[Lord Chris Smith, Master]: I want to wish you all a very happy Christmas,
from all of us here at Pembroke College.
One of the things we did this year in Pembroke
was to set out our strategic vision
for what we believe the College should be all about
over the course of the next fifteen years.
And at the heart of that vision
is that it's all about bringing together
the very brightest students,
giving them the very best education,
helping, through groundbreaking research
to make the College at the forefront of knowledge,
and by doing all of that
to help our students to go out and make a difference to the world.
I hope that in this video
we will be able to show you something
of what we've been doing this year
in order to make that a reality.
[Once in Royal David's City sung by a Girls' Choir Chorister]
[Dr Dan Tucker, Senior Tutor: So although academically we've had a tremendously successful year,
my focus has really been on taking gratitude from
the unspoken successes particularly, particularly those students
who've struggled with family problems,
or with health problems, or with disabilities, to do well irrespective of that.
The things that really give me great satisfaction
are to look at how our students are contributing,
not only to College society but to University society and further.
I think all of these successes,
yes they're based on rigor that is applied to people's academic work,
but it's also based on outward engagement,
particularly combining the sporting initiatives
and the musical achievements,
into what is really a really tangible social fabric of the College,
which I think we really cherish.
[Once in Royal David's City sung by the Choirs and congregation]
[Fiona Shuttleworth]: Sport plays a great role in the College community in Pembroke.
It not only brings people together from different teams,
but also undergraduates with graduates, and even Fellows.
This year we were lucky to organise a fierce Varsity
match between Pembroke College Oxford,
which was a great day of making friends, and sporting success.
[Libby Daley]: As women's football Captain I'm proud and pleased
that Pembroke remains the only College able to field two women's teams every weekend.
After an extraordinary intake this term
I'm delighted with our currently unbeaten record in the league and Cuppers.
[Once in Royal David's City sung by the Choirs and congregation]
[Dr Caroline Burt, Admissions Tutor]: So what we're trying to do at Pembroke is make sure
that we recruit the very brightest and best students
to come and study with us.
And to that end the team in admissions has been really busy this year,
because we're working really hard at that aim.
Both outside Cambridge, going to visit schools,
and also here in Cambridge bringing students in
to see us.
[Amber Cuttill, Head of Widening Participation]: Over the last twelve months
we've worked with over 3500 students,
and of those over 1000 of those students have actually come to visit us
here at Pembroke, which is really exciting
because we get to show off what a beautiful College it is,
and hope that it will have a good impact on future student numbers and the student body.
[Once in Royal David's City sung by the Choirs and congregation]
[Dr Rosalind Blakesley, Fellow]: One of the great things about being a Fellow at Pembroke
is the chance to be part of such a strong research community.
It's a wonderfully active community, demonstrated by the
fascinating publications, the talks and seminars,
and the awards won by the Fellows here.
It's been a rich and productive year for research at Pembroke,
and I'm sure 2019 will bring more of the same.
[Once in Royal David's City sung by the Choirs and congregation]
[Matthew Mellor, Development Director]: I hope this video has given you
a flavour of what a great place Pembroke is,
and of what great people live and work here,
as they have done for generations before,
and will do for a very long time to come.
Thank you for what you have done, do now, and will do in the future
to sustain and support this place.
We know we owe you, and we guarantee to pay back that debt
by making a positive contribution to the world.
[Once in Royal David's City sung by the Choirs and congregation]
[Lord Chris Smith]: So from all of us here at Pembroke,
a very merry Christmas to you all,
and a happy 2019.
