10 minute read
Shaping the Future
We know that Old Marlburians make huge contributions and are leaders in their respective fields, both in the UK and internationally, and those who received a bursary are no exception. The Club asked three former bursary pupils to share their life experiences to understand how Marlborough helped shape their future. They have achieved success in many ways and their inspiring stories remind us that bursaries go beyond the excellent education gained in the classroom. As you will read in the profiles of James Root, Mirya Ninova and Molly McHugh-Iddon, they also learnt how to be resilient, perseverant and compassionate.
In a recent survey, former bursary pupils told the Club that Marlborough had helped improve their grades, securing them a place at their chosen university. For some, it was being at Marlborough that encouraged them to set their sights even higher than they would have expected and apply to some of the world’s top universities. Many shared anecdotes about the importance of being part of the Marlburian community. They described the academic support from their beaks beyond lessons, they named friends who made them laugh through tough times, and they thanked the donors who funded their bursaries.
The Marlburian community welcomes the success that every bursary pupil – current or former – has achieved and, as the College increases the number of full bursaries available, it will be exciting to see where their careers take them.
James Root
James Root
(SU 1975-79)
To bring us up to speed, can you give us a whistle-stop tour of your career so far? After university, I worked in advertising in London as a copywriter and creative director, then I re-skilled with an MBA degree at London Business School, from where I joined Bain & Company. I’ve been with Bain most of the time since then – over 32 years now – in London, Boston, New York and Hong Kong. In the middle of all that, I dipped out of Bain for three years to co-start a business process outsourcing business in Asia that we sold a few years after launch.
You’ve recently been elected By-Fellow in Hughes Hall at the University of Cambridge; can you tell us a bit more about this? First, it’s an honour. My father taught at Cambridge and he was a ‘proper’ academic, which I am not. I have been teaching EMBAs for around 12 years in Hong Kong on the joint Kellogg–HKUST programme and was interested in expanding my teaching commitments. There is a highly innovative Head of House at Hughes who sees value in having people with non-traditional backgrounds join the fellowship – it’s thanks to him that I am part of the College.
You’ve written extensively in the business press; what topics are you currently interested in, or working on? My main pre-occupation is the diversity of motivation that brings people to work every day. There is so much complexity in why people go to work and what they want when they get there, but the talent systems and processes in most organisations are designed around something that doesn’t really exist: the average worker. I’m working with clients to design talent systems that go much deeper in meeting individual aspirations.
Did you always have an interest in your subject or did something, or someone, at Marlborough spark an interest? I started studying Latin aged nine and Greek at 12. I was hooked even before Marlborough, but the teaching in Shell and beyond was inspiring, so I decided to carry Classics through to A levels and to my undergraduate degree. Plus, let’s face it, I was hopeless at Maths and Sciences!
Going back to your time at Marlborough, do you have any favourite memories? Sports show up often in the memory palace. Hockey and tennis in particular. The team experience, the away match team bus banter: nothing like it. A number of beaks define giant outlines for me: Peter Carter (CR 1955-83), Olly Ramsbotham (CR 1971-85), Tom Griffith (CR 1974-84) – life-changing educators I was fortunate to coincide with. And, of course, the friendships, which endure.
Looking back at your time at Marlborough, is there a particular quality or experience that has helped you get to where you are today? Resilience. Those early morning pink chit runs up to Wedgwood – toughing them out taught me that sometimes you just have to get your shoulder down and get through. I’ve had multiple career and life setbacks – who has not? – and I’ve drawn deeply on that early lesson.
Any advice you would give to a younger Marlburian looking at a similar career path to you? Try to find work opportunities that play to things you are good at. And remember that if you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, you have time: you’re likely going to live to 100 – you can afford a number of auditions in your 20s.
Mirya Ninova
(TU 2008-10)
To bring us up to speed, can you give us a whistle-stop tour of your career so far? After Marlborough, I studied International Relations and National Security Studies at the University of National and World Economy in Bulgaria. My course gave me a profound knowledge in diplomacy, political history, comparative politics and political economy. I went on to teach English, giving private lessons to adults, and, as I gained more experience, taught children as well. My career interests were then redirected into the financial sector. I began working for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners in 2017, which has provided me with many opportunities for learning and development.
What brought you to Coca-Cola Europacific Partners? It was just a matter of luck that I stumbled upon an open finance position and that I was given the chance to start my career in finance at the company. I value the people I am surrounded by and I’m grateful for the various opportunities for growth that I’ve been given by taking on new and exciting projects.
Mirya Ninova
What encouraged you to make the jump from teaching to finance? I didn’t feel that teaching was right for me, and I was also moving cities, so the finance position that an acquaintance of mine recommended to me was really a matter of happy chance. As time went by and I learned more about the sector, it got more and more interesting. Now I feel that what I do is really my thing.
What has been your proudest moment since you left Marlborough? That’s a tough one… I guess in a more general sense, I would say that I am proud to know what my values are and to have found someone to share them with. In a more concrete sense – I think it’s running a half marathon and climbing the highest peaks in the Balkans!
Going back to your time at Marlborough, do you have any favourite memories? My favourite memories were shared with my Jamaican roommate. As international pupils in a British boarding school, we shared similar experiences and supported each other. We laughed together a lot!
Looking back at your time at Marlborough, is there a particular quality or experience that has helped you get to where you are today? Probably the ability to adapt and persevere. Adapting to a foreign culture, new ways of doing things, the rules of living in a boarding house – it all seemed overwhelming at first and it took some time and effort. I also had the help and support of some wonderful people I met. I would like to say special thanks to Emma Brooke-Hitching – the mother of one of my classmates, who is a real angel and a very caring person.
Any advice you would give to a younger Marlburian looking at a similar career path to you? Finance is actually fun! More generally, I would say that you can always go back to the life that you know, so try new things and make the most out of every situation you are in.
Molly McHugh-Iddon
(LI 2018-20)
To bring us up to speed, can you give us a whistle-stop tour of your education so far? Although I did not intend to study Psychology at Marlborough, I changed my mind after speaking to members of the Psychology Department who sparked my curiosity and ignited a passion for the ‘I have so many good memories from Marlborough it’s difficult to choose just one! I think one of my fondest memories is my outreach volunteering at a local primary school.’
Molly McHugh-Iddon
subject. I become massively interested in all aspects of Psychology and left every lesson excited for the next. I now study Psychology at the University of Liverpool and my decision to apply for Psychology was very much affirmed by my love for the subject at Marlborough. My teachers did everything possible to make sure I was able to find the best course and university that suited me.
Going back to your time at Marlborough, do you have any favourite memories? I have so many good memories from Marlborough it’s difficult to choose just one! I think one of my fondest is my outreach volunteering at a local primary school. We were paired with one child and would have sensory sessions and activities. Each week we did different things and I enjoyed building strong relationships with the staff and the children. It was special to see how excited the children were when we visited and how they developed over the programme.
Can you explain more about the mentoring that you are involved in? I am part of a bursary mentoring programme with Hope Opportunity Trust that matches university students to Year 13 pupils who are attending a boarding school on a full bursary to help them transition to university. I meet monthly with my mentee and ask about their wellbeing, academic progress and any challenges. We also work on their personal development plan to set goals and aspirations for the future. The Year 13s seem more open to having lengthy discussions about their academic life or any issues they may be having at school with someone of a similar age and who has been through a similar experience in recent years. Mentoring works well as not only does it massively benefit the mentee but, from my experience, mentoring is a great way to feel as though you are still part of the community.
Why do you choose to give up your time and help people? I became a mentor because I recognised just how much I would have appreciated having that person to talk to when I was at Marlborough. Before starting at Marlborough, I informally spoke to some people who had bursaries from other schools, and I was introduced to some Marlborough bursary pupils. Talking to these people helped calm my nerves and answered my questions. I will be forever grateful for the opportunities that my bursary gave me and mentoring other young people going through this important and chaotic stage of life is a way of saying thank you for my time at Marlborough. It is important that young people are prepared to undergo the once-in-a-lifetime experience of being at school, taking their A levels, and transitioning to university.
You’re now in your final year at university, have you got plans for the future? This academic year, I’m looking forward to my independent research project and combining everything I have studied over the past two years to answer my research question. I’m in the early stages of research and have yet to develop my question, but I am interested in media, criminal and conflict psychology.
The Development Office would like to add to the personal accounts of bursary recipients, so if you were the recipient of a bursary at Marlborough, please get in touch with us at development@marlboroughcollege.org to share your story.
