A team of local talent from Jesus College, Cambridge has returned to Tyne and Wear for a two-week tour designed to help encourage North East students to aim high in their university choices.

We hope that the young people of Tyne & Wear who meet our undergraduate students and Schools Liaison Officer during this tour will enjoy the opportunity to find out about the University of Cambridge and what it is really like to be a student here, and that they will feel more confident about applying.

Dr Rutter, Admissions Tutor for Sciences, Jesus College

Cambridge students from Sunderland, Newcastle, Durham, Ponteland, and Middlesbrough will visit over 30 state secondary schools and colleges between now and the end of March., talking to students, their parents and their teachers.

This year’s tour has been extended to a fortnight to give even more local schools the opportunity of a visit from the Jesus team. 

Aiden Goulden is one of the local undergraduates returning to encourage others to consider Cambridge. He took his A Levels at Sunderland’s St Aidan’s RC Sixth Form and is now studying Chemical Engineering at Jesus College.

“The College visiting my school was a strong initiative in persuading me to apply to Cambridge,” Aiden said. “I’m now JCR Access Officer, which means I work to pass on my own experience to potential undergraduates.  I know from personal experience just how important it is to encourage others.”

Brendan Shepherd, Schools Liaison Officer at Jesus College and the tour organiser, explains:  “I’m from Tyne and Wear myself and know how useful visits like these can be. I wouldn’t have applied to Cambridge without encouragement from my teachers and from Cambridge outreach teams.

“I’m particularly thrilled that we have been able to extend the Schools Tour this year to a full fortnight.”

Tim Allen, Head of Y12 at St Wilfrid’s School, South Shields, welcomed the students, saying: “As a school we are looking forward to the visit of the Jesus College Access team. Building a stronger relationship with Jesus College Cambridge helps us meet our goals of promoting academic excellence and raising aspirations.”

Dr Rutter, Admissions Tutor for Sciences at Jesus College, said “Jesus College is committed to encouraging students from all backgrounds to aspire to higher education and we are delighted that so many schools are able to participate in our expanded ‘Schools Tour’ this year.

“We hope that the young people of Tyne & Wear who meet our undergraduate students and Schools Liaison Officer during this tour will enjoy the opportunity to find out about the University of Cambridge and what it is really like to be a student here, and that they will feel more confident about applying.”

The Jesus team will be taking a day out of their schedule to help out at the 2014 Oxford and Cambridge Student Conference, being held on 19th March at St James’s Park. 

At this free one-day Conference, staff and students from both universities will explain their application and admissions procedures, offer up-to-date information about courses, provide an insight into student life, and be available to talk informally to participants about any aspect of life at university, or beyond.

The St James' Park conference is one of eight taking place throughout the UK. By the end of the month over 10,000 pupils and teachers will have been able to attend a conference in their home region and have their questions about studying at Oxford or Cambridge answered.

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