Rea Duxbury is an alumna of the College (2015, HSPS) and is also now our new Schools Liaison Officer.
We caught up with Rea to find out more about what it's like being back in College.
Welcome back to Murray Edwards Rea. How does it feel to be back?
It's exciting to be back in College and to be part of the staff community. It's great to see both familiar and new faces among students, staff and Fellows.
Can you tell us a bit about the role of Schools Liaison Officer and what drew you to the role?
I am responsible for encouraging students from all backgrounds to apply to Murray Edwards and Cambridge through building relationships with schools and colleges. This involves running events at Murray Edwards for schools in our link areas of Derbyshire, Manchester and Haringey, as well as going to visit the schools in these areas to give presentations on admissions and student life.
I was drawn to the role due to my own background and educational experiences. They have motivated me to work in the education sector and improve access to higher education for underrepresented groups. I never thought I would end up studying at Cambridge so it's a real privilege to now work for Murray Edwards within widening participation to reach out to the next generation of students, providing them with information and advice.
What makes Murray Edwards College such a special place to study and work?
In summary: 'Dome is Home'. The College is such a friendly and welcoming environment to study in – staff, Fellows and friends are immensely supportive and help you to achieve. I have felt as welcomed as a member of staff as I did when I first started as a student.
As a student, you took part in the College's Gateway Programme. Can you tell us a bit about how it's helped you to achieve your goals?
The Gateway Programme is fantastic and something I would recommend for all students at College to get involved with if they can.
With Gateway Challenges funding I was able to travel to France and see some of the châteaux (Chenonceau, Cheverny and Chambord) in the Loire Valley region, which I had been eager to go to since studying History at A Level.
I was also able to secure a Gateway internship for two months at the National Extension College (NEC), an online distance learning provider. This helped me to achieve my goals as I was able to gain experience in the education sector and build up skills which have been invaluable in subsequent roles. I returned to the NEC after graduation for five months and will continue to seek guidance and inspiration from their CEO, Ros Morpeth OBE, who is a wonderful educational leader and Murray Edwards/New Hall alumna.
What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
From my mum: make the most out of every opportunity as you never know where it will take you.
How do you spend your free time?
A lot of my free time is spent catching up with the friends I made at Murray Edwards now we are all in different parts of the country (and abroad). I also enjoy listening to music, dancing and yoga. I was recently bought the collection of the Penguin Little Black Classics, so I will be slowly making my way through the 129 books!