About John Snow College

The College's role is to provide a friendly, safe and stimulating environment for your degree studies at Durham University's Queen's Campus. We are here to support and develop all aspects of your University life - academic, social, sporting and cultural - and to do so in a way that is relevant to the needs of students from a wide variety of social backgrounds, and with a wide variety of future career intentions.

Underpinning this is our belief at John Snow College that University education is about the opening of doors and the exploration of new ideas, and that the College itself can add an extra dimension to the specific Department-based learning involved in your degree programme.

I am delighted to welcome new members of John Snow College. This is a time of significant development both within the College itself and at Queen's Campus.

One of the most striking things that you will see at the moment at Queen's is the spectacular, 'Infinity' footbridge that links the south and north shores of the River Tees - signalling the start of substantial enlargement of the University's activities and facilities at Queen's, including new sports facilities.

The College, too, is at an important stage of its development with a new Senior Common Room President due to be elected in June and an increasingly active and exciting Junior Common Room.

For many, coming to University marks a first period of living away from home, and this brings challenges as well as new opportunities and new friendships. Enjoy your new life to the full, whilst remaining considerate of the needs of your fellow-students; and if any difficulties should present themselves, please make sure that you tell us so that we can help you.

I look forward to meeting you during the coming term, but meanwhile let me wish you a happy, exciting and successful time at Durham University and at John Snow College.

Prof Carolyn Summerbell, Principal John Snow College, May 2012