Most-read blogs of 2018
We’re looking back at some favourites from Pembroke’s social media. Today it’s the turn of the Kit Smart blog! Here’s the blogs you’ve been reading most in 2018.
Adapted from the University of Cambridge CAM magazine, this blog was all about life in the Porters’ Lodge. Porter Sarah Hendry was featured, as was Head Porter, and then Head Porter at Girton, Gordon Murray.
Favourite quote: “Above all, you need to be a great listener, not just a good one. If you just sit and nod, you may not pick up on some of the things that a student is trying to express to you. You have to ensure that every one of them feels part of the College and no one is excluded.” (Gordon Murray)
Written by then-Graduate Trainee Librarian Emma Shapiro, this blog took a look at the life of Kamau Brathwaite: Poet, Historian, and Honorary Fellow at Pembroke. Professor Kamau Brathwaite (1950) is one of the leading producers of intellectual discourse on Caribbean literature and culture. Emma put together a wonderful display celebrating his 88th birthday, with material from the George Padmore Institute, Dr Anne Walmsley, BBC Written Archive Centre and the Cambridge English Faculty Library.
Every year a number of Pembroke students represent the University of Cambridge in their chosen sports. Fiona Shuttleworth (2015) is a University rugby player and passionate promoter of sport at Pembroke. We interviewed her for the blog following a successful Varsity match against Oxford in December 2017, and were thrilled when she and the Cambridge Women's team also won in December 2018 . Fiona was also named CURUFC women’s forward of the year, and won Pembroke’s Dan Rookwood prize.
It wouldn’t be Cambridge without rowing, so of course this list wouldn’t be complete without it either! Back in the Lent term we spoke to members of Pembroke College Boat Club (PCBC) about the upcoming Lent Bumps races. Rowing draws large numbers of Pembroke students at College and University level.
Favourite quote: “A lot of people want to come and give it a go, and a lot of people find it quite addictive. Once you’ve tried it a few times there’s something about it that you can’t really shake.”
We talk about art a lot at Pembroke, and International Women’s Day 2018 was no exception. PhD student Nicole Maniero (2017) was inspired by Frida Kahlo to create an exhibition exploring the complex relationships between artists and their identities and bodies.
Favourite quote: “I think what really matters, at the end of the day, is that we accept these representations as part of a complex identity, and that’s it. What really matters is being open enough to accept these different masks, different identities that we can take on. Openness is the key to approaching these works.”
The Parmee prize is an annual competition for Pembroke students who have a business idea and are in need of funds and/or expert advice. It’s sponsored by Richard Parmee (1970), the subject of this blog. A keen businessman, he now offers the support to Pembroke students that he lacked when first starting out.
So much happens here at Pembroke over the course of 12 months that every now and then we stop to take stock of it all. Number 7 on this list was one of those moments, looking back at some of the events that made 2017 such a busy year. We’ll be looking back on 2018 in a similar way next week, so keep an eye out for that.
Another guest blog comes in at number 9, this time written by Wesleyan University and Pembroke-King’s summer programme student Angie. PKP happens every summer, bringing students from around the world to Pembroke for six weeks of talks, lectures, and of course exploring Cambridge. Angie, who was studying Metaphysics and Philosophy of Mind, Cambridge Writers, and Literary London while at Pembroke, wrote about the first week of the programme.
Favourite quote: “Whether it is diving deep into academics, exploring the colleges, traveling to new cities, or just being able to make new friends among the diverse student body of the program, this experience will be life changing, challenging, and so rewarding.”
This is a more recent blog, from just last month. Christmas, or bridgemas, starts early in Cambridge. The Michaelmas term ended in November this year, so we had to squeeze in the festivities before Advent had even begun. Whether that meant putting up Christmas trees or singing carols in November, Pembroke has been filled with Christmas spirit for over a month!
In case you missed it, here's our best 9 instagram posts from 2018 as well:
