Wadham College, Oxford

Wadham College, Oxford is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, founded in 1610 by Dorothy Wadham and Nicholas Wadham. The college is located in the heart of Oxford, near the Ashmolean Museum and Bodleian Library. Wadham College has a long history of academic excellence, with notable alumni including Rosamund Pike, Dominic Grieve, and Melvyn Bragg. The college has also been associated with prominent figures such as Christopher Hitchens, Amia Srinivasan, and Richard Dawkins, who have all been involved with the college as Fellows or Visiting Professors.

● History

Wadham College was founded in 1610 by Dorothy Wadham and Nicholas Wadham, who left a significant portion of their estate to establish the college. The college's early history was marked by its association with the Church of England, and it was initially intended to provide education for young men from Somerset and other parts of South West England. Over the centuries, the college has undergone significant changes, including the admission of women in 1974, which made it one of the first Oxford colleges to do so. Notable events in the college's history include the visit of King Charles I in 1636, and the role of the college in the English Civil War, when it was a stronghold of Parliamentarian support. The college has also been associated with prominent historical figures such as John Wilkins, Robert Hooke, and Edmund Halley, who all had connections to the college as Fellows or Tutors.

● Buildings and grounds

The college's buildings and grounds are located in the heart of Oxford, and include the iconic Wadham College Chapel, which was designed by William Chambers and completed in 1715. The college's Front Quad is one of the largest in Oxford, and features a number of notable buildings, including the Hall, which was designed by William Townesend and completed in 1640. The college also has a number of other notable buildings, including the McCall MacBain Graduate Centre, which was opened in 2012, and the Dorothy Wadham Building, which was completed in 2015. The college's grounds include a number of gardens and green spaces, including the Fellows' Garden and the College Garden, which are popular with students and staff. The college is also located near a number of other notable Oxford landmarks, including the Radcliffe Camera, the Sheldonian Theatre, and the Pitt Rivers Museum.

● Academic profile

Wadham College has a strong academic profile, with a wide range of subjects available to students, including Classics, English Literature, History, Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and Biological Sciences. The college has a number of notable Tutors and Lecturers, including Amia Srinivasan, Timothy Garton Ash, and John Kay. The college is also associated with a number of prominent research centers, including the Oxford Institute for New Economic Thinking, the Centre for International Studies, and the Oxford Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience. Students at the college have gone on to achieve great things, including Nobel Prize winners such as James Mirrlees and Michael Spence, as well as prominent figures in politics, journalism, and the arts, such as Boris Johnson, Jeremy Paxman, and Armando Iannucci.

● Student life

Student life at Wadham College is vibrant and diverse, with a wide range of clubs and societies available to students, including the Wadham College Boat Club, the Wadham College Drama Society, and the Wadham College Music Society. The college also has a number of student organizations, including the Junior Common Room and the Middle Common Room, which provide support and representation for students. The college is also known for its strong sense of community, with a number of events and activities throughout the year, including the Wadham College Gaudy, the Wadham College Ball, and the Wadham College Garden Party. Students at the college have also been involved in a number of high-profile campaigns and initiatives, including the Oxford Living Wage Campaign and the Oxford Climate Justice Campaign, which have been supported by prominent figures such as Caroline Lucas and George Monbiot.

● Notable alumni

Wadham College has a long list of notable alumni, including Rosamund Pike, Dominic Grieve, and Melvyn Bragg, as well as Nobel Prize winners such as James Mirrlees and Michael Spence. Other notable alumni include Boris Johnson, Jeremy Paxman, and Armando Iannucci, as well as prominent figures in politics, journalism, and the arts, such as Harriet Harman, Andrew Marr, and Stephen Fry. The college has also been associated with a number of prominent historical figures, including John Wilkins, Robert Hooke, and Edmund Halley, who all had connections to the college as Fellows or Tutors. Other notable alumni include Christopher Hitchens, Amia Srinivasan, and Richard Dawkins, who have all been involved with the college as Fellows or Visiting Professors, and have made significant contributions to fields such as philosophy, politics, and science.