St Cross College, Oxford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Cross College |
||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Richard Blackwell Quad, St Cross College
|
||||||||||||||||
Blazon: Argent a Cross Potent Purpure a Quarter counterchanged; and for the Crest upon a Helm with a Wreath Argent and Purpure an Armillary Sphere upon a Stand Or thereon a Dove with wings elevated and displayed Argent holding in the beak a Sprig of Mulberry fructed and leaved proper mantled Purpure doubled Argent
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||
| University | University of Oxford | |||||||||||||||
| Location | St Giles' | |||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 51°45′24″N 1°15′37″W / 51.756528°N 1.260311°W | |||||||||||||||
| Latin name | Collegium Sanctae Crucis | |||||||||||||||
| Motto | Ad quattuor cardines mundi | |||||||||||||||
| Motto in English | To the four corners of the earth | |||||||||||||||
| Established | 1965 | |||||||||||||||
| Named for | St Cross Road and St Cross Church | |||||||||||||||
| Sister college | Clare Hall, Cambridge | |||||||||||||||
| Master | Kate Mavor | |||||||||||||||
| Dean | Heather Hamill | |||||||||||||||
| Undergraduates | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| Postgraduates | 545 (2018) | |||||||||||||||
| Boat club | Boat Club shared with Wolfson College Boat Club | |||||||||||||||
| Map | ||||||||||||||||
 Location in Oxford city centre
|
||||||||||||||||
St Cross College, often called StX, is a special part of the University of Oxford in England. It was started in 1965. St Cross is a college just for students who are studying for advanced degrees (called graduate students). It has old-style buildings in the middle of Oxford, on St Giles'. The college tries to offer the same kind of support and community as colleges for younger students.
Contents
History of St Cross College
St Cross College officially began on October 5, 1965. It welcomed its first five graduate students the next year. Like many newer Oxford colleges, St Cross has always welcomed both male and female students.
Moving to a New Home
The college first started on St Cross Road, near St Cross Church. It got its name from being close to these places. In 1976, the college started talking about moving to a new site on St Giles' Street. This new site was owned by Pusey House.
The move happened in 1981, and St Cross College began using the Pusey House site for a very long time – 999 years! The old site on St Cross Road was still used. It became student housing in 1996, shared with Brasenose College.
Leaders of the College
The head of St Cross College is called the Master. Unlike most Oxford colleges, the Master of St Cross is chosen by the University Council, not just by the college itself.
Sir Mark Jones became Master in September 2011. He was followed by Carole Souter in September 2016. She retired in September 2022. Since September 2023, Kate Mavor has been the Master of St Cross College.
Buildings and Campus
St Cross College is located on St Giles' Street. It is close to the famous Ashmolean Museum. It is also near the university's Classics and Oriental Studies departments.
College Quads
The college has two main courtyards, called quads. These are the Richard Blackwell Quadrangle and the newer West Quad. St Cross shares its main site with Pusey House. Pusey House has its own library and a chapel within the shared buildings.
The buildings around the Richard Blackwell Quad were built between 1884 and 1926. When St Cross moved in, some changes were made. For example, old storage rooms were turned into the Saugman Common Room. The first quad was named after Richard Blackwell, who helped the college get a large donation. Students often call it 'the front Quad' now.
The Four Colleges Arch
On the west side of the Blackwell Quad, you'll find the Four Colleges Arch. This arch is named after four colleges that gave a lot of money to St Cross. These colleges are Merton, All Souls, Christ Church, and St John's.
Behind this arch, there used to be a large garden. This space allowed the college to build more buildings and create the second quad, the West Quad.
Developing the West Quad
Work on the West Quad started with the South Wing. This part includes a dining hall, kitchen, and rooms for conferences and games. It also has guest rooms and student bedrooms.
A second building for the West Quad was planned to be finished by 2015. However, there were delays because the plan involved removing an old wall. After some changes, the new West Wing building was completed in 2017. This new building has 50 student bedrooms, a lecture hall, a library, and seminar rooms. It had some issues with its window frames, but these were fixed, and the building reopened in 2023.
Other College Buildings
Besides the main site, St Cross College still owns its original location on St Cross Road. This site is now used for student housing, called the St Cross Annexe. Other student housing buildings run by the college include Bradmore Road House, Stonemason House, and houses in Wellington Square. The Master's home is also in Wellington Square.
Academics and Learning
In 2016, St Cross College had over 550 graduate students. They studied many different subjects. The college is very proud of its international community. Over 75% of its students come from outside the UK. This is why the college's motto is Ad quattuor cardines mundi, which means 'to the four corners of the earth'.
The teachers and researchers (called fellows) at St Cross also come from many different countries and study a wide range of subjects. The college offers several scholarships to help students pay for their studies, especially in subjects like history and social sciences.
Student Life at St Cross
Students at St Cross College are welcomed in the same way as students at other Oxford colleges. A unique thing about St Cross is that students and teachers (fellows) share all the social areas. There are no separate dining tables or common rooms for teachers. Everyone mixes together!
Activities and Events
The college has many social events for students and former students. There are different clubs and sports teams. Often, St Cross teams join with other colleges for sports. The college also holds weekly academic talks and yearly conferences.
Some students can live in college housing during their first year. Students can join many extra activities. There are sports teams for football, rowing, netball, and basketball. Students can also play other sports with teams from other Oxford colleges.
The college's Boat Club is shared with Wolfson College. It competes in races within the university and in other competitions. The St Cross women's football team won the Cuppers Championship in 2015.
Other fun events at the college include regular formal dinners, a big feast once a term, and informal parties called 'bops'. There is also a yearly ball. St Cross was the first Oxford college to officially celebrate Chinese New Year. Former students can also attend reunion events in Oxford and around the world.
The student common room also organizes arts activities, like an annual play. The cafe and bar area is a large room with comfy sofas, a TV, and a football table. There's even a free DVD library. In the summer, students enjoy playing croquet and drinking Pimms on the quad.
College Administration
St Cross is one of only three Oxford colleges that does not have a special royal document called a royal charter. It is officially a "society" of the university, not a fully independent college. This means that the college's governing body suggests a Master, but the University Council makes the final decision.
St Cross has one of the smaller financial funds (called endowments) among Oxford colleges. However, it still offers many scholarships to students, thanks to donations from supporters and former students.
Traditions
College Grace
Before and after meals, the college says a special prayer or blessing, called a grace. It is said in Latin and then translated into English.
(ante cibum) Adesto nobis, Domine Deus noster: et concede ut quos Sanctae Crucis laetari facis honore, ejus donis quoque salutaribus nutrias, per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum.
(before the meal) "Be present with us, O Lord our God: and grant that those whom thou makest to rejoice in the honour of the Holy Cross, thou mayest also nourish by wholesome gifts, through our Lord Jesus Christ."
(post cibum) Gratias agimus tibi, Domine, pro omnibus beneficiis tuis per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum.
(after the meal) "We give thanks to thee, O Lord, for all thy favours through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Everyone Together
Unlike most colleges, St Cross does not separate its common rooms for students and teachers. All areas are open to everyone. There is no special "High Table" for teachers in the dining hall. At formal meals, the Master and teachers sit with the students at the long tables. This helps everyone feel like part of one big community.
Notable People from St Cross College
Famous Alumni
- Aharon Appelfeld, a writer from Israel
- Steve Baker, a British politician
- Ruth Barnes, an expert and curator at the Ashmolean Museum
- Kurt M. Campbell, an American diplomat
- Colin Dexter, a famous author (he was a fellow, not an alumnus)
- Tim Foster, an Olympic gold medalist in rowing
- M. G. Harris, a children's author
- Hermione Lee, a professor of English Literature
- Kelsey Leonard, the first Native American woman to earn a degree from Oxford
- Sally Mapstone, the leader of the University of St Andrews
- Sultan Muhammad V, a Sultan from Malaysia
- Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu, a former Prime Minister of Romania
- Douglas Wigdor, an American lawyer
Masters of St Cross College
- William van Heyningen, 1966–1979
- Godfrey H. Stafford, 1979–1987
- Richard C. Repp, 1987–2003
- Andrew S. Goudie, 2003–2011
- Sir Mark Jones, 2011–2016
- Carole Souter, 2016–2022
- Rana Mitter (interim), 2022–2023
- Kate Mavor, 2023–present
