Murray Edwards College is very pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Gavin Stevenson, an award-winning specialist in teaching and student development, as Deputy Senior Tutor.
Gavin, who has been repeatedly recognised in student-judged teaching awards in Cambridge, will provide support for students and their tutors at Murray Edwards, and help develop ways to further enhance teaching at the College.
He takes over from Dr Paola Filippucci, who received warm thanks from all at the College for her skilled and committed work in the role.
Senior Tutor Andrew Rudd said: ‘Gavin brings a wealth of experience to the position, having been Director of Student Development (a role he will continue to hold), Tutor and Director of Studies at Murray Edwards. He is held in great affection and esteem across the entire College community.
‘Working closely with me and the Head of Wellbeing, Gavin will support our students, be an experienced point of help for our wonderful team of Tutors and explore ways in which we can enhance teaching and learning at Murray Edwards together.’
Dorothy Byrne, College President, said: ‘Gavin's support for students and understanding of the challenges they face have been outstanding in his current roles. We are fortunate indeed that he will now be the Deputy Senior Tutor. Gavin will also take the lead in a new programme of teaching support.’
In the 2023 Cambridge Student Union Student-Led Teaching Awards, which exist to reward outstanding teaching and student support across the university, Gavin won a university-wide award for innovative teaching.
Students praised Gavin, a Fellow in Sociology at the College, for his ‘meticulously planned’ supervisions (the university’s one-to-one or small group teaching sessions) that still ‘feel like a conversation’. He was singled out for his efforts to encourage students to follow their own interests and for taking those interests seriously.
In his role as Director of Student Development at Murray Edwards, Gavin oversees the College’s innovative Gateway Programme, which provides all its students with study skills sessions, careers and personal development support, connections with alumnae and other help with the transition to the workplace.
Commenting on his new appointment, he said: ‘I’m thrilled to have been offered the position and look forward to working with the amazing tutorial, academic, and other teams in college to support our students throughout their degree.’