Scholars thank donors at Radcliffe Observatory reception 

Green Templeton was pleased to bring together current scholarship holders and key supporters for a Scholars’ Reception in the Radcliffe Observatory on Thursday 10 November. Scholarships and bursaries often make the difference in supporting students who would otherwise not have the opportunity to study in Oxford.

Principal Sir Michael Dixon welcomed guests and Jeremy Leslie-Spinks (DPhil Primary Health Care, 2020) was the featured speaker.

Jeremy was awarded the Rosamund Snow Scholarship for work on career-changing illness in elite ballet dancers, and ways to enhance patient agency in the doctor-patient dialogue. He had trained and worked as a dancer for many years before being diagnosed with a degenerative spinal condition. His research takes the form of a qualitative, multi-disciplinary, ethnographic study of the case-histories of distinguished, damaged ex-dancers on three continents. He told the gathered group of donors and peers,

‘We need dancers to understand clinicians. We need clinicians who can understand dancers, and their specialised, experiential wisdom.

‘Mine is only one of many such stories. This college, this university, are full of brilliant minds, engaged in cutting-edge research, made possible by your support. Many people here this evening have the very best reason to be thankful to you and to all those donors whose greatness of heart has helped and still helps not only us, but also all the people whose lives and health will be saved and enhanced by the work you fund. Thank you.’

Other scholars attending included those studying business administration, clinical medicine, finance, geography, health data science, management studies, oncology, pharmacology, politics, primary care, social policy.

The college is grateful to all its donors.