Tongshan Liu

Community Bursary Award Holder

DPhil Materials (2020)

Receiving the St Cross Community Bursary is both an honour and a catalyst for my aspirations. Thank you for your generosity—it fuels my commitment to bridging gaps and fostering communities where everyone thrives. As co-founder of PhoenOx Dance Society, Oxford’s first Chinese dance group, I’ve witnessed how art can transcend cultural barriers. What began as a small group of students has grown into a community of 100+ members. Last year we staged the first student-designed dance drama in Oxford for 300 attendees—a milestone that showed me how shared creativity can unite strangers. Through Mung Technology, a startup I co-founded, we empower older adults with digital literacy workshops. Supported by the Saïd Business School, AgeUK Oxfordshire and Oxford City Council, we’ve helped seniors navigate the digital world—whether video-calling loved ones or accessing essential services. In parallel, as Managing Director of CapitOx Consulting Group (Oxford’s largest student-led consulting society), I champion gender equity in this male-dominated field. Mentoring women and launching initiatives like our “Women in Consulting” event has shown me how representation can transform industries. Your Bursary alleviates financial pressures, but more importantly, it reaffirms that my work matters. With this support, I can expand PhoenOx’s reach, scale Mung Technology’s impact and keep advocating for inclusivity. Thank you for believing in students who dare to reimagine what communities can achieve.