Robinson College, Cambridge

It was founded after the British philanthropist David Robinson offered the university £17 million to establish a new college in Cambridge: this is still one of the largest donations ever accepted by the university. Robinson later gave his college another £1 million, on the occasion of its official opening. The first graduate students and fellows joined the college in 1977. Undergraduates (20 of them) were admitted in 1979, but significant numbers only began arriving the following year. The college was formally opened by The Queen in May 1981.

Robinson is the newest of the Cambridge colleges, and is unique in being the only one to have been intended, from its inception, for both undergraduate and graduate students, of either sex. Despite maintaining some Cambridge traditions, such as Formal Hall, the college has tended to avoid others: for example, it is one of the few colleges that allows its students to walk on the grass in the college gardens. Robinson is in general less formal and traditional than most of the other colleges in the university.

Designed by the Scottish architectural firm Gillespie, Kidd & Coia, Robinson's main buildings are distinctive for the generous use of red bricks in their construction (one and a quarter million of them.) Of particular note are the library and chapel, the latter with stained-glass windows designed by John Piper. Located a ten minute walk west of the city centre, behind the University Library, near the science buildings in West Cambridge and the arts faculties on the university's Sidgwick Site, the college stands on a 12.5 acre wooded site. Within its grounds are Thorneycreek House and Cottage, accommodating graduate students, and Bin Brook, which once supplied water to the Hospital of St. John (now St. John's College), flows through the college gardens. A number of second-year students live in college-owned accommodation elsewhere in Cambridge, most notably a terrace of six houses ("Romsey Terrace") off the city's Mill Road. The main entrance to the college is via a drawbridge-like ramp which is accessible to wheelchair users, and there are also some special facilities for those with physical or visual disabilities.

Looking onto the back of Robinson College, from the college gardens

With its modern facilities and comfortable accommodation (with most of the rooms on the main site being en-suite), Robinson is also one of Cambridge's most important conference centres, and always hosts a number of conferences during the summer months when the undergraduate students are away on their long vacation. Unlike some of the older colleges, Robinson does not own large amounts of land which can be used as a source of income; thus the ability to host conferences represents an important asset to the college from a financial perspective.

The Needham Research Institute is also located within the college grounds.

The stained-glass windows on Robinson College Chapel, designed by John Piper

1 Student life
2 Notable alumni
3 Notable fellows
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Student life

Students of the college are represented by the Robinson College Students' Association, or RCSA, with members of the college elected into positions on the RCSA committee every year. Politically, Robinson is liberal, but its reputation normally places it amongst the more apathetic of Cambridge colleges, unlike King's or Clare, which have a more radical left-wing reputation. Nonetheless, Robinson, nicknamed the "car park" for its architecture, has supplied a large number of Green Officers to the Cambridge University Students' Union in recent years. Most recently, however, the college has supplied a president to CUSU in the form of Mark Ferguson.

Like other colleges, Robinson provides its students with social facilities such as a JCR/MCR, TV room and bar. Due to its other role as a conference centre, the college is equipped with two auditoria that are available for student use during term; the larger one in particular being frequently used by the college's film society and "Brickhouse Theatre Company" (dramatics society.) There is also a purpose-built party room ("The Bassment"), dedicated to hosting college "bops" and other entertainments. Musical talents are catered for by way of the music room, CD library and chapel. A wide range of college-based societies are on offer for Robinson members, and there are also several sports teams, covering most major sports; everything from waterpolo and cricket to rowing and rugby.

[edit] Notable alumni

Nick Clegg, politician
Greg Hands, politician
Charles Hart, songwriter and musician
Konnie Huq, television presenter
Rebecca John, television presenter and journalist
Tim Luckhurst, journalist and former editor of The Scotsman
Marc Quinn, artist
Robert Webb, actor
Andy White, musician and poet

[edit] Notable fellows

Myles Burnyeat, ancient philosopher (honorary fellow)
Albrecht Fröhlich FRS, mathematician
Professor Morna Hooker, Emerita Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity and first female holder of the Cambridge D.D.
Professor Sir Jack Lewis, Lord Lewis of Newnham FRS, inorganic chemist and first Warden

[edit] External links

Sketches of the college from Cambridge Art
Robinson College Students' Association
Robinson College MCR (Graduate Society)
Robinson College May Ball website

[edit] References

College website and links followed within, particularly the "college information" section: [1]

Colleges of the University of Cambridge
Christ's \| Churchill \| Clare \| Clare Hall \| Corpus Christi \| Darwin \| Downing \| Emmanuel \| Fitzwilliam \| Girton \| Gonville and Caius \| Homerton \| Hughes Hall \| Jesus \| King's \| Lucy Cavendish \| Magdalene \| New Hall \| Newnham \| Pembroke \| Peterhouse \| Queens' \| Robinson \| St Catharine's \| St Edmund's \| St John's \| Selwyn \| Sidney Sussex \| Trinity \| Trinity Hall \| Wolfson