News

Durham college celebrates first male graduates

(12 June 2008)

We don’t often hear calls for equal rights for men, but that’s what one college at Durham University will be celebrating next week as it sees its first men graduate in its 109 year history.

St Mary’s College, one of 16 in Durham’s collegiate system, was established in 1899 as a women’s hostel accommodating six students. It has now grown to a student population of nearly 700. This year the first cohort of male students, admitted to three-year degree courses in 2005, will take part in the graduation ceremony alongside the last of the all-women intake, admitted to four-year courses in 2004. To mark the occasion, and to reflect the mix of tradition and progress at St Mary’s, members of the college’s men’s rugby team will be judging the Ladies Hat Competition at St Mary’s Summer Garden Party this Saturday (14 June), at 4.30pm, with team captain James Montagu presenting the prize. The rugby team was promoted to the Intercollegiate Premiership this year – a big achievement for a team that has only been together for three years. This year’s graduation is also special for another reason as overseeing the College celebrations will be Professor Phil Gilmartin who, this January, became the college’s first male Principal. Professor Gilmartin, an expert in plant genetics, joined St Mary’s from the University of Leeds, where he was Pro Dean for Research in the Faculty of Biological Science. He moved to Durham to take on a leadership role which provided an increased involvement with students’ university experience. Professor Gilmartin said: “This is a very special year in the history of St Mary’s as we graduate the first of our male students, and also the last students from the last intake of all women undergraduates. The gradual transition of the college to a mixed population has been a huge success and this year’s graduation event marks the final step to becoming a fully mixed college.” He added: “We wish all our 2008 graduates success and happiness in whatever they go on to do and look forward to keeping in touch through our alumni association, which will also welcome its first male members this year.” The 2008 graduation ceremony starts on Tuesday 24 June 2008 and, during the week, will see around 200 St Mary’s students get their degrees. Approximately 30% of these will be men. Since 2005 the proportion of men and women admitted to the college has evened out, with the 2007 intake being made up of 51% male students and 49% female. Famous alumnae of St Mary’s include Biddy Baxter MBE, who was editor of one of the BBC’s best-loved children’s programmes, Blue Peter, from 1965-1988. Jennifer Willott, Liberal Democrat MP for Cardiff Central, and the first woman to hold that seat, is also an alumna. St Mary’s College continues to offer women single sex accommodation in the Shepherd wing, opened in 2006 by the Chancellor, Bill Bryson. This provides accommodation for 26 women students who for religious or cultural reasons could not live within a mixed College. The Shepherd wing also offers the opportunity of personal choice for those preferring single sex accommodation.