Society has been established to give special to see who has joined already.
recognition and thanks to the College’s most generous
regular supporters, who give £1,555 ($2,000 USD) Our ambition is to grow this Society significantly over
or more per year. This can be on an annual basis, or the coming months and years. If you are interested
spread out over a monthly or quarterly gift. in joining the 1555 Society or would like to discuss the
details of it further, please do not hesitate to contact
Every year gifts from 1555 Society donors make an Conor Jordan by emailing conor.jordan@sjc.ox.ac.uk.
important difference to the fabric of the College and Thank you for your generous support.
its community. Taken together, the collective gifts
from all 1555 Society members currently equate to an
endowment gift of over £1.5m.
1555 Society donors have been helping to provide vital
coronavirus relief; offering scholarship support for our
outstanding graduate students; helping to expand our
access and outreach initiatives; and maintaining our
world-class tutorial system.
We are especially grateful to the many St John’s
alumni who choose to make particularly
generous regular gifts to the College. To convey
our gratitude, we have created a new group to
celebrate these donors.
27Alice Watson (Geography and the Environment, 2018)
Alice, a DPhil candidate in Geography and the holder of one of our 450th
Anniversary Scholarships, which were generously endowed by alumni,
discussed why being able to study at Oxford has been so important to her.
Firstly, I would like to express my student radio station. I have really enjoyed
enormous thanks for your generosity being part of the College’s Women’s
and to say how grateful I am to be a Leadership Programme, which has
450th Anniversary Scholar at St John’s. been a fantastic opportunity to meet
It is a real privilege to study for a fellow postgraduates and hear from
Geography DPhil at Oxford and it inspiring alumnae.
would not be possible without your
support. I am very grateful to have had the
opportunity to be a student in this special
I am now in my third year and can hardly place, which would not have been possible
believe where the time has gone! My research without donors like you: thank you.
explores how radio shapes geographical imaginations;
in other words, how broadcasts paint pictures
through sounds and the spoken word and call on
listeners to imagine spaces, places, and people in
their mind’s eye. My thesis connects these ideas
with geopolitics of migration, examining how
Europe’s migration ‘crisis’ was portrayed on BBC I am very grateful to have had the
Radio 4, and how selected broadcasts were produced
by journalists and interpreted by listeners.
opportunity to be a student in this
special place, which would not
Oxford is such a vibrant and exciting place to live as
well as study. I play for the University’s golf team and
have been possible without donors
present a show called Oxford College Castaway on our like you: thank you.
28The 1555 Society recognises 1555 Society donors are providing
donors who make gifts of student hardship support,
£1,555 per year or more. expanding our access and outreach
initiatives, and maintaining our
world-class tutorial system.
Taken together the collective You can contact the
gifts from all 1555 Society Development Office for more
members currently equate to an information on how to join.
endowment gift of over £1.5m.
Dr Dan Guhr (Educational Studies, 1993)
Dan matriculated in 1993 to read for an MSc in Comparative and International
Education, before completing a DPhil in Educational Studies – both at
St John’s. Below, he writes about why he decided to join the 1555 Society.
Joining the 1555 Society was an easy and heartfelt decision. St John’s
to this day positively contributes to all our lives – through fellow
students who became dear friends, substantial and long-standing
contributions to scientific discovery, and generous hospitality to
its alumni. Supporting St John’s in continuing to educate the next
generation of talented students, and to attract excellent faculty
members, is something we all should unite behind.
29Legacies 30
Legacies, however modest or
magnificent, enable donors to
remember St John’s alongside
their loved ones, often by giving
sums which would not have been
possible during their lifetimes.
The power of legacy
giving
Gifts in wills are an important source of funding for As St John’s is a registered UK charity, there are
all charitable organisations, and in this St John’s is no a number of tax advantages in including a gift to
exception. Legacies, however modest or magnificent, the College in your will. If you would like further
enable donors to remember St John’s alongside their information on leaving a legacy, or to discuss
loved ones, often by giving sums which would not these options, please contact the Development
have been possible during their lifetimes. A growing Office by emailing alumni@sjc.ox.ac.uk or calling
number of alumni and friends are choosing to do 01865 610 885.
this: their generosity and forethought will play an
important part in helping to secure many aspects of The College is particularly grateful to those who
the College’s operations for generations to come. choose to give in this way, and strongly encourages
you to let us know if you have included a provision
There are a number of ways in which you can for the College in your will so that we can thank
recognise St John’s in your will, and the method you you appropriately. The Rawlinson Society exists to
choose will depend on your circumstances. The most recognise all those who have informed St John’s
common form of legacy is a specified sum of money, that they have kindly remembered the College
but it is also possible to donate a specific asset, a in their will. St John’s holds an annual event to
percentage of your estate, or its residuary after gifts thank members for supporting the College in this
to other people or charities. special way.
31The Kendrew Funds were bequeathed to the College by Sir John Kendrew, a distinguished
scientist, Nobel Prize winner, and former President. In keeping with the spirit of Sir John’s
international and humanitarian concerns, the funds are offered to a worldwide field of
applicants from economically less developed countries, more specifically to students who
are from countries whose Gross National Product (GNP) falls outside the highest 25% of
countries in the world.
Helio Cuve (Experimental Psychology, 2018)
Below, we hear from Helio Cuve, a current holder of the Kendrew
Scholarship and DPhil Candidate in Experimental Psychology.
Being the first person with a higher Not only has this scholarship given me the
education degree in my family, I will financial means to be able to study and
never take for granted the fact that live in Oxford, it has also provided me
the Kendrew Scholarship allowed with a rich academic and social network
me to accept my place at St John’s. that has had an immensely positive
Thanks to the generous support from impact on my experience at Oxford.
the donors to the Kendrew Fund and
Clarendon Fund, I have been able to fully I am very grateful to everyone who
immerse myself in my work and pursue continues to donate to the College. I hope
my ambition to contribute to our scientific that you can continue to believe and invest in
understanding of human emotions and behaviour. making the scholarship pool more diverse, and would
like to thank you for your continued support.
I am striving to have a positive impact on how we
understand and treat neuropsychiatric conditions
through my DPhil research investigating visual
and physiological processes implicated in emotion
and face processing difficulties, and this would
not be possible without my scholarship.
Not only has this scholarship given me the financial
means to be able to study and live in Oxford, it has
also provided me with a rich academic and social
network that has had an immensely positive impact
on my experience at Oxford.
32Paula Aamli (Modern History, 1992)
Paula Aamli (née Poyer) worked in the third sector before moving to her current
role at HSBC. She tells us why she’s including a gift to St John’s in her will.
Access to high quality education absolutely giving towards the Hardship Fund and
transformed the opportunities for my towards initiatives for widening access to
family. My dad’s father was a coal miner the college.
while my mum was the first female in
her family to complete her high school I have always been keen on initiatives
education. They both hold doctorates that widen access or make it more
in Chemistry and encouraged me and practical for people from diverse and less
my brother to pursue our own educational privileged backgrounds to study, both to
interests, in the humanities. I was the first develop themselves and also so that a wider
in the family to study at Oxford – closely followed range of people have chances to contribute in
by my brother, three years later! I have always been furthering human knowledge.
keen on initiatives that widen access or make it more
practical for people from diverse and less privileged
backgrounds to study, both to develop themselves and
also so that a wider range of people have chances to
contribute in furthering human knowledge. I have always been keen on
When I was thinking of updating my will last year, one
initiatives that widen access or
of the factors that meant I chose to include St John’s make it more practical for people
was that I could specify for the gift to be applied for
particular purposes. My bequest will certainly not be
from diverse and less priveliged
big enough to be a fund in its own right, but I am backgrounds to study.
33Professor John Kay explains the background to the endowment which, as he makes
very clear, is what enables the College to fulfil its academic purposes so effectively – and
generously. What he doesn’t say is that much of the success in maintaining and securing
the returns that the College relies on is very much due to his skill and financial acumen.
As Investment Officer from 1987 until his retirement last year, Professor Kay steered our
finances and for that we all owe him a huge debt and our eternal thanks.
Professor Maggie Snowling, President
Our Endowment
St John’s endowment income was for long but Kleinworts had circumvented these
derived almost entirely from its North restrictions by taking out a loan in Swiss
Oxford estate. That estate was built on francs to buy American shares. When
land owned by the College almost since Nixon abandoned the gold standard
its foundation and as a suburb of the in 1971 the Swiss franc soared relative
city in the nineteenth century as the to the dollar and the cost of the loan
suburb of North Oxford. In the 1960s became crippling.
the Governing Body adopted a radical
change of strategy. This was partly a matter At the beginning of 1975, the College sacked
of choice, and partly the result of legislation, in Kleinworts and repaid the loan. After a beauty
particular the Leasehold Enfranchisement Act of 1967 parade, the firm of Fielding Newson Smith was
which gave many holders of long leases the right to buy appointed as our principal brokers and Christopher
the freehold of their properties. The new objective was Clayton, a young partner in the firm, became an
to realise funds from North Oxford to reinvest in college adviser, a position he occupied with skill and humour
buildings and increase the number of tutorial Fellows. for more than thirty years. (At Big Bang, he joined
Cazenove, which still advises the College.) The
Plans were made for what is now the Thomas White Thomas White building was completed, to a scaled-
Building. The Fellowship went outside its own back plan, in 1975 and two years later the academic
number for the first time to elect the distinguished staff fully ‘took back control’ when Bill Hayes became
mediaeval historian Richard Southern as President and Bursar; I supported him on the investment side (with
promising young tutors such as John Carey and Keith a lot of help from George Fleet) and importantly we
Thomas were appointed; I came to St John’s as part of recruited John Montgomery – astonishingly, his was
this recruitment drive. the first appointment of a full time qualified chartered
accountant in the University. When Bill was elected
But in the 1970s things started to go wrong. As President in 1986 he was succeeded as Bursar by Tony
construction of the Thomas White Building was in Boyce and twenty years later by Andrew Parker; the
progress, inflation accelerated, reaching an annual rate College has been fortunate to find three Fellows with
of 27% in 1974. Management of the funds realised from both an academic background and the practical skills
the Oxford estate had been outsourced to Kleinwort to oversee its financial management.
Benson, the investment bank; but between 1972 and
1974 the stock market fell by two thirds and the value I assumed the role of Investment Officer and we were
of government stocks plummeted to levels never seen at first adventurous, even reckless; we bought physical
before or since. Exchange control at that time prevented silver and sold it at ever increasing prices to Bunker
institutions from investing directly in foreign securities Hunt, the Texas (soon to be ex-) billionaire who tried to
34corner the world market. After exchange control ended holding in Vodafone (the company by then accounted
in 1979 we appointed a (still little known in London) for an absurd 15% of the entire value of the stock
firm called Goldman Sachs to manage an American market) and reduce similar holdings of technology
portfolio and subsequently added a Japanese portfolio. stocks, I asked how many similar discussions he had
But Goldman Sachs outgrew us, and at the end of the heard; the answer was none. A lesson of history is that
1980s we resumed oversight of the American holdings when no-one remains to be infected, epidemics end.
and with fortunate timing quit Japan. (We have not
been back.) But another lesson of history is that while people tend
to overestimate the short-term pace of technological
For the last two decades of the twentieth century, it innovations such as the internet they also tend to
was hard to go wrong in investment markets. Inflation underestimate their impact in the long run. After the
and interest rates fell and stock markets boomed. The bubble burst, we employed an American boutique
College’s finances were again secure. Work could begin asset manager, Edgewood, to manage a growth-
on the Garden Quad, which was completed in 1995. oriented American portfolio; a decision which has
worked out well in the long run and especially so in
As the century ended on a final burst of irrational the current pandemic.
exuberance in the New Economy bubble, we could
stand back and reassess our position. The benefits of But by 2006, as work began on the last major expansion
a long-term perspective became evident as one saw of the College’s residential accommodation, the new
the events of Wall Street’s roaring twenties reproduce madness was in credit markets. There seemed almost
themselves, not just in outline but in considerable no asset classes in the world which were not overvalued,
detail. After the meeting at which we agreed with but one was German property. And so we acquired
Christopher Clayton that we would sell our entire some Berlin apartment blocks. When the global
Figure 1: General Endowment Total Real Return and Drawdown %
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