40 Years On • Women of Corpus

In October 1983, we welcomed our first cohort of female undergraduates. From September 2023, we will launch a year-long programme of activities and events to commemorate the 40th anniversary of this transformation and our 2,000 women of Corpus.

We were late in becoming co-residential and yet the role of significant women at Corpus stretches back centuries to our foundation. They have always been part of shaping the College. But progress does not exist in a vacuum. The open and inclusive community at Corpus has evolved over time, setting us on a widening participation journey that continues today. 

There will be a full year’s term card of events for our whole community – alumni, students, Fellows, staff and friends of Corpus. Clubs, societies, annual College feasts and special occasions will all take on the 40th anniversary theme. An oral history project has been launched by College Archivist, Dr Genny Silvanus, to gather testimonials from the 1978-86 cohorts about the period of transition and we will also explore the history of women who have contributed to Corpus through the ages. 

The first event in our 40th anniversary calendar will be the MacCurdy Reunion on 23 September 2023 for 1978-83 matriculands, with the Beldam Reunion on 13 April 2024 welcoming back 1984-88 cohorts.  

On International Women’s day/weekend next year, 8-9 March 2024, we will invite a wide cross-section of women of Corpus (both students and alumni) to gala dinners, talks, performances and student-alumni networking sessions, where women in different career sectors can speak with current students and recent graduates about their academic and professional pathways and aspirations. 

On 22 June everyone will be invited to our biggest ever garden party at Leckhampton – a fun, family occasion with extra features to give it a real festival feel.

The 40th Anniversary Committee