Young women inspired to aim high

The Access and Student Recruitment team at Murray Edwards were delighted to welcome 60 year 10-12 students to its Cambition programme in Blackburn for the second year running. The programme has been developed in partnership with Star Academies and reflects our shared vision and commitment to nurturing young talent. Star Academies runs a growing network of primary and secondary schools, with clusters in Lancashire, West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and East London. 

The programme is divided into three stages, with the event in Blackburn being the first stage 'Explore'. It's designed to inspire and empower students, familiarise them with the range of opportunities available here at Cambridge and explore the different subjects on offer. In attendance were students from Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School, where the event took place, and Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School.

Murray Edwards Senior Tutor Dr Victoria Harvey addressed the students with her talk 'What is the University of Cambridge looking for and could that be me?' which inspired them to aim high and have the confidence to make the most of the opportunities available to them.  

Students spent the afternoon taking part in workshops with the support of student ambassadors from the College, who answered questions about the different subjects on offer, and shared their experiences of studying at Cambridge.  

Feedback from students was exceptionally positive, and confirmed how beneficial they found talking to current students and staff from Murray Edwards.

"I loved talking to the student ambassadors as they gave amazing advice on how to go from an A level student to being accepted as a Cambridge student, and they were so lovely 😀!"

"It was very interesting to heard first hand from graduates and students about the Cambridge experience and campus life."

"Very informative - Cambridge students were very helpful. It was helpful to know about the entry requirements as well as the broad nature of the courses."

In the second and third stages of the programme, Year 12s will follow up with 'Discover More' online sessions where students will delve into more detail about super-curricular activities, student life at Cambridge and the application process. In the final stage of the programme, students visit the College in person, with free transport and accommodation provided, to find out first-hand what life could be like as a Cambridge student.