An evening of celebrating generosity

Principal Sir Michael Dixon brought together current scholarship holders and key donors for a Supporters’ Reception in the Radcliffe Observatory on Thursday 13 November. Scholarships and bursaries make the difference in supporting students who might otherwise not have the opportunity to study at Oxford. Guests met current beneficiaries and fellow supporters, heard inspiring student stories and speeches, and learned more about the college’s future plans.

Tara Mayhew (DPhil Translational Health Sciences, 2025) said: ‘It was a wonderful opportunity to attend such a welcoming reception at the start of my DPhil journey and a special pleasure to enjoy the college’s generous hospitality in the stunning Tower of the Winds. It was a lovely chance to meet members of the wider GTC community, donors and recipients, and gain fascinating insights from people with a variety of backgrounds, affiliations with the college and areas of interest. I feel honoured to be welcomed and supported by such an inspiring community.’

One of the event speakers was Oxford-Intesa Sanpaolo MBA Scholar Elim Shanko. During her speech she said: ‘To our donors and supporters, thank you. Your generosity doesn’t just fund degrees – it creates belonging. It allows students like me to dedicate ourselves fully to learning, contributing, and giving back. For me, it has done even more than that: it has lifted the weight of financial worry and replaced it with the confidence to dream bigger – to see myself as part of a generation of women shaping sustainable change and leadership across Africa and beyond. The impact of your support ripples far beyond Oxford, into the lives and communities that each of us will touch in turn.’

‘Thank you to everyone who joined us for what was a wonderful evening.’- Sir Michael Dixon, Principal