Page 28 - Mansfield 2019/20

MCR President’s Report
John Wilkinson (DPhil Condensed Matter Physics, 2018)
I can’t quite believe it as I write this, but a whole year has passed since I became MCR President. And what a year it has been! Mansfield’s graduate community is now over 200 strong, and continues to welcome students from across the world, from a multitude of backgrounds, studying a plethora of different subjects.
In Michaelmas term 2019, we were joined by 80 new MCR members, and the Bench organised a range of introductory events, including welcome drinks, a bar exchange with Worcester College, and a dinner with ‘College parents’ (current MCR members who kindly volunteered their time to help the new intake settle in). Although the typical Oxford weather prevented us going on a punting excursion, freshers’ week was a roaring success and really helped our new members settle into life at Mansfield.
Our social activities continued throughout the year and proved to be popular, organised by Philip Sivyer (Philosophical Theology), Clay Graubard (International Relations) and Liam Parker (Engineering Science). We arranged exchange dinners with many colleges (including Merton, Keble, St Peter’s and St John’s), wine
and cheese exchanges with Queen’s and Linacre, movie nights, pancake nights and much more. These events enabled us to take a much-needed break from studying (and reminded us just how good the food is at Mansfield).
‘ I have very much enjoyed the opportunity to be MCR President this year, and
I am proud of all that we have achieved together. ’
We were keen to involve the SCR in our events too, which we achieved through the Michael Mahony seminars. Lottie Moore (Theology) started off this series
in Michaelmas by helping us to find the meaning of the world according to Albert Camus. Lucinda Rumsey, Senior Tutor, and Professor Ian Griffiths, gave a joint seminar in Hilary term, introducing the graduates to Mansfield’s successful outreach programme by informing us about fluid dynamics and initiating us into the world of Anglo-Saxon riddles.
Finally, in Trinity term we took the seminar series online, where we organised an internet-themed session: Colin Williams (History) gave a talk about the origins of the internet, and Professor Helen Margetts FBA OBE, Mansfield Fellow in Society and the Internet, spoke about keeping humans in the loop as the internet gets increasingly involved in our lives. These talks were a highlight of the MCR’s term and were very well received by both MCR and SCR members.
One of the primary objectives of the MCR is to represent Mansfield’s graduate students to the College and the wider University.
In order to do this successfully, we have BME, LGBTQ+ Bench positions, Disabilities and Women’s representatives, headed by an Equalities Officer. We were delighted
to have all of these positions filled by MCR members, who were very active in ensuring that the MCR continues to be a safe space, where everybody feels welcome.
In particular, our Women’s Officer Dorina Heller (Women’s Studies) organised many activities throughout the year, including ‘W(h)ining Women’, and a brunch for International Women’s Day. Both occasions were hosted in conjunction with the JCR, and the MCR provided generous assistance with the funding. These events were very well attended by the graduate community, who accounted for around one quarter of all participants.
As university can often be very tough
on the mental health of graduates, our Welfare Officer, Daria Jensen (Psychiatry), also hosted many activities throughout the year. In particular, the bi-termly welfare brunches have been a major attraction, with several members dropping by for
a chat and to enjoy a moment of relief from the demands of academic life. A mindfulness event was also put on through Ripple (a start-up providing student-run guided meditation sessions), in conjunction with College. This proved to be very successful among MCR members, with the MCR and College providing full funding for participants. Yoga and Pilates, organised by the College, were also popular within the graduate community.
I have very much enjoyed the opportunity to be MCR President this year, and I
am proud of all that we have achieved together. The MCR has brilliantly embodied the Mansfield culture of being open, inclusive and welcoming, and I am sure it will continue to do so in the future.
28