Hatfield Middle Common Room

This year has been tough for everyone, but the MCR has been able to step up and adapt to the situation to ensure that postgrads have been able to make the most of their time at Hatfield. It has been incredibly difficult, but it has brought us closer together and helped us appreciate the value of community at College.

During Induction Week, we held online events so that students would be able to take part despite the national restrictions. Livers-in were able to have a wine night and take part in a matriculation ceremony in the College chapel. We also wanted to have at least one in-person event for the livers-out and our ‘speed dating’ networking event in College allowed students to meet each other in person and make connections, whilst ensuring that masks and distancing rules were adhered to.

Our online research symposium was a great success with fascinating presentations by the speakers from a wide range of subjects ranging from research areas such as English literature, world music and physics. Our online Formals were a great opportunity for students to have at least some semblance of normal College life and we used the online platform ‘Wonder’ to facilitate a relatively more natural method of interaction within a virtual space. Recognising how difficult lockdown has been for students, we also used the MCR budget to help the students’ social events by subsidising the price of Summer Ball tickets, the cost of food and beverage for online Formals, as well as purchasing sports equipment and Christmas decorations for the residents at James Barber House.

With restrictions easing, we have been able to slowly begin in-person events with formals, a research symposium in College and a barbeque in the Fellows’ garden. It has been a great pleasure to meet the students this year and I hope that our students will continue to engage with College activities and continue to contribute to the rich academic life and community within the MCR and College.

Amila Wijesinghe

MCR President

President Amila Wijesinghe Academic Officers Salam Aazam, Benjamin Shaw Chair Henry Hoyle Events Officer James Petley Secretary Lydia Foss Treasurer Miles Hughes Welfare Officer Lorna Flynn

L to R from top: Amila Wijesinghe, Ben Shaw Henry Hoyle, James Petley Lorna Flynn, Salam Aazam Lydia Foss, Miles Hughes