Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lucy Cavendish College
Lucy Cavendish College Bertram, De Brye and New Build view from the courtyard
Arms of Lucy Cavendish College
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	All ages from 2020
Sister college	Regent's Park College, Oxford
President	Madeleine Atkins
Undergraduates	367 (2022–23)
Postgraduates	486 (2022–23)
Map
Location in Central Cambridge

Lucy Caroline Cavendish, a pioneer of women's education

Lucy Cavendish College is a special part of the University of Cambridge in England. It's one of the colleges that make up this famous university. The college is named after Lucy Cavendish, who worked hard to improve education for women.

It was started in 1965 by women who taught at Cambridge University. They felt there weren't enough chances for women to study or teach there. Today, Lucy Cavendish College welcomes both men and women of all ages. It focuses on helping talented students from many different backgrounds.

History of Lucy Cavendish College

Founding the College for Women

Lucy Cavendish College began in 1965. It was founded by women who were academics at the University of Cambridge. At that time, there were only two colleges for women in Cambridge. These colleges were Girton and Newnham. The founders believed there weren't enough places for the growing number of female staff and students.

A group of women academics, informally called the "Dining Group," started the idea. They wanted to create a place where women could enjoy the benefits of being part of a college.

Naming and Growth of Lucy Cavendish

The college was named after Lucy Cavendish (1841–1925). She was a strong supporter of women's education. One of the college's founders, Margaret Braithwaite, was her great-niece.

First, it was known as the Lucy Cavendish Collegiate Society. In 1970, it moved to its current location. It officially became Lucy Cavendish College in 1986. By 1997, it was a full college of the university, recognized by a special Royal Charter.

College Presidents and Leadership

The first president of the college was Anna McClean Bidder. She was a zoologist and helped start the "Dining Group." The college's coat of arms even includes a nautilus shell because of her work with sea creatures.

Many inspiring women have led the college since then. The current president, the ninth one, is Madeleine Atkins. She started her role in 2018.

Becoming a Mixed-Gender College

Starting in October 2021, Lucy Cavendish College began accepting both women and men. This was a big change! The main reason was to help more students get into Cambridge. The college wanted to support the university in offering more places to excellent students.

They especially wanted to welcome students from backgrounds that are not always well-represented. This means students who might not typically get into Cambridge. Lucy Cavendish College has become very diverse. In 2022, it was the first Cambridge college to admit over 90% of its undergraduate students from state schools.

Exploring the College Site

Current Location and Buildings

For its first few years, the college was in different places. In 1970, it moved to its permanent home. This site is located near Madingley Road and Lady Margaret Road in Cambridge.

The college is built around three old 19th-century houses. There's also a new, modern building. This new building is very eco-friendly and easy for everyone to use.

College Facilities and Green Living

The college has many useful facilities for students. These include student accommodation, a library, and teaching rooms. There's also a dining hall, a gym, and social spaces. You can find a large café/bar too.

The new accommodation building is very special. It meets a high eco-standard called Passivhaus. This means it's super energy-efficient. Also, all the college's electricity comes from renewable sources. In 2022, the college won a Platinum Award for its green efforts. This is the highest award from a United Nations program for being environmentally friendly.

Student Accommodation Options

Lucy Cavendish College offers many places for students to live. There are rooms on the main college site. The college also owns other rooms and flats nearby.

To make sure even more students have a place, the college rents extra properties. These are from other colleges and at Mount Pleasant Halls. This helps provide plenty of housing for all its students.

Lucy Cavendish College coat of arms

Student Life at Lucy Cavendish

A Diverse Student Community

Lucy Cavendish College has over 900 students. About 40% are undergraduates (doing their first degree). The other 60% are graduates (doing further studies). Students come from more than 85 different countries. This makes it a truly international and diverse college.

The college aims to welcome students from all walks of life. This includes students with different types of qualifications. In 2020, 74% of new students came from groups that are often under-represented. In 2022, over 91% of new UK students came from state schools or colleges. This is much higher than the university average.

Students at Lucy Cavendish College are sometimes called "Lucians."

Academic Success and Support

The college helps its students do very well in their studies. In 2020, 97% of eligible students achieved high marks. This means they got either a 2:1 or a 1st class honours degree. The college provides a supportive environment for learning.

Clubs and Societies for Students

Students at Lucy Cavendish are encouraged to join clubs. There are hundreds of clubs and societies across the whole university. Joining these groups helps students have a balanced life. It also helps them make friends and connections.

At Lucy Cavendish, you can find an art society and two choirs. There's also a sewing and knitting group. Students can join the Lucy Cavendish College Boat Club. There are also teams for badminton, football, and netball. Some societies are based on specific courses, like Lucy Lawyers.

Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize

The college hosts an important writing competition each year. It's called the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize. This prize is for women novelists over 18 years old. They must not have had a novel published yet.

The prize was started by Janet Todd. It has helped many writers begin their careers. Many shortlisted writers have gone on to become successful authors. Famous winners include Gail Honeyman, who wrote Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.

Besides the prize, the college offers writing courses. It also supports a virtual platform called "Lucy Writers' Platform." This platform helps new non-fiction writers and journalists.

List of Presidents

Notable People from Lucy Cavendish

Dame Judi Dench is an Honorary Fellow of the college

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

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

Honorary Fellows

An Honorary Fellow is someone special recognized by the college. They are often famous or have achieved great things.

• Jackie Ashley
• Carol M. Black
• Margaret Burbidge
• Shami Chakrabarti
• Jane Clarke
• Dame Judi Dench
• Janet Neel Cohen, Baroness Cohen of Pimlico
• Anna Ford
• Edwina Dunn
• Cynthia Glassman
• Sophie Hannah
• Helena Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws
• Queen Margrethe of Denmark
• Martina Navratilova
• Dame Anne Owers
• Pauline Perry, Baroness Perry of Southwark
• Nirmala Rao
• Alison Richard
• Dame Stella Rimington
• Sarah Sands
• Ali Smith
• Veronica Sutherland
• Dame Cath Tizard
• Janet Todd
• Sandi Toksvig
• Claire Tomalin