Dear Graduate,
As President of Pembroke’s Middle Common Room (MCR), and on behalf of the entire graduate community at the college, I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome you to beautiful Pembroke!
You will no doubt be relieved to hear that Pembroke is an excellent place to pursue graduate work. Not only does it benefit from all the things that make Oxford unique, but, as one of the smaller colleges, it provides its students with a particularly friendly and supportive atmosphere. This spirit is reflected in the MCR: the hub of the College’s graduate community contained within two attractive rooms on the Old Quad. Here you can expect to meet fellow graduate students from around the world, specialising in a wide range of disciplines, united in their affiliation with Pembroke.
Membership to an MCR is one of the distinctive features of reading for a graduate degree at Oxford, and Pembroke’s is especially vibrant and active. Last year we enjoyed, among other things, several ‘Bops’ (Oxford-slang for party), ‘Soirées’ (music, poetry, wine, and cheese…), exchange dinners with other colleges (including with Queens’, our sister college at Cambridge), countryside rambles with our Master and his wife, guest speakers, movie nights, concerts, pub crawls, as well as our hallmark black-tie dinners.
Nevertheless, the MCR’s role in the life of a graduate extends far deeper than the rich array of organised events it provides, also serving as an essential resource for students coping with the challenging academic side of Oxford. Offering you the opportunity grab a coffee and read newspapers between lectures or tutorials, to put your feet up after a hard day at the library, to enjoy a post-dinner drink, or just have a chat with students outside your academic area, the MCR is viewed by many as a sanctuary from the naturally intensive Oxford lifestyle.
While your academic pursuits will no doubt be your main focus while at Oxford, I sincerely hope that College social life will contribute positively to your overall experience here and that you will get involved and make your own contribution to our tight-knit community. At the time of writing, my Committee and I are busy making arrangements for the beginning of term – we are planning an exciting array of social events for 0th week to help integrate you into the community.
Please do not hesitate to contact me on edvard.glucksman@pmb.ox.ac.uk should you have any queries.
I very much look forward to meeting you in October.
Yours sincerely,
Edvard Glücksman
MCR President
edvard.glucksman@pmb.ox.ac.uk
