Celebrating 60 years of St Cross – and looking to the future
To round off our 60th anniversary year, we were delighted to welcome members of the St Cross community from around the world back to College for a weekend of celebration. From 2026 graduates to those who remember the Wooden Hut days, St Giles' was filled with St Crossers from across generations and backgrounds. Together, we celebrated the people, stories, and achievements that have shaped St Cross over the past 60 years, while looking towards the College’s future.
The weekend opened on Friday 18 September with a special tour of art from the Indian subcontinent in the Ashmolean given by Dr Mallica Kumbera Landrus, and our first Anniversary Dinner, hosted by our Master, Kate Mavor.
Saturday 19 September brought a full day of events, beginning with the St Cross at 60 & Beyond panel, where members of the College’s senior leadership team reflected on the purpose of the College. Chaired by the Master, the discussion ranged from providing dedicated support for graduate students to how new accommodation could deepen community life – as well as the importance of making sure students have plenty of opportunities for fun and broadening their horizons, beyond the advanced and specialised content of graduate degrees.
The panels then widened to some of the challenges and opportunities facing the wider world, from global health and climate change to the past, present, and future of Africa. Health Across Borders, chaired by Andy Pollard, considered the potential of new technologies and medical research alongside inequalities in who is represented in, and ultimately benefits from, that research. The climate panel, chaired by Paul Shearing, balanced the scale of the challenge facing us all after decades of insufficient action with reasons for optimism and practical examples of more sustainable approaches. Africa – Past, Present and Future, chaired by Kevin Marsh, explored questions of identity and the limitations of viewing a vast and diverse continent as a single entity, while also looking ahead to the role Africa’s young population will play in shaping its (and the world’s) future.
We were delighted to bring together Fellows, alumni, students, and the broader College community as both panellists and audience members, contributing to discussions that spanned disciplines, experiences, and perspectives. Recordings of Saturday’s panels will be available on the College website soon.
That evening, Pusey House hosted an Evensong Service in honour of the anniversary, including a moving sermon from our Emeritus Fellow, John Barton. Reflecting on his time at St Cross, John spoke about the College’s informal warmth and the sense of community that has long brought students and Fellows together. As St Cross has grown over the past 60 years, these values of openness, collegiality, and humility – alongside academic excellence – have remained at its heart. The evening continued with our second Anniversary Dinner, where we welcomed Oxford’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Irene Tracey, as Guest of Honour.
Sunday 20 September brought a beautiful recital by Oscar Lawson and Neil Wary, from the Wells Quartet, followed by the last panel of the programme, chaired by Fernanda Pirie, which turned to the future of equality. Bringing together voices from law and education, the panel explored meritocracy and equity, questioning how far our legal and education systems can deliver equality in practice. Finally, we came together with Pusey House for a family garden party for all ages, bringing the weekend to a close as we said goodbye to friends, old and new.
The past year of celebrations has allowed us to look back on the the first six decades of St Cross, while considering what might come next. It has been a joy to hold events for alumni and friends across three continents, explore the history of the College through an anniversary exhibition and a special edition of Crossword, and gather St Crossers’ stories and memories.
We are very grateful for the generosity of our community, whose contributions to our 60th anniversary campaign, Making History, have helped ensure that the future of St Cross is bright. Please see our list of donors for 2025-26 and annual Development Report for further details.
Thank you to everyone who came to the weekend, and to those who could not make it, we look forward to welcoming you back to College on another occasion. St Cross is everywhere, through your interactions with each other and with us, and we hope you all enjoyed celebrating the 60th anniversary, whether in the heart of Oxford or across the four corners of the world.
