°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û

Image of

Lene Northwood

As a person who grew up on the opposite side of the planet to a family that had no history of attending university, the idea of me attending Cambridge was, quite frankly, laughable. Then I fell in love with Criminology and wrote a thesis that caught the attention of the College. It is just one example of the incredibly outward looking approach that, in the decades that I have known the College, has defined °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û. One letter with a now familiar letterhead, quite literally raised my expectations of life from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Now, almost twenty-five years after that letter, I know that no other institution has shaped my life and provided as many incredible opportunities as °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û has. Many people ask me if, coming from such a different part of the world, I ever felt out of place. My response is that °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û is one of the few places on earth that I have ever felt completely at home.

Join Lene in giving back to °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û.

Hear from our alumni

  • Johnny Harounoff and Stephanie Posner

    Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (2013) and Classics (2012)

    We met 10 years ago as undergraduates living in the same staircase in North Court and have since been studying and working in the United States. The College was so accommodating to us by providing us — and other Jewish students — with kosher facilities and by supporting the creation of the College's first Jewish Society. For us, the College is full of happy memories thanks to the friends we made and for all of the kindness shown to us from the porters, professors and staff. That sense of community...

    Read more
    Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (2013) and Classics (2012)
  • Rafi Levy and Max Turner

    Rafi Levy and Max Turner

    Computer Science (2019) and Architecture and Urban Design (2019)

    We first met in 2021 when we joined the May Ball committee as webmaster and graphic designer. We spent a lot of time together that year, working closely to create a graphic scheme and build a website for the event. Even though it was a lot of hard work and very stressful at times, we are so grateful to have been part of it as it is thanks to that opportunity that we became great friends. A couple of years later, we are still great friends and now have a...

    Read more
    Computer Science (2019) and Architecture and Urban Design (2019)
  • John Arrastia

    Law (1995)

    I came to Cambridge at the suggestion of a Professor who was visiting the US. I borrowed the funds to study there. What appealed to me at Jesus was that it was so inclusive and embracing. I played golf with the Porters and rugby with the staff. I dined with the other students, socialised with the Fellows, danced with the Master’s wife, and really got to know people. My friends and colleagues were engineers, doctors, politicians, religious scholars, undergrads, lawyers, professors – basically every stripe of humanity one could find...

    Read more
    Law (1995)
  • Philip Slotkin

    Philip Slotkin

    Modern and Medieval Languages (1958)

    As a "bright kid" from a non-academic background I had to adjust quickly on arrival at Jesus, but I soon made friends and was never made to feel that I did not fit in socially. Since my wife and I have no children, it was to °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û that my thoughts turned with advancing years, and given the attachment to the College that I felt from the beginning it was obvious that Jesus would be a major beneficiary of my Will. This intention was only reinforced by the unstinting assistance...

    Read more
    Modern and Medieval Languages (1958)
  • Ilana Cohen

    Ilana Cohen

    Human, Social and Political Sciences (2022)

    I arrived at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û in 2022 as a Harvard Social Studies Exchange student. Initially, I was compelled to pursue the program due to the academic freedom it offered, excited to work closely with leading thinkers in self-directed studies around climate change ethics. Upon starting at Jesus, though, I realised that I also gained the opportunity to join an incredible community of wonderfully eclectic and deeply welcoming scholars and peers. My Jesus experience was also formative for me as a climate justice activist. Sharing knowledge and building relationships with Cambridge...

    Read more
    Human, Social and Political Sciences (2022)