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Murray Edwards College
University of Cambridge

Pathways to Success Encourages Young Women to Aim High

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    27 July 2016
    Photo of sixth-form students attending Pathways to Success conference outside the entrance of Murray Edwards College
    Sixth-form students at the Pathways to Success conference outside the Dome

    One hundred young women from 25 UK schools attended a special conference, Pathways to Success, on 29-30 June for high-achieving sixth-form students. This popular event is organised annually by Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge.

    Pathways to Success is a two-day conference, designed to celebrate students’ achievements so far, and to inspire them for the future by exploring the breadth of exciting opportunities ahead.

    The 100 students and their teachers were specially selected from a wide range of schools. During their visit, they took part in workshops about how they see success and about the importance of daring to aim high, and they enjoyed a celebration dinner.

    They heard talks from two alumnae: Emily Burns (a clinician) and Jess Brandler (an educator working in conflict resolution). Both are already making a significant contribution through their chosen careers. They described what they were doing, the opportunities they had seized and why their professional role was important to them.

    Another valuable part of the conference was the chance to meet and talk with undergraduates from Murray Edwards, to quiz them about studying at Cambridge, college life, and the opportunities which have inspired them for the future.

    Poppy Barford from LAE School in Stratford said: “I think it’s good to know there are many different versions of success and you don’t have to follow the conventional route.”

    Jackie Chan from Woldingham School in Surrey said: “I found it very informative and the College’s students broke the Oxbridge stereotypes and what it would be like to study in Cambridge. It really made the College stand out. I think a women’s College is good as it is very empowering and we don’t have full equality in society yet.”

    Dr Hilarie Bateman, the organiser at Murray Edwards College said:  “Murray Edwards College has a long-standing commitment to helping bright young women from all backgrounds to succeed at Cambridge and beyond. We hope that, through celebrating their successes and sharing their ideas with us and each other, these outstanding young women will go home with a clearer sense of what they want to achieve in future and why this matters to them.”

    Find out more about our next Pathways to Success conference

    The next Pathways to Success conference will take place on 5-6 July 2017. Find out about applying to study at Murray Edwards College. Schools who are interested in attending or who would like further information, please email: slo@murrayedwards.cam.ac.uk