Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lucy Cavendish College
A view of some of the buildings at Lucy Cavendish College.
Blazon: Per fess enarched azure and sable, in chief two bars wavy argent, over all issuant from the fess line a water lily also argent slipped and leaved vert, and in base a buck's head caboshed, between the attires a lozenge argent charged with an escallop sable
University	University of Cambridge
Location	Lady Margaret Road (map)
Coordinates	52°12′40″N 0°06′36″E / 52.2112°N 0.1101°E / 52.2112; 0.1101 (Lucy Cavendish College)
Abbreviation	LC
Established	1965
Named after	Lucy Cavendish
Gender	Mixed from 2021 onwards
Age restriction	None
Sister college	Regent's Park College, Oxford
President	Madeleine Atkins
Undergraduates	367 (2022–23)
Postgraduates	486 (2022–23)
Map
Location in Central Cambridge

Lucy Cavendish College is one of the colleges that make up the famous University of Cambridge in England. A college is a community within the university where students live, study, and socialize.

The college was founded in 1965 as a college for women. Since 2021, it has welcomed both women and men as students. It is named after Lucy Cavendish (1841–1925), a woman who worked hard to improve education for women.

History of the College

Lucy Caroline Cavendish, who fought for better education for women.

In the 1950s, female teachers and researchers at Cambridge University felt they needed more opportunities. At that time, there were only two colleges for women, Girton and Newnham. This wasn't enough for the growing number of women working at the university.

A group of these women started the college in 1965. They wanted to create a supportive community like the other colleges had. They named it after Lucy Cavendish, whose great-niece, Margaret Braithwaite, was one of the founders.

The college was first called the Lucy Cavendish Collegiate Society. It moved to its current location in 1970. In 1997, it received a Royal Charter, which is a special document from the monarch, making it a full college of the university.

Becoming a College for Everyone

In 2021, Lucy Cavendish College began accepting men as well as women. The college wanted to offer places to more talented students from different backgrounds who might not have thought about applying to Cambridge before.

The college's goal is to make Cambridge more open to everyone. In 2022, Lucy Cavendish became the first Cambridge college where over 90% of its new students from the UK came from state schools (public schools).

The College Buildings and Grounds

The college's coat of arms can be seen on its buildings.

The college is located just northwest of the center of Cambridge. Its campus includes three beautiful houses from the 19th century that have been updated for modern use.

In 1991, the college bought a nearby house that once belonged to the famous economist Alfred Marshall. It was used for student rooms for a while but is now the home of the college's President.

Most of the college's main buildings, like the dining hall and library, were built in the 1990s. The college also has a new, eco-friendly building that is very energy-efficient. All of the college's electricity comes from renewable sources, like wind or solar power. Because of its efforts to be green, the college received a Platinum Award for Green Impact in 2022.

Student Life

Lucy Cavendish has over 900 students. Students at the college are sometimes called "Lucians." The college is known for its friendly and welcoming community.

In 2022, a record 91.1% of new UK students came from state schools. This is much higher than the average for the whole university, which was 72.5%. This shows the college is succeeding in its mission to welcome students from all backgrounds.

Clubs and Activities

Students can join hundreds of clubs and societies at the university. This helps them balance their studies with fun activities and make new friends.

At Lucy Cavendish, there is an art society, two choirs, and a club for sewing and knitting. The college also has sports teams for badminton, football, and netball. There is even a popular rowing club, the Lucy Cavendish College Boat Club.

Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize

The college is home to the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize. This is an award for women writers over 18 who have not yet published a novel. It was started by a former college president, Janet Todd. Some winners, like Gail Honeyman, have gone on to become very successful authors.

List of Presidents

The head of Lucy Cavendish College is called the President. Here is a list of all the presidents since the college was founded.

Famous People Connected to the College

The famous actress Dame Judi Dench is an Honorary Fellow of the college.

This stone was laid by Queen Margrethe of Denmark in 1993.

Many well-known people are connected to Lucy Cavendish College. They are either former students (alumnae) or Honorary Fellows. An Honorary Fellow is a person given a special honor by the college because of their great achievements.

Notable Alumnae

• Noeleen Heyzer, a high-ranking official at the United Nations.
• Rosena Allin-Khan, a Member of Parliament in the UK government.

Honorary Fellows

• Jackie Ashley, a journalist and former President of the college.
• Dame Judi Dench, a world-famous actress.
• Queen Margrethe of Denmark.
• Martina Navratilova, a legendary tennis player.
• Dame Stella Rimington, the first female head of MI5, the UK's security service.
• Ali Smith, a celebrated Scottish author.
• Sandi Toksvig, a writer, comedian, and TV presenter.