Van Mildert at 60
Welcome to our 60th anniversary celebrations! My name is Millie the duck and I am the College mascot. Generations of ducks have shared the lawn outside Van Mildert for 60 years while you met, debated and socialised by the lake. I have danced with you all on the forecourt for Freshers’ Week, led the procession to Matriculation, cheered on the sports teams and celebrated each graduation!
above: Van Mildert College and lake.
Van Mildert College
Welcome
We count among our alumni Olympic athletes, a Supreme Court judge, high-flying bankers and lawyers, CEOs and founders of companies, senior civil servants, prominent diplomats, teachers, academics, journalists, spokenword poets, drum and bass DJs and many, many more.
Since our creation 60 years ago, Van In this booklet, you can read about Mildert College has touched thousands Mildert past, present and future. A much of lives. This is a special place, where fuller history of the College can be found lasting friendships are forged and indelible in A Place of Water and The Birth of a memories are made. It inspires powerful College, both of which appeared for our and enduring loyalty among its students, 50th anniversary in 2015. Here, you can staff and alumni. You may have graduated read some Mildert memories and some from Durham University, but you never contributions from current and recent really leave Van Mildert. No matter students explaining what they love about how high you build, you always remain the College. connected to your foundations.
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Mildert Meets YouTube video featuring students explaining what ‘Mildert Means’ to them
This is also a time to look to the future. In For 60 years, Van Mildert has been this booklet, we set out our plans and how providing students with the sure you can contribute to realising them. We foundations they need to build successful, want to help students from all backgrounds meaningful and useful lives. Mildertians participate fully in college life. We want to have gone on to succeed in almost every create a new common room and co-working part of the world and almost every sphere space. We want to rebuild a bigger, better of human endeavour. We count among boathouse that will help more students to our alumni Olympic athletes, a Supreme try rowing for the first time. And we want to Court judge, high-flying bankers and improve the acoustics, sound and lighting lawyers, CEOs and founders of companies, in our magnificent dining hall, so that it will senior civil servants, prominent diplomats, be a fitting venue for the huge range of teachers, academics, journalists, spoken-student-led activities that take place here. word poets, drum and bass DJs and many, We love to hear from our alumni, so please many more. We’re proud of all of you, and get in touch and tell us your story. Contact we love to welcome you back to College. details are on the back page.
Van Mildert College is a very special place. We asked our students what ‘Mildert Means’ to them. Watch the video to see what they said.
Best wishes,
Tom Mole Principal of Van Mildert College
Our vision for Van Mildert Future
As we celebrate our first 60 years of transforming lives, They are urgently needed. It’s never been harder to create we also look ahead to the second 60. We’ve consulted community for young people than it is today in our isolating with current students and alumni to identify four jubilee world of social media and widespread anxiety – and it’s projects: exciting, ambitious and deliverable plans for never been more important. Our students continually improving the student experience. All four focus on amaze us with their resilience and resourcefulness. creating the sense of belonging that makes But they need your help. Van Mildert so special.
Our alumni community has shown extraordinary generosity already, and your gifts have made a huge difference to the lives of our students. At the back of this booklet, you can find out how to make a gift to College that will help transform the experience of future Mildertians.
Student Experience Funding
To remove financial barriers and make sure all our students get the most out of their college life, regardless of their background, interests, and financial situation.
Common Room Study Space
To give our students a place to gather, work, socialise and daydream over coffee. This space will bring livers-out back into College, improve students’ mental health, and be a hub for our ‘Critical Conversations’, which foster and model open, frank and respectful discussion.
Van Mildert men's hockey team.
Our college motto, sic vos non vobis, means ‘this we do not for ourselves’. It’s been taken to heart by generations of students and staff.
As
we celebrate our 60th anniversary, we ask for your help to shape our future.
A new Boathouse
To allow more people to try rowing for the first time and foster a renewed sense of community within the Boat Club. Rather than simply replacing the one destroyed in an arson attack in 2021, we want to create a better facility for both novice and competitive rowers.
Upgrades to the Ann Dobson Hall
To enrich the cultural life of College and upskill our student technical crews, allowing us to deliver more and better events like fashion shows, plays, concerts and formal dinners. We will renew the acoustic panels and install theatrical lighting and sound equipment.
above: Van Mildert women's boat crew 2024.
above: Students sitting on stage.
right: College in autumn.
Van Mildert College
Mildert Past Memories from our alumni
Our alumni are our greatest ambassadors – they inspire Mildertians to be the very best they can be. Here are just some of their stories.
When the then Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Dr Arthur Ramsey, officially opened the newly completed college on 13 June 1967, he spoke of our need to embrace individuality and the importance of championing eccentricities. Mildert should be a ‘place of perfect freedom’ he said, in which no member of its community felt either left out or forced in.
Van Mildert was founded at a pivotal point in British higher education. Following significant expansion of the country’s universities in the 1950s and the recently published Robbins report of 1963, Durham experienced mass expansion. Mildert began life as simply ‘College X’. Eventually, the College was named after William Van Mildert, the last Prince Bishop of Durham (18261836), and a key figure in founding Durham University. Arthur Prowse was
made Master, stepping down from his role as Vice-Master of University (Castle) College, supported by John Deluge and Arnold Bradshaw as bursar and senior tutor respectively.
The College was completed in 1966 and welcomed its second cohort of students, (those who began in 1965 had spent their first year in a temporary structure in Parsons Field). The first year of residency saw significant issues following subpar workmanship in the college’s construction. Electrical faults, badly built drainage and structural issues plagued Mildert’s early years. But what Mildert lacked in construction it made up for in spirit. Since its foundation, Mildert has stood out from other colleges at Durham, setting the pace for others to follow. This pioneering spirit was evident from the start and made clear when in 1972 Mildert
became co-educational (two years before Oxford and four years ahead of Cambridge). Around the same period, students stopped wearing gowns for formal college occasions.
Today, Mildert remains a diverse but cohesive community. The Archbishop’s words back in 1967 have proved to be prophetic: Mildert is not one thing. Rather, it is the collective of all our quirks, the embracing and championing of our differences that defines us.
Henry Bashford (Music, 2019-22)
The first year of residency saw significant issues following sub-par workmanship in the College’s construction.
When I arrived at Durham in autumn 1980, I immediately joined the Freefall Club and rapidly became the captain (nobody else wanted to do it).
Parachuting into Mildert
I cannot believe that it is now over 40 years since I made a parachute jump into Van Mildert College on Mildert Day 1983.
For those of a certain generation John Noakes was an inspiration and I wanted to do everything that he had done! When I arrived at Durham in autumn 1980, I immediately joined the Freefall Club and rapidly became the captain (nobody else wanted to do it). As soon as I became half-competent, it occurred to me that it would be fun to jump into Van Mildert. It took until my third year for the plan to come to fruition.
By that time, I was doing simple display jumps as part of Sunderland Parachute Club. The club said they would be happy for me to jump into Mildert as long as College gave permission. Arnold Bradshaw obliged, so the jump was on. On the day the weather gods were smiling, and so I jumped into Mildert along with two others. I took a box of Milk Tray chocolates with me for my girlfriend, later my wife, Kathryn Elliott. I was pretty nervous: it’s quite a small space to parachute into, but it was a real buzz.
40 years later, in Summer 2023, I decided to revisit Van Mildert from the air. Although I haven’t parachuted for years, I do have a private pilot’s licence, and so I flew over Mildert, which brought back some great memories. It’s difficult to believe it was so long ago.
David Chinn (Engineering,
1980-83)
above: Alumnus David Chinn after parachuting into Van Mildert College.
The Kazu
If you attended Mildert in the last twenty years, you will probably have hazy memories of ‘The Kazu’. This ritual, started by a Japanese student named Kazuhisa Fukatsu in 1997, involved a can of coke being thrown, kicked, rolled and/or slapped, then sprayed over the head of a JCR election winner.
The inaugural Kazu in early 1997 was witnessed by drinkers leaving the bar, creating a buzz around College and prompting both Kazuhisa himself and Kazu copy cats to recreate the event over the following weeks. Crucially, this coincided with the conclusion of JCR elections. As the election results were declared, the gathered crowd spontaneously erupted in a chant of ‘Ka-zu! Ka-zu!’.
Although the Kazu has varied over the years, the core requirements seem to be as follows:
1. After the results declaration, the winning candidate climbs the foyer staircase and is handed a can of fizzy drink.
2. The candidate kicks the can down the staircase towards the baying crowd below, before running down after it.
3. The candidate tosses the can three times over their head.
4. Finally, the can is opened overhead, spraying the candidate and the gathered crowd with soda.
Mildert’s 34th JCR President, James Mackenzie, has the proud claim to be the first to perform the Kazu in March 1997. Since then, the tradition has been performed by 20 other presidents.
For more than a third of Mildert’s history, a strange ritual initiated spontaneously by a Teikyo student in a time before social media or camera phones has become a unifying absurdity between generations of Mildertians.
Rob Cowen
(Engineering, 2003-07)
This ritual, started by a Japanese student named Kazuhisa Fukatsu in 1997, involved a can of coke being thrown, kicked, rolled and/or slapped, then sprayed over the head of a JCR election winner.
left: Japanese student Kazuhisa Fukatsu who instigated the Kazu ritual in College.
Toasties
Toasties were vital to the esprit de corps of Van Mildert College. Instant gratification between two slices of white bread; a short stagger from the bar and the perfect accompaniment to seven pints of £1.40 Black Sheep. Accordingly, I approached my toastiemaking shifts with the gravity of a watchmaker or surgeon.
Sausage. Salami. Peppers. Tomatoes. Ham. We sliced them all, but these were small fry compared to the main event: a cubic foot of grated cheddar, ready for the grill. We’d use it all that evening. Pivoting to the waist-high counter on the bar-facing wall, I preheated the grill, a substantial electricpowered beast made from stainless steel, which radiated heat like a brazier.
To make a good toastie is straightforward. To make a great one, when three others are on the grill, is much harder. I never did manage to master the technique of eightat-a-time toasties; four on the grill at once was my comfortable best, and I had many happy customers. Generosity with the cheese was always appreciated.
It is a delight to do a job that is not only remunerative, but also provides a wholly positive public service. In this regard, the toastie shift at Van Mildert remains one of life’s unequivocal high points.
George Weeks (Social Sciences, 2003-06)
Sausage. Salami. Peppers. Tomatoes. Ham. We sliced them all, but these were small fry compared to the main event: a cubic foot of grated cheddar ready for the grill.
above: Toasties oozing with cheese.
Van
A Mildert welcome
My Mildert story started in 1973 when I was called for an interview. As I had travelled from London I was offered overnight accommodation in the College. All seemed to go well until a train strike, or a sudden fall of snow, or both, meant I could not get home. I asked for a second night in College. It was readily granted, and I went home by coach the next day. That welcome and generosity of spirit meant I was ready to accept an offer and arrived as an undergraduate in autumn 1974 to read Law.
The minibus collected us from Durham Station as we arrived for Freshers’ Week and that, coupled with a cheery student welcome at the entrance to the College, reinforced the collegiality and kindness of the staff and students. Two of the people I met on that minibus are my closest friends today.
I still have the letters written by me weekly to my parents recording the many activities. A weekly phone call from the paid phone box at the foot of Tyne was fairly expected. But letters are a better recollection and told a certain story as to what I was doing –or at least what I wanted my parents to know I was doing.
In my final year I was the College chapel clerk - the chapel then being a communal room on the ground floor of Middleton. Whilst Christianity was a predominant and occasionally oppressive part of Durham, the JCR decided that the chapel should be turned into a tanning spa and the chapel clerk renamed the hostess. A resolution was passed that, like all good JCR ideas, was not implemented.
Alison Gowman CBE
(Law, 1974-77 and Doctor of Civil Law 2024)
left: Alison Gowman receiving her Honorary Doctor of Civil Law in January 2024.
below: An early Mildert Day Celebration on the College lawn. Mildert Day is celebrated toward the end of summer term each year, with the exception of 2020 and 2021.
Friendly faces and enduring friendships
As an 18-year-old kid from a sink estate comprehensive school in Bradford, arriving at Mildert was something of a culture shock. Happily, I was taken under the wing of a kindly, Scottish Vice Principal who had come to university late in life via the shipyards of Glasgow. George Patterson had the innate ability to spot the fish out of water and help them navigate this strange new world with tales about lower league football and left-wing politics.
I soon found the community in College was welcoming and supportive, but more importantly I found the JCR. Here was a body whose sole job, as far as I could tell, was to help make the experience for students better. In the JCR I could see a community and I dived right in.
I was lucky enough to serve on the social committee in my first year and then on the exec in my second year as Social Secretary, followed by a welfare role and finally in February 1997 I was elected JCR President. I remember that evening fondly as one of the best in my life, being bear hugged
by Pete Dindsale upon winning and then being the first president elect to carry out a Kazu. I think I’ve only just washed out the last vestiges of Diet Coke from my hair.
Although I didn’t know it at the time, as JCR President I was learning how to run a business, how to motivate teams, and how to be the best version of me that I can be. I’ve had a successful career in retail, technology and leadership roles and worked all over the world. But I still think my approach to commercial deals was shaped by negotiating over a few hundred quid for acts at Mildert events. As soon as I left Mildert I went to work for Walmart, at that point one of the biggest companies in the world, and was managing a team of 25: that was a doddle compared to dealing with the 800 JCR members. I couldn’t have done any of that without my Mildert experience.
The most important life event, though, from my time in Durham was meeting my wife Emma Pevitt (1997-2001). She was JCR President as well and so we are, to our knowledge, the only JCR Presidents who are married to each other. We think that lines our son, Eden, up to be JCR President in around 2035. That’s how it works isn’t it?
Oh, and I’m still friends with that curmudgeonly Scotsman thirty years later. My favourite photo of my time at Mildert is actually from a few years ago when my then two year old son is standing with George, arm in arm, both gazing out to sea. George is pointing the way ahead for this little boy, just as he did for me in October 1994.
James
Mackenzie (Economics, 1994-97)
As soon as I left Mildert I went to work for Walmart, at that point one of the biggest companies in the world, and was managing a team of 25: that was a doddle compared to dealing with the 800 JCR members. I couldn’t have done any of that without my Mildert experience.
left: George Patterson and Eden Mackenzie.
I was no sportsman, but I loved how College made you feel part of a larger ‘team’. It was great to be among all sorts of people with different interests and to take inspiration from them.
above: John B at work as a DJ.
Shared interests and inspiration
I was at Van Mildert from 1995-1998 studying Cellular Biology, but have since ended up working in Music. I produce dance music (drum and bass mainly), run a record label, travel around DJing at Clubs and Festivals and also livestream music production and DJ sets on the internet – something I started during Covid while touring wasn’t possible.
Van Mildert was definitely where the music stuff properly started for me, and the College community played a big part in that. Meeting like-minded people who shared an enthusiasm for dance music, and corridor mates who’d patiently listen to my new songs or tolerate it when I was practicing my DJ sets was such a lovely thing. I was no sportsman, but I loved how College made you feel part of a larger ‘team’. It was great to be among all sorts of people with different interests and to take inspiration from them.
The vibe at Van Mildert was really supportive. It was great to feel accepted and appreciated by the other students (even if they weren’t really into what I was). The JCR and College supported the odd special party in the JCR, or let us perform at the ‘bops’ – some of my first ever DJ sets! My favourite was the night we got our finals results: the College paid to hire a really quite big sound-system and a bunch of us did DJ sets playing to a packed crowd – one of the happiest nights of my life. To this day I don’t think I’ve ever felt such relief!
At Durham I learnt the value of finding a solid team to work with. I teamed up with my friends Simon (Hedley) and Karl (Roscoe, from Collingwood) to run a night at ‘Club Elysium’ or ‘Rixy’s’ as it was referred to back then. I got early lessons in marketing and music promotion too – I remember photoshopping up posters for our events in the same presentation style as the Durham Union debate ones, which was good fun. I’m not sure I mastered dealing with crazy workloads and little sleep at Durham, but it was probably a good warm-up for relentless touring and travelling. My life as a DJ – production deadlines looming, late nights and partying, busy tour schedules and keeping it all together without much sleep – is quite similar to student life, really! One of the many reasons I’m sober now – no way I could manage all that with a hangover at my age.
I came back to Durham a couple of times last year, once for a club night organised by a Mildert student and again to perform at the legendary Mildert Day. It was amazing to return and of course a big personal honour. All the memories came flooding back. It was so nice to see a new generation of enthusiastic young people enjoying the music I love, the College supporting live music and making cool things happen, and so heart-warming looking out into the crowd seeing similar characters in the mix that reminded me of friends and good times I had when I was at Mildert.
John Bryn Williams (Cellular Biology, 1995-98)
A vibrant cross section of society
I attended Van Mildert College from 19931997 studying Chinese, Management and Korean. I loved every minute of my time at Mildert and overall at Durham. They were some of the best years of my life, where I was able to make lifelong friends and lifelong memories.
I ran the Music Society, organised parties, and took students to club events in Newcastle. I was also a DJ on Purple FM, the university radio station, with a regular weekly show. I rowed for Van Mildert and played intercollegiate tennis. I acted at the university level in plays like The Government Inspector and participated in the Mildert 24hour production. The social scene in College was always active, I enjoyed many fun (and late) nights. There may have been one time where my friend and I accepted a challenge from the Mountaineering Society to climb a mountain in the middle of winter which we ended up doing too early the next morning!
The people at Mildert were a vibrant cross section from different parts of the UK and beyond. I enjoyed the diversity of personalities and people. It was always a welcoming and friendly environment with a focus on academic excellence as well as sport and culture. Since leaving, I always tell people that Durham and Mildert produce the best graduates who are well rounded and make excellent hires at any company.
Since graduating, I’ve been able to turn my obsession with music into a career, working for music labels in Hong Kong, and New York, then buying and investing in digital media companies. I worked for AT&T Wireless, and later moved to LA to work for Endemol, producing TV shows as well as working on major hits like Deal or No Deal and Big Brother.
I returned to my first love; music, working with early-stage startups, producing virtual concerts during the pandemic when I ran music at Roblox. I now run the iconic music service, Napster, and have now been living in the US for 25 years. I served on the US Durham board of directors and continue to talk about and support Durham and Mildert whenever I can. My kids love wearing their Durham hoodies and my son is committed to attending Mildert in a few years.
Jon Vlassopulos
(Chinese, Management and Korean, 1993-97)
Since leaving, I always tell people that Durham and Mildert produce the best graduates who are well rounded and make excellent hires at any company.
left: Jon Vlassopulos at The Grammys.
far left: students dancing.
I was lucky enough to be chosen to Frep, to welcome the hordes of first years and show them what College should be. At the start of the preparation week, I knew maybe five of the team by name; by the time the new students arrived the team felt like a group I had known for years. The week that ensued was possibly the highlight of my time at Durham.
The ‘frepping’ highlight
I read Classics from 2020-23 at Durham and I am now studying for a postgraduate diploma in Law from King's College London. During my time at Van Mildert, I tried my best to enjoy everything a collegiate system had to offer and made friends that I know will last a lifetime.
It seems bizarre that someone who joined during a pandemic, with their freshers’ week almost completely cancelled, might describe their university experience as one they wouldn’t want to change. But in those first terms, spurred on by the stories we were told by students in the years above us, we developed a sense of anticipation. I think this first year taught me the most valuable lesson I learnt at university: to really live in the moment, enjoy every interaction and appreciate the little things.
My second year promised to be a year of catching up on all the fun we missed out on as freshers. I was lucky enough to be chosen to Frep, to welcome the hordes of first years and show them what College should be. At the start of the preparation week, I knew maybe five of the team by name; by the time the new students arrived the team felt like a group I had known for years. The week that ensued was possibly the highlight of my time at Durham. It was slightly odd organising events that were ‘Mildert traditions’ having never been to them before, such as a proper formal and a bop, but that did not stop us from having a great time. This was the point at which I think I understood what the College motto, sic vos non vobis, meant in action.
Beyond the roles I held in College, there was something much more important: the people. My peers were an incredible group, but Mildert is not defined by the students with their constant turnover. It is held together by the porters, housekeeping team and catering staff. There was something special about leaving College after a long bar shift and seeing the face of your favourite porter behind reception. Equally, going into brunch nursing a hangover and having the catering team tease you was an intrinsic part of the college experience. I am sure generations of alumni will agree that they are the people who made Mildert feel like home.
Fergus
Reilly (Classics, 2020-23)
left: Van Mildert Freshers’ Reps on the lawn, ready to welcome new students.
The Van Mildert ethos of community and helping each other out makes Mildertians special; our students are always thinking about how they can help others, and a large number of our volunteers go on to pursue NGO positions and careers with strong ethical values.
Mildert Present
The fabric of Mildert
The Junior Common Room
The JCR is the ‘Junior Common Room’ at Van Mildert College. It is the heart of the undergraduate student body, and it organises many of the wider student experience activities.
The JCR is special because it is entirely student run. Every activity that the JCR provides, from over 50 sports teams to numerous events and outreach projects, is entirely organised by the students. Every year we recruit more than 100 volunteers, and through our range of JCR roles and responsibilities we provide a platform for CV development and personal growth. The opportunities offered by such a vibrant and diverse community stand Mildertians in good stead for their future careers.
In 2024, we won the collegiate Football Floodlit Cup, Rugby Floodlit Cup and the indoor Cricket Cup. The huge amount of crowd support present at the floodlit matches is testament to the support we give each other and the ethos of the Mildert community. From ultimate frisbee to mixed lacrosse, our sports programme focusses not just on winning, but on team building and strengthening the identity of what it means to be a Mildertian.
It is not just in sports where we have excelled. Van Mildert is the college with the biggest heart. We run six well-established outreach projects with more than 100 volunteering positions between them. Our projects, and our volunteers, win awards at both the Durham Students' Union Awards and the Durham Volunteering Awards. We work with more than 10 schools across the North East, refugee groups, local conservation sites and a local coffee morning. The Van Mildert ethos of community and helping each other out makes Mildertians special; our students are always thinking about how they can help others, and a large number of our volunteers go on to pursue NonGovernmental Organisation positions and careers with strong ethical values.
As one of the largest colleges in Durham, Van Mildert JCR prides itself on the huge number of activities and opportunities we can provide to our students. This year alone we have expanded our activities with a new outreach project, a Diwali celebration, an Iftar celebration and the advent of a women’s cricket team. Our music programme is always expanding, with our ever-successful Big Band playing at events and a number of student bands and theatre performances having a strong Mildertian presence. Mildertians can not only try something new, but start something new and develop their skills in leadership, organisation, communication and networking.
Van Mildert JCR embodies the phrase ‘not for ourselves’ to a tee, and this ethos of community, giving and support has led us to success countless times throughout the last 60 years. As a JCR we provide opportunities for our members to prove every day that it’s what’s on the inside that counts, and they haven’t disappointed us yet!
Storm Rothwell (Philosophy, Politics and Economics, 2020-23)
2024.
left: Principal Tom Mole is pictured with Storm Rothwell, JCR President 2023-24 and Adam Bakewell, Financial and Commercial Services Officer 2023-24 at the Van Mildert Graduation Dinner in June
The Mildert bar
If you ask Mildert alums from over the past 60 years what their favourite memories of college life were, many will say the times spent at Mildert bar. It really is the heart of College social life as it not only plays its part hosting big events – balls, formal dinners, bops – but also is cherished for the afternoons and evenings spent watching sport, catching up with friends, or attending society gatherings.
The bar has always been proudly staffed by students and any profit it makes is reinvested in the student experience. In the past decade or so, the College has employed a recent graduate to manage the bar full time. It’s a great opportunity for students to gain experience effectively running a small business – and a good excuse to stay in Durham an extra year!
This student-led approach fosters a safe space for drinking. There’s an environment
where students can trust their peers will ensure they are always safe – whether you are drinking alcohol or not.
The bar is the place to watch sport at Mildert. The Six Nations rugby always attracts crowds, as does top-flight football. Most memorable when I was bar steward was opening into the early hours for the Superbowl - everyone brought piles of snacks to fuel them till dawn. Karaoke is also a bar staple.
The bar is often the first place visiting alumni want to come to and comment on what’s different (more space, less cask ale). Despite the changes, the room still reminds us of some of our best times at Durham, where many drinks were spilled, and many friendships began.
Harrison Newsham (English Literature,
2019-22)
It really is the heart of College social life as it not only plays its part hosting big events – balls, formal dinners, bops – but also is cherished for the afternoons and evenings spent watching sport, catching up with friends, or attending society gatherings.
above: Students chatting and relaxing in the Mildert Bar.
Van
Over the course of my time at Mildert, I’ve watched the boat club grow, and I will always be incredibly thankful for the support of our alumni that has made our success possible.
left:
Launching our new boat early in 2024, thanks to a generous
donation from alumnus David Weatherup.
The Boat Club
In December 2021, our boathouse burned down in a suspected arson attack, and the building and all contents were lost. While our insurance company paid out, we’ve benefitted enormously from the generosity of donors to help get the boat club back on the water, and we still hope to raise funds for a new boathouse. At the start of the year, we were able to buy a new women’s coxed four thanks to a generous donation from alumnus David Weatherup. It was named Four Winds II, after David’s childhood home - and in memory of the first Four Winds, which was lost in the fire. The women used the new boat for their first race of the year, Durham Autumn Small Boats Head, which they won.
The 2022-2023 racing season was when VMBC began to bounce back. Last year, our women’s squad had an especially strong performance at Durham Regatta, where our women’s double won and our women’s four came second by roughly two inches in the re-row of a dead heat. This year, they’ve continued the trend: at Rutherford Head our women braved subzero temperatures and won the pennant for fastest college four, and at Durham Small Boats Head, the double came second and the novice four beat several other crews in their second-ever race.
Last year, our men placed well at races all year. Unfortunately, the squad was composed almost entirely of finalists, and the men started this year with barely a boat of rowers. However, our exceptionally keen incoming freshers, novices, and men’s captain were able to turn things around. At Tyne Head, the men raced an eight for the first time and beat multiple college and club crews. Our men’s eight that raced at the Head of the River in London, our biggest race of the year, were faster than many senior eights despite our crew being almost entirely athletes who had learned to row either this year or the year before.
Both squads plan on carrying this momentum into regatta season and next year. Further in the future, once we have a boathouse again, we’ll be able to stock it with boats and equipment. Over the course of my time at Mildert, I’ve watched the boat club grow, and I will always be incredibly thankful for the support of our alumni that has made our success possible.
Claire Wiest (History 2021-24)
Sport
Van Mildert’s attitude towards sport truly reflects our commitment to embracing differences and celebrating the uniqueness of individuals. Whether individual or team sport, no prior experience is necessary, and there’s no pressure to commit too heavily. We offer an inclusive and welcoming level of sport for everyone to get involved in.
This is particularly true of women’s sport. With only 30 per cent of women continuing their participation in sport beyond secondary school compared to 60 per cent of men, ensuring that women engage in the sporting opportunities at Mildert goes further than just sporting achievement; it can inspire a generation of women to pursue sports for the rest of their lives.
Getting involved in sport at Mildert has been the most amazing experience for me. I have met some of my closest friends through training and competing, as well as through the great social environment it provides. The impact that joining a Mildert sports team has is heartwarming. Freshers often mix with older students and foster friendships instead of feeling out of placethe importance of sport should not be overlooked.
There has recently been a huge increase in the popularity of traditionally ‘male dominated’ sports being played by women here at Mildert. Most notably, in our
right: The Van Mildert Cheer Team.
women’s football team, VMWFC, as well as in our women’s rugby team (joint with St Aidan’s College), ‘Van Maidans’. Our experienced players coach our football team weekly, giving confidence and guidance and embodying our College motto - that we focus on others and our community, not only ourselves.
Our incredible women’s rugby team has inspired fellow female Mildertians to engage in women’s rugby. It has been my privilege to captain this team this past year, and the increase in confidence has been transformational for our members. From turning up to the first training never having picked up a rugby ball and claiming they ‘will not get muddy’, to playing high quality, entertaining, full contact rugby proves just what is possible. This year, we made history for Mildert by reaching the semi-finals of the "Floodlit Cup" for the first time and hope to build on this even further in our next exciting year.
With the recent creation of Van Mildert Women’s Cricket Club and restarting of Van Mildert Cheerleading in the past year, the future of sport in College, especially women’s sport, is looking bright and hopeful.
Cerys Goggin
(Philosophy, Politics and Economics, 2022-25)
Whether individual or team sport, no prior experience is necessary, and there’s no pressure to commit too heavily. We offer an inclusive and welcoming level of sport for everyone to get involved in.
When I moved into Mildert for my first year at Durham, the idea of making an entirely new friendship group seemed overwhelming and daunting. Finding ‘your people’ can often take time. Fortunately for me, Mildert’s long list of sports and societies enabled me quickly to meet likeminded people, whom I still consider friends.
I joined Van Mildert Athletic Football Club (VMAFC), a club consisting of eight football teams with over 100 club members of all abilities. While I was fortunate enough to represent the College for the A team from the start of my first year, the sense of community VMAFC offers means you get to meet and play alongside players from all teams. In our most recent Floodlit Cup final, we attracted hundreds of fans down to Maiden Castle to cheer us on.
Alongside the social aspects of the club, the student-led structure of Mildert sport has offered me personal development and growth opportunities. Being a part of the exec as A team captain has required me to organise and conduct weekly training sessions for the teams, sometimes two a week for those who dared to attend my Wednesday fitness sessions! I was given a managerial role for the A team during my second year football season. I feel my confidence managing and communicating with the team has drastically improved since the start of the season.
As the end of the college football season approaches, I’m proud to have represented the club as a captain. My team and I were victorious in the premiership league after a well contested season. We represented the University in a varsity fixture against Loughborough University, winning 3-1. Finally, we were able to win the College Floodlit Cup for the first time in the College’s history!
While all this success in sport is great, the freedom to play sports alongside university studies is the most important thing to me. The stresses of university life can often grate on my mental health; Mildert sport offers the physical release and social support that’s essential for my wellbeing.
I can’t emphasise enough how amazing my experience with Van Mildert has been because of the college sport system. My advice to any new or prospective students is to join as many sports clubs as you can, it is the best way to meet and befriend new people, and it’ll make sure you burn off all those Mildert meal calories!
Jed Phillips (Marketing and Management, 2022-25)
below: Football has always been important to Van Mildert students - below is the proud Van Mildert Men’s XI from 1970-1971.
Alongside the social aspects of the club, the student-led structure of Mildert sport has offered me personal development and growth opportunities.
Being in a band has truly made my third year the best year at university. Music has had a huge impact on my university experience, in a way I couldn’t have imagined at the start of my time here.
Music
My musical journey began with a challenge. While I’ve always loved the musical arts, I realised that I hadn’t signed up to any musical societies at Durham. Thus, I set myself the challenge of singing (just one song) in front of a crowd in Epiphany Term of my second year.
With Mildert’s thriving music scene, I was quickly able to find a suitable event: a Monday night ‘Swamp Session’ in Mildert bar! Organised by students, Swamp Sessions are themed open-mic nights. On this occasion, the theme was ‘musicals’, so I chose a song from Chicago and practised all day. I turned up to the bar pretty terrified, but a promise is a promise (especially to yourself), so I grabbed the mic with both hands and performed. I had a blast, and I was proud that I’d overcome the stage fright and done it! Challenge officially complete… or was it? Little did I know that that performance was actually the first of many to come.
Soon after, I saw that Van Mildert Big Band (VMBB) were auditioning for a vocalist. Spurred on by the karaoke success, and wanting to sing again, I applied. Performing with VMBB was amazing. I’d always been a big fan and performing alongside them was a joy. We played at many events throughout my second year, from college events to external balls, casino nights, and even in the Castle Great Hall. I have many fond memories with VMBB. But my musical adventures had only just begun…
In the Easter term, my good friend, and a very talented bass player, asked me if I’d like to be the singer in his new pop/ funk fusion band. I, of course, accepted! I met the rest of the band, and we decided on our name: ‘Happy Hour’. Our first performance was the Mildert Winter ‘Crystal’ Ball 2023. The crowd were absolutely electric. I’m so glad that our first performance was at a Van Mildert event. Having the support of my friends in the crowd was fantastic. Being in a band has truly made my third year the best year at university. Music has had a huge impact on my university experience, in a way I couldn’t have imagined at the start of my time here.
Maria Bragina (Natural Sciences 2020-24)
left: Maria Bragina performing on stage.
above: The Van Mildert College Choir singing at Carols by Candlelight.
Our Choir
At the beginning of this academic year, I bonded with a fellow Frep, Amelie Samarasinghe, over our shared passion for music. One short conversation later, we decided to take on the challenge of reviving a college choir at Mildert!
The experience has been incredibly rewarding, to say the least – neither of us had any experience leading choirs or teaching music, and it has been a sharp learning curve. We have tried to perform a wide range of pieces, including trying our hand at pop a cappella. Luckily, we have an amazing range of musicians at Mildert and have had weekly sessions with an accompanist running all year. The choir has been an amazing opportunity to bring together students from all year groups, and to develop connections that would never otherwise have been made. Many of our choristers haven’t had any formal music training, so we’ve spent a lot of time developing musical skills and learning to read music. It has been a huge challenge for everyone, but it has been great to see the progress week by week.
The absolute highlight of our year was the Carols by Candlelight concert. We had just a few short weeks to put together a set of Christmas carols, including two choir-only pieces. Our rendition of Carol of the Bells was truly the best we’d ever done! I tried my hand at conducting and was very proud to stand in front of the choir, even though I’m sure I looked like a duck flapping my arms around. It was so heartening to hear all the positive feedback from students, staff and visitors alike as we shared mulled wine and mince pies afterwards.
Our next big goal is to perform at Mildert Day, which will feature College-based acts as part of our celebration of all things Mildert. With a fully-fledged exec and support from the College, Van Mildert Choir will hopefully be a legacy that we leave for many years to come.
Hannah Griffiths (Liberal Arts, 2022-25)
I tried my hand at conducting and was very proud to stand in front of the choir, even though I’m sure I looked like a duck flapping my arms around.
Van Mildert Big Band is an integral part of the College community - every year we play at a variety of college events, including bops, formals and Mildert Day. College events always have a fantastic atmosphere: I particularly enjoy it when we get to play our Christmas repertoire after the College Christmas formals.
Big Band
When I received my offer from Durham, one of the things which most drew me to Van Mildert was the musical opportunities. I saw that Mildert has a very active musical community and excellent facilities such as music rooms and pianos. The Van Mildert Big Band has a great reputation for being inclusive and fun whilst performing at a high standard. Clubs and societies at Van Mildert are hugely important in helping first years adapt to university life. For me, joining VMBB made me feel very settled and I got to play with a range of people from all different years and subjects – I met people who are now some of my best friends. Within the band, everybody takes responsibility during rehearsals, adding their suggestions, leading sections, or soloing.
As I have progressed through my degree, my responsibility within the band has increased – I became Treasurer and finally President this year. As President, I love leading the band, as I now have more influence over what repertoire we play and the gigs that we get. I enjoy working with College staff, other big bands, and with other Mildert societies.
A highlight for me so far this year has been two charity fundraiser performances which we organised together with four other college big bands. These were a great opportunity to hear our friends from other societies play, to display what we’ve been working on, and to play together in joint 'jazz jams' which took place after the sets. Another highlight for me every year is our annual March concert. This is an event where we are the only performers – we really enjoy being a focus rather than playing in the background!
VMBB is an integral part of the College community – every year we play at a variety of College events, including bops, formals and Mildert Day. College events always have a fantastic atmosphere: I particularly enjoy it when we get to play our Christmas repertoire after the College Christmas formals. Mildert Day is consistently one of my favourite performances that we do – playing outside can be challenging in the wind but is so much fun, and everybody is always in a great mood to dance!
Grace King
(Mathematics, 2020-24)
left: The Van Mildert Big Band performing in College at Christmas.
Volunteering and outreach
Before coming to Mildert, I had never considered volunteering as something I might want to spend my free time doing. However, having been involved in Mildert outreach for three years now, and being director of our Young Persons’ Project (YPP) this year, I can confidently say that it has changed my life for the better.
In my first year, Jonny Gregory, then Director of YPP, spoke of the project’s aim of ‘raising the aspirations of young people from disadvantaged areas in North East England’. I thought this sounded like an important aim, but as a maths student who had never done anything similar before, I thought I was likely better suited to solving integrals and I didn’t sign up. However, as fate would have it, the deadline was extended and after some convincing from my friends, whilst staring at a completely blank CV, I sent in an application.
I still vividly remember how terrified I was for my first session, going in to an actual school, with actual 14-yearolds. Little did I know that just two years later I would be responsible for running the entire project and would confidently be giving speeches in front of the kids, parents, volunteers, and staff. Residentials were four days, at the beginning of the Easter vacation, supporting young people with a wide variety of activities, such as putting on a fashion show, performing Dragons’ Den pitches or solving murder mysteries. I knew the more the group got involved, the more they could get out of it, and I think I convinced myself of the same thing.
I remember that one of the young people, who was from a school just a 10-minute drive down the road, told me that this was the furthest he had ever been away from home, and it was the first time he had ever stayed in a room by himself. This really made it hit home to me how important this project is: it’s not just a fun few days, it’s an opportunity to completely change their outlook on what is possible in their future.
This experience made me realise the benefits of getting involved in Mildert life. Whether playing football for the G team, being president of VM Table Tennis, or being involved in outreach, Mildert has given me so much.
While the group were making new friends and developing their confidence, so was I. This experience made me realise the benefits of getting involved in Mildert life. Whether playing football for the G team, being president of VM Table Tennis, or being involved in outreach, Mildert has given me so much. Running YPP this year has shown me how much of a team effort the project is: staff, exec, volunteers, and alumni are all crucial. Outreach is a great example of the Mildert community: whether for refugees, the environment, young people or the elderly, students can develop themselves while helping those who need it most.
Will Rea (Mathematics,
2020-24)
above: Principal Tom Mole and some of the students accepting their award for College of the Year at the 2022 Volunteering Awards.
Campaigning
This year I’ve held the role of Van Mildert Feminist Society Co-President. Our team consists of a diverse group of individuals who are passionate about driving change and promoting feminist voices in College. Together, we collaborate on creating campaigns, organising events, and creating a welcoming community for all.
Our campaigns predominantly take place on social media platforms, particularly Instagram. Over the past academic year, we’ve undertaken campaigns aimed at raising awareness of important issues like period poverty and gender inequality. My favourite campaign was ‘Women of Mildert’, now in its third year. This campaign celebrates the achievements and contributions of those nominated from our college community. The overwhelmingly positive feedback and engagement we received highlights the importance of recognising
and amplifying women’s voices. During November, we also launched a campaign focused on men’s mental health. One of our proudest achievements has been our campaign to provide free period products in college bathrooms. This initiative aims to address the issue of period poverty and ensure access to essential hygiene products.
Creating discussion and giving people the platform for their voice to be heard has been an integral aspect of the Society. In November we hosted a talk, led by the president of the Durham University Feminist Society, addressing topics such as psychiatry, women’s health, and pop culture trends. Recently we were invited to speak on a panel as part of the Critical Conversations series, under the title ‘what is porn doing to us?’ These events provide valuable opportunities for open dialogue and knowledge sharing.
Being part of the Feminist Society is about creating a sense of community and empowerment. It’s a space where important conversations thrive, and where individuals can support each other and implement a positive change. Whether it’s through events or campaigns, the society provides a space for women of all backgrounds to come together, connect, learn, and have fun. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a dynamic and inspiring community.
Rachel
Ilsley (General Engineering, 2021-24)
below: Working together to tackle important issues at one of the Feminist Society planning meetings.
Being part of the Feminist Society is about creating a sense of community and empowerment. It’s a space where important conversations thrive, and where individuals can support each other and implement a positive change.
No university puts more effort into Freshers’ Week than Durham, and no college does more for Freshers’ Week than Mildert. [...] Mildert Freps are always highly enthusiastic, have little shame, and recognise that the team’s strength is in its diversity.
Frepping
No university puts more effort into Freshers’ Week than Durham, and no college does more for Freshers’ Week than Mildert. That’s what I said to people when I was Senior Frep in 2021.
Mildert Freps are always highly enthusiastic, have little shame, and recognise that the team’s strength is in its diversity. There’s a strong tradition of frepping at Mildert. In my year as Senior Frep, we had just under 80 applications for around 50 places, and that was thought to be low. After a lengthy application process, successful students always give it their all.
Putting on two events every night of Freshers’ Week, including a more chilled option, is no mean feat. It requires weeks of planning, thousands of hours of voluntary work and immense trust in the team to watch out for each other’s wellbeing and find solutions to seemingly impossible problems.
We pass on some Mildert traditions and encourage first years to make Freshers’ Week (and their whole university experience) whatever they want it to be and not succumb to pressures and expectations. University is too short for that.
Harrison
Newsham (English Literature, 2019-22)
left: Van Mildert Freps outside the front entrance of College.
above: The Mildert Feather is a sculpture by Danish artist Erik Heide. It is a rotating metal mallard feather created in 2015 to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of Van Mildert College and the achievements of the College, its students past and present, and its staff.
Van Mildert College
What is enrichment?
Van Mildert doesn’t aim to offer a fixed programme for personal development and guide students through it. Instead, it provides the space and the opportunities for students to take responsibility for their own development, to reflect on their journeys, and to articulate them to their family and supporters, as well as their future employers. We aim to foster lively enquiring minds, and to encourage students to be curious about the world around them. We want them to explore their creativity and to appreciate the creativity of others in a wide variety of fields. We try to help our students treat themselves and others with understanding and compassion, and to build resilience for the challenges they face. And we hope they develop into informed and engaged citizens not only of the College, but also of the wider community in the region and beyond.
To meet these aspirations, we seek out opportunities to work with great speakers and inspiring organisations, drawing on a wide variety of alumni, supporters and contacts through our professional networks. Our six outreach projects partner with organisations across North East England to deliver meaningful benefits to our local community. Our Critical Conversations series brings prominent speakers to College to discuss topical issues in an open and frank way. Our writers in residence programme works with some acclaimed, award-winning authors to help nurture our students’ talents. Our Dimensions events draw on our network of alumni to help prepare students for life after university. Students play an active role in managing all these efforts, and often a leading one, gaining valuable experience. It’s sometimes said that you shouldn’t let your degree get in the way of your education. Happily, at Mildert we think you can have both.
Professor Tom Mole Principal of Van Mildert College
It’s sometimes said that you shouldn’t let your degree get in the way of your education. Happily, at Mildert we think you can have both.
above: We invite thought-provoking and inspirational speakers into College as part of the enrichment programme. One such speaker was the Right Honourable George Robertson, 10th Secretary General of NATO.
Dimensions: find your future
The Mildert Dimensions programme draws on our amazing alumni community to provide our current students with opportunities to think about what they want to do when they graduate, to improve their employability and to develop their personal effectiveness. Each year, we invite several speakers to College.
We’re fortunate to have a broad network of highly successful and accomplished alumni and supporters, who have gone on to succeed in a huge variety of industries and professions. Mildert students have been able to benefit from the wisdom and experience these people have gained as they rose to the top of their chosen fields.
In 2025, we’ll hold our first ‘Find Your Future’ festival of careers, where we’ll bring a range of people to College to give sectorspecific talks, advise on how to create a personal brand, and offer CV reviews and mock interviews. We hope they’ll share what they wish they knew when they graduated, and reveal some insider knowledge.
Dimensions offers students a valuable opportunity to look beyond the horizon of graduation and think about the people they want to become.
Katie Dowson Vice Principal
The
Mildert Dimensions programme draws on our amazing alumni community to provide our current students with
opportunities to think about what they want to do when they graduate, to improve their
employability and to develop their personal effectiveness.
below: Katie Dowson.
Critical Conversations
The Critical Conversations programme is a series of frank, open and civil discussions about compelling topics chosen with the help of a steering group of staff and students. Each event features three or four invited speakers, typically including a speaker from outside Durham and a student speaker. Panellists speak for a few minutes to introduce the discussion, and then there’s a free-flowing conversation. The aim is to help us think about pressing issues, to model effective discussion, and to provide a forum for different voices Hopefully, attendees leave with a more nuanced and sophisticated understanding of the topic than they had when they arrived.
The College has been running Critical Conversations since 2022, and topics have included ‘Can capitalism address the climate crisis?’, ‘Does the family have a future?’, and ‘Is class still destiny?’. We’ve asked, ‘Is a degree worth what it used to be?’ and
It’s been particularly great to see students coming back time after time. We rarely agree on everything about a topic, but it’s been fascinating to hear different views.
‘Should we be scared of AI?’. We were particularly happy to welcome Britain’s favourite elections expert, Sir John Curtice, and the Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society, Darren Hughes, for an event called ‘Do we live in a democracy?’, as well as leading theologian Rachel Mann, who helped us consider ‘Do we live in a postsecular society?’. We’ve also partnered with student societies, such as the VM feminist society, who helped us host a session called ‘What is porn doing to us?’.
These discussions have been well attended and it’s been particularly great to see students coming back time after time. We rarely agree on everything about a topic, but it’s been fascinating to hear different views. I’ve certainly loved helping to organise these events.
Kalypso Pangiotou (Psychology, 2022-25)
above: Panellists in College for the Critical Conversations programme.
Our gym
From my very first days at Van Mildert College, the gym has been a central part of my experience and growth. Having inducted around 200 freshers, I’ve witnessed the gym’s vital place in helping new students acclimate to college life. It’s more than just a place to work out; it’s a vibrant community hub where lifelong friendships are formed. Through sports and shared sweat, we build connections that go beyond the walls of the gym, crafting a network of friends that will last a lifetime.
In my role as Gym Manager, I’ve become adept at teaching and supporting individuals across various skill levels. This has not only enhanced my leadership and interpersonal skills, but has also deepened my understanding of the diverse community that makes up Van Mildert. The gym’s inclusive atmosphere, cultivated by both students and staff, ensures that everyone, regardless of their sporting ability, feels welcomed and valued.
Looking forward, the potential for our gym is boundless. With increasing use by more sporting clubs, our gym will enhance our College’s competitive edge while continuing to be a place where every Mildertian can strive for personal bests and enjoy robust health. It’s exciting to think how much more we can achieve as this space grows and evolves, reflecting the dynamic spirit of Van Mildert College.
In celebrating 60 years of our College, we celebrate the gym as much as any classroom or lecture hall, for it is here that the heart of Van Mildert beats strongest.
Sam Little (Economics, 2020-24)
With increasing use by more sporting clubs, our gym will enhance our College’s competitive edge while continuing to be a place where every Mildertian can strive for personal bests and enjoy robust health. It’s exciting to think how much more we can achieve as this space grows and evolves, reflecting the dynamic spirit of Van Mildert College.
Our library
To watch the library grow as a space that now benefits even more members of the College community is a privilege.
The library was renovated in 2023 with support from our alumni. The official reopening in November 2023 welcomed guests from across the College community and beyond, and we were delighted to host celebrated author Alexander McCall Smith in a lively conversation on unconventional crime fiction, global travels, and his dynamic writing process. Indeed, Mildert library is itself dynamic, internationally minded, and perhaps unconventional too.
Since its refurbishment, the Bradshaw Room has hugely opened up the space available for students to work, doubling the number of study spaces. An environment built on trust, students check out and return books independently. Full of light and with an unmatched view of the lake, the library is enjoyed year-round as a peaceful place of work (with the occasional added ambience of the Lakeside piano).
Our beautiful display atlas is turned to a new page every day as students from across the world point out their hometowns to their friends. With books in French, German, Mandarin and more, the range of languages studied and spoken by Mildertians is evident.
Alongside the broad selection of books for academic purposes, the library contains a thorough wellbeing section (currently being expanded with the help of Talk and Support), providing guidance on any number of topics: from dissertation tips and tricks to managing stress, overcoming anxiety to successfully bagging your dream job.
Renewing our collection as part of the library’s renovation made us reflect on how generations of students have come and gone, and how research and academic interests have shifted. The library is becoming an increasingly collaborative space, taking recommendations from individual students as well as from various groups and societies. These include a collaboration with Mildert’s Feminist Society to amplify the voices of female authors in time for International Women’s Day; a new Pride collection via the Queer Awareness Project celebrating LGBTQ+ stories and queer history; and input from minority ethnic groups across the University to develop a more comprehensive, decolonised collection.
With so many opportunities to celebrate those in our community, Mildert library is a space that both welcomes and serves all. It will continue to grow as it is shaped by the interests of those who use it, serving as a mirror of students past, present and future.
Luna Middleton-Roy (Classics, 2020-24)
below: Our library, refurbished in 2023 with the generous support from donors.
below:
Mentoring
Having thoroughly enjoyed my time as an undergraduate at Van Mildert College 1978-1981, I was very happy to be invited to be a College Tutor, as it was called then, in 1985. I remembered meeting my own College Tutor and felt that, although I wasn’t an academic or member of staff at the University, I would be able to welcome students to Durham and help them to settle in. College ‘Tutors’ became ‘Mentors’ in 2010 to avoid confusion with academic tutors but their role remained essentially the same.
To try and explain what a mentor is, here are some of things I have done to support students: welcomed them to College on their first day, got to know them over a meal or meeting in the first weeks, shown an interest in them and helped to facilitate their getting to know one another, dropped in for quick chats by reception, sent text
messages to check how they’re doing, arranged social events to get together as a group for cake or pizza, met one-to-one for coffee on campus or in town, given advice about where to go for a meal when parents are visiting, suggested places to visit to get to know the wider local area, listened and talked through concerns or ideas about what to do after graduation, attended plays and concerts they’ve been in or produced or directed, followed their involvement in college
and university sport or volunteering and outreach projects and contributed to personal/character references.
Mentors are also able to help by signposting and encouraging students to access more formal help from Student Support or the Careers Service. Mentors are not responsible for their mentees’ academic work, but it can be helpful to ask how they are getting on and to encourage them to explain what they are working on. Mentors can be helpful by being a listening ear.
As with many areas of life, Covid meant a pausing of the mentor system, but it has been relaunched in 2023/24 for first year students and is continuing to develop throughout all year groups. Many of our mentors are Mildert alumni and many of those live away from Durham or even the UK. Consequently, mentor meetings and connections are often virtual oneto-one or group meetings. Equally valuable are those mentors who are members of the local community.
Being a mentor has been a great way to keep connected to College and to keep in touch with university life. I have fond memories of my own undergraduate years, but also many memories of the students I have got to know as their mentor, and of the events, shows, meals and successes that I’ve been able to share alongside them.
Caroline Boardman (English Literature, 1978-81)
I have fond memories of my own undergraduate years, but also many memories of the students I have got to know as their mentor, and of the events, shows, meals and successes that I’ve been able to share alongside them.
St Patrick's Day.
College student support
At Van Mildert, we aim to provide the support our students need, when they need it, in the format they want to access it. Our three-person support team typically offers upwards of 30 appointments per week Whether they’re having trouble with their studies, friendships, finances, physical or mental health or anything else, we offer students support without judgement. As well as responding to students, we also reach out to them proactively where we are concerned for their welfare, and we support students who are involved in any kind of University disciplinary process.
Over the last five years, the volume, complexity and severity of cases we deal with has increased. Around a quarter of new students now declare a disability of some kind, with the largest area being specific learning disabilities (such as dyslexia or ADHD) and mental health issues. The University has recently invested in additional student support resources and new software for managing support cases.
This year, I will be curating a series of life-skills sessions to foster resilience and wellbeing. Sessions on financial literacy, cooking and food hygiene and managing conflict will help prepare students for life beyond campus.
Supporting students can be draining, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Seeing a student who I’ve met with regularly throughout their degree walk across the stage at graduation – sometimes after one or more periods away from their studies – reminds me that the work I do every day makes a positive difference to the lives of some remarkable, resilient young people.
Deborah Monk Assistant Principal
below: A typical Van Mildert student bedroom.
Talk and Support
Talk and Support is Mildert’s studentled welfare team, and we are here to offer a helping hand and a friendly face! Whether people have questions about starting university life, making friends, or they just want to pop by for a chat, our wonderful team of volunteers are always willing to help. This year, we have five members on our executive team and more than 20 students who volunteer to help support their peers.
Our team is split into two branches: pastoral and campaigns. The pastoral team provide one-to-one support through our bi-weekly drop-ins and via social media and email. Our campaigns team work to promote welfare across the College through events like ‘stress less’ sessions during exam season and our famous SHaG (Sexual Health and Guidance) bop in Epiphany term. Within our campaigns team we
support areas such as international, religious minorities, POC, LGBTQ+, mental health, sexual health, working class, disability, and year abroad representatives so hopefully there is always someone our students feel comfortable talking to.
We run everything out of our welfare room, upstairs in our JCR offices. A whole host of welfare supplies are available free of charge, including tampons, pads, condoms, lube, and pregnancy tests. We can also signpost a variety of resources and information on where to find sexual, physical, and mental health professionals around Durham. Our volunteers develop their skills in active listening, receive Nightline training, and learn how to direct our students to the resources they need.
Being part of the welfare team here at Mildert is by far the most rewarding
thing I have done to contribute to college life - some of the highlights of my time as Senior Welfare Officer include holding an incredible Pride Month event, holding our Greek-God themed SHaG bop, and working with our incredible team during Freshers' Week to ensure everyone settled into college life!
We are proud that Mildert has such a strong reputation for being welcoming, friendly, and making our students feel heard and safe: this is in large part a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Talk and Support team, along with our college support staff. Here’s to many more years of fantastic welfare at Mildert!
Maddie Parker (Philosophy, Politics and Economics, 2021-24)
below: Our students during Pride Month.
Being part of the welfare team here at Mildert is by far the most rewarding thing I have done to contribute to college life.
The 'Cheer Huddle'.
Our vision for Mildert Future
Our Jubilee Projects
As we celebrate 60 glorious years of Van Mildert College, we also look ahead to the next 60 years and more. Now is the time to build on the solid foundations established by generations of Mildertians and secure a bright future for those to come. Our current and future students face an unprecedented set of challenges, including the global climate emergency, the cost-of-living crisis, and an unfolding epidemic of mental health concerns among young people. We can be confident that they will rise to these challenges, but they will need our help.
College life has changed over the last 60 years. In 1965 we had around 300 students – now we have nearly 1,600. Over 90 per cent of undergrads live out of college in their second and third years. Nearly 50 per cent work for money alongside their studies. While our student numbers have exploded (rising 43 per cent over the last decade), our spaces for student activities remain largely unchanged and our buildings are showing their age.
We’ve identified four jubilee projects as priorities for our 60th anniversary, in consultation with current students. All four projects share the aim of creating a sense of belonging. Belonging from the moment you arrive to the moment you graduate and beyond, whoever you are, wherever you come from, and whatever your financial situation.
There is a long tradition of philanthropy at Van Mildert. Over the past ten years, the alumni community has raised more than £600,000 to support initiatives such as our Young People’s Project, our enrichment programme, our Challenge and Opportunity Fund and much more. The new library is a massive asset to the College: it was almost entirely funded by donations from alumni. As we celebrate our anniversary year, we want to build on this tradition so that we can continue to make a huge difference to the lives of our students.
left: Van Mildert College building in the snow.
Student experience funding
By increasing student experience funding, we will remove barriers to full participation in college life Our Challenge and Opportunity Fund provides reactive support for students in acute financial hardship, as well as those wanting to take up opportunities that would otherwise be beyond their reach. In recent years, it has supported students to undertake volunteering work overseas, take shows to the Edinburgh Fringe, attend academic conferences, learn British Sign Language, join a chamber choir tour, and compete at national sports tournaments. In the current academic year, we’ve awarded around £8,000 in total to 30 students, in grants of up to £400; at this rate the fund will be exhausted in the next two years without further contributions. We could easily award several times as much year on year.
We don’t currently have a proactive programme of financial support for students from lower-income backgrounds. At present, Van Mildert has 124 UK undergraduate students with a household income of less than £30,000, and a further 50 between £30,000 and £47,200. As Durham University’s efforts to widen participation bear fruit, these numbers are likely to increase. These students often struggle with costs such as the JCR levy (currently £185), a ball ticket (currently £70), or subscriptions to the Boat Club (currently £60). We aim to establish a fund of c. £35,000 per year to provide grants to students from lower-income backgrounds. This would relieve the financial pressures they experience and allow them to make the most of the opportunities available to them in College.
Van Mildert also provides students with opportunities for paid work, which we’d like to expand. Additional funding from alumni would allow us to increase the number and value of these opportunities.
In total, our target is to raise £43,000 for student experience funding, and to build a broad base of regular giving for the future.
Common Room study space
We’d love to develop a new Common Room space where students can come together to work and socialise. Over half the students surveyed identified this as a priority. This would get students out of their study bedrooms, which is good for their mental health. It would bring livers-out back into College and offer hot drinks during the day. And it would improve the sense of community and belonging.
The Turner Room (named for former principal Judy Turner) would provide the ideal space for this facility. Some alumni will remember it as the combination room, or the TV room. It currently houses snooker and pool tables, which could be relocated elsewhere in College.
Developing a new Common Room in this space would provide new opportunities for students to collaborate: Mildert students have an amazing track record of creating successful extra-curricular projects, such as our six outreach and volunteering projects. This is the space in which the next generation of collaborations will be dreamt up.
As the nature of work is changing, many of our students will go on to work in coworking spaces rather than more formal offices. This room will give them a taste of their future working environments and help them learn how to make the most of them. Displays in the room will increase the visibility of alumni networks and highlight their value to students. Finally, it will make the College more attractive to applicants –Van Mildert is currently one of the colleges that fewest incoming students identify as their preference. We can change this by developing highly desirable facilities such as this one.
Our fundraising target for this project is £126,000.
‘Informal learning spaces were found to be of particular importance to undergraduates and first-year students in transitioning to university and establishing a sense of belonging.’ Professor Sonja Oliveira (University of Strathclyde).
below: Proposed designs for the new Common Room study space.
‘Once we have a new boathouse, we will have a central training hub so we can train harder, win more, and rebuild the sense of community VMBC used to have.’ Claire Wiest, Boat Club Captain 2023-24
Boathouse
Van Mildert College Boathouse burnt down in an arson attack in December 2021. While our insurance company made a substantial payment to rebuild the boathouse, we don’t want simply to rebuild a like-for-like replacement. Rowing is a huge part of our community: we want a bigger, better boathouse. This will allow us to introduce more people to rowing for the first time, while allowing our top crews to compete at elite levels locally and nationally.
We have identified a suitable site next to the Maiden Castle sports centre and completed pre-planning. Our fundraising target for this project is £73,000.
Van Mildert College
Ann Dobson Hall
The Ann Dobson Dining Hall is the heart of Van Mildert College and reportedly the largest student dining hall in Europe. But it’s used for much more than dining. In addition to providing three meals a day, seven days a week to 525 students, it also hosts our fashion show, panto, musical, college day, carol service, dance showcase and regular formal dinners. We could enhance all these activities with improved acoustic treatment, and theatrical sound and lighting.
We currently rig temporary lighting and sound for each event. This is timeconsuming, disruptive, and the results leave much to be desired. Fixed lighting and sound would allow us to host better events, more often and more easily. It would allow us to up-skill our student technicians, giving them valuable experience, as well as providing more opportunities for Mildert’s music, drama and dance communities.
The acoustic properties of the hall have deteriorated over time and the current ‘swimming pool’ acoustic seriously compromises public speaking and music performances. Acoustic consultants have drawn up plans to provide sensitive and effective acoustic treatment that would greatly improve the experience of dining in the hall, while returning the hall to its former glory as a venue for live music.
Our fundraising target for this project is £125,000
‘The Ann Dobson Hall is a vastly underused resource that just needs unlocking, with some investment in contemporary technology. Unlocking this potential will enrich not only the live music scene but also the formal dining experience and the development of VM students.’ Charlotte Beech, VM JamSoc.
below: Proposed design for the upgrades to the Ann Dobson Dining Hall.
How you can help
Our development plans are ambitious but realistic. We are dreaming with our eyes open. At durham.ac.uk/VM60, you can give towards any of our jubilee projects, or ask for your gift to be allocated to the area of greatest need.
We’d be delighted to discuss a potential gift with you, and to tell you more about the difference your gift will make to our college community. If you’re a UK tax payer, gift aid can increase the value of your donation by 25 per cent, and depending on your circumstances it may also reduce the amount of tax you pay.
You can also join the growing number of Mildertians who give regularly to College. You’re welcome to give any amount monthly, quarterly, or annually. All gifts are very much appreciated, and no amount is too small.
You may wish to consider leaving a legacy to Van Mildert College in your will. We can advise on types of legacy gifts and the tax advantages they entail. We love to celebrate those who have pledged legacies, and, if you share your intentions with us, we’ll be delighted to include you in exclusive future opportunities and events.
Please get in touch via vm.development@durham.ac.uk if you’re interested in discussing a gift. Your generosity will transform the experience of future students, making a lasting difference to their lives.
above: Van Mildert College in Summer.
Van Mildert College
Mill Hill Lane
Durham
DH1 3LH
0191 334 7100
durham.ac.uk/vm60
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Link to Jubilee Projects fundraising page
CUR/11/24/405