Will is smiling at the camera, with the Wisteria of the front of the Master's Lodge behind him. He has close cropped hair and is wearing a striped shirt.

President / William H. Cook

president@christsmcr.co.uk

Hello! I’m William, 2nd year PhD student in Clinical Neurosciences. I have the privilege of representing you at the College level, including providing input into College services, communicating student concerns, and championing new initiatives. We have a great MCR Committee who are each a source of support and put on great events. Please reach out if you would like to see more or less of something!

Marlo is smiling, wearing a Midnights-inspired dress at the Eras Tour in London.

Vice President / International Officer / Marlo Avidon

vicepresident@christsmcr.co.uk

Hi! I’m Marlo a third-year PhD student in History, researching 17th century fashion. Even though I’m originally from the US, I’ve lived in the UK for six years (three of those in Cambridge!) Feel free to get in touch to talk with any questions about adjusting to life in England or just to chat about all things history, Star Wars, or Taylor Swift. You can almost always find me camped out in the Buttery!

As Vice President, I’m responsible for supporting William and other committee members with their activities and helping the MCR run smoothly. I’m always available if you have any questions, comments or concerns about the MCR or college more generally! I’m also Christ’s International Officer - We have a vibrant and diverse international presence in the College. The MCR organises lots of events with an international theme, giving the college members an opportunity to celebrate their own culture and others a chance to learn and enjoy a different culture from their own. In the past, we have held events such as Diwali night, international films night, Chinese New Year, Halloween (with pumpkin carving!), Eurovision, as well as various food-themed gatherings and outings like our regular International potlucks. You don’t need to be part of the culture to celebrate, curiosity is all you need!

Another good way to find people with similar interests or cultural background as you is through various societies in Cambridge. Whatever activity you could think of, there’s a society in Cambridge for it. If you want to find people who share your cultural background, there are many societies such as the Australian and New Zealand, Canadian, CSSA(Chinese), Nigerian, and Polish societies (the list could go on), some more active than others. You can find more on that on the Societies and Sports section of the Freshers’ Guide.

Oli is smiling, in front of the Formal Hall window. He is wearing a checked shirt.

Treasurer / Oliver O’Brien

treasurer@christsmcr.co.uk

Hi, I'm Oli a second year Maths PhD student and MCR treasurer. I manage the MCR budget, bank accounts and reimburse committee members. I am also a member of the committee that makes funding decisions for various college societies (ranging from Football to Amateur Dramatics). I am happy to champion the creation of new MCR clubs and societies, so please get in touch if you want to start something new.

Betty is wearing a neutral expression and a black top. Vines and sandstone of college are visible behind her.

Welfare Officer / Betty Wang

welfare@christsmcr.co.uk

Hi everyone, I am Betty, a first-year PhD student in Clinical Neurosciences and also your MCR Welfare Officer. I strive to create a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment at Christ’s. I organize weekly welfare events including welfare coffee, yoga, and other fun activities to release your stress! If you encounter any welfare issues, I am more than happy to listen to you and direct you to the right person or provide you with relevant resources. All chats will remain anonymous and non-judgemental, so do not hesitate to share your concerns and problems with me!

Alaric is sipping a red cocktail and wearing a black feathered hat with the "Maggie's" neon sign in the background.

Bar Manager / Alaric Sanders

bar@christsmcr.co.uk

Salve all, I'm Alaric (he/him), a 3rd year physics PhD and your faithful bar manager. I love Maggie's Bar - inventing new cocktails, making custom syrups, and infusing our own liqueurs using herbs from the tea garden are a demure and mindful way to unwind after the stresses of a PhD. I’m in charge of stocking and organising staff for our beloved MCR Bar, named “Maggie’s” after Lady Margaret.

It’s my job to ensure that everyone feels welcome at the bar: Gin or whiskey, beer or cider, drinker or non-drinker, there is something for you. In particular, we always have at least one mocktail.

The bar team are a great group of people to hang around with - if you've ever wanted to learn how to mix drinks, or are just looking for a fun, rewarding break from real-world work, please come join us!

Madame Secretary / Isobel Magrath

secretary@christsmcr.co.uk

Hi everyone, I'm Isobel - MCR Secretary and second year PhD student in Plant Sciences. My job is to let you all know what exciting things are going on in the MCR and to be a point of contact between the committee and broader community. I send out a weekly bulletin email detailing the MCR activities that are coming up, opportunities that are available, and other college news. If ever you need help finding things or getting in touch with the MCR or College, just email me and I can point you in the right direction. I look forward to welcoming you all to Christ's and helping you make the most of this beautiful community! 

Entertainment (Ents) Officers / Madison Bennett and Alice Hilder Jarvis

ents@christsmcr.co.uk

Hi, I’m Madison—one of your ENTs officers and a 2nd year PhD student researching lost techniques of medieval manuscript production. I’m originally from the US (midwest is best) and have lived in the UK since 2022. My background is in fine art and calligraphy, and I get a thrill from aggressively recommending restaurants and museums to anyone who will listen. When I’m not talking about how great Christ’s is, you can find me running events for the Blind Wine Tasting Society, the Bibliophiles Society, and CamYoga. Please ask me about Kettle’s Yard.

Hello! I'm Alice - I'm a PhD student in Philosophy working on psychiatric diagnosis and medical ethics and, along with Madison, one of the Ents Officers. My favourite spot in Cambridge is the Jesus Green lido. I love rock climbing, poking about beautiful churches, and mushroom foraging, and I'm looking forward to running some great MCR events this year!

Aramish is smiling at the camera, with purple wisteria in the background. She is wearing a blue sweater.

Green Officer / Aramish Fatima

green@christsmcr.co.uk

Hello everyone! I’m Aramish, a PhD student in Zoology here at Christ’s College, with a deep passion for sustainability. This year, I’m excited to dive into various green initiatives to help make our college community more eco-friendly and connected to nature.

I’m actively involved in running regular gardening volunteer sessions alongside our dedicated college gardeners. These sessions are a wonderful way to get involved, learn about sustainable gardening practices, and contribute to our vibrant garden spaces. I’m also proud to have helped establish our charming Tea Garden, where sustainability meets relaxation in a serene environment.

Looking ahead, we have some exciting events lined up, including a plant sale and swap. This will be a great opportunity to refresh your plant collection and adopt new green friends while supporting sustainable practices. Additionally, we’ll be exploring sustainable fashion practices next term, encouraging eco-friendly choices in our wardrobes and promoting a more sustainable lifestyle.

Jackie is smiling, squinting slightly into the sun. Her hair has red highlights. Formal hall behind

LGBTQ+ Officer / Jackie Rao

lgbtq@christsmcr.co.uk

Hi, I’m Jackie (she/her), a 2nd year PhD student in Biostatistics! My job as the LGBTQ+ officer involves running events for LGBTQ+ MCR members, such as LGBTea (including brewing some of the wonderful teas from our MCR tea garden), movie nights, and drinks events. I’m also here to point people towards to LGBTQ+ specific resources and support. There are lots of LGBTQ+ external events happening around Cambridge as well, which group trips can be organised to, and I’m always open to new event ideas! If you ever need someone to talk to, I’m always around for a hot drink and a chat so feel free to reach out :)

Kirstie is stood outside smiling, with an old stone building, some plants and a lamp directly behind her. She has brown hair, glasses, moonstone earrings, and a patterned V-line dress with shades of red, pink and blue.
Laura is wearing a bright red jacket, standing in First Court of Christ's.

Disability Officers / Kirstie Stage & Laura Chilver

disabilities@christsmcr.co.uk

Hello everyone! We are Laura and Kirstie, your MCR Disability Officers for this year. Our job is to represent the postgraduate student body, especially for disabled students (including neurodivergent students, d/Deaf students and/or people with chronic health conditions and/or mental health conditions). In this role, we have regular meetings with college, discussing the experiences of disabled students as well as raising any feedback, concerns or issues that may arise. If there is anything that you would like to discuss (or rant about!) in relation to accommodation, accessibility, equipment or anything else, please get in touch with us! You are welcome to go to one of us individually (Laura - lc817@cam.ac.uk and/or Kirstie – kln31@cam.ac.uk) or on the MCR Disability Officer email above. We would also like to share information in the MCR news bulletin so if you have anything disability-related, please do let us know. Take care, and know that we’re always here!

Ardon is smiling, wearing a Christ's puffer and a set of glasses. Sandstone Formal Hall behind.

Academic Officer / Ardon Pillay

academic@christsmcr.co.uk

Hello everyone, my name is Ardon – I’m a second year PhD student in the Department of Pathology, working on the mechanisms by which cancers can suppress an immune response against them. I will be your MCR academic officer for this year. As academic officer, I will be organising various events over the course of the year which will give you chances to engage with the work being done by the members of MCR as well as work being carried out by the fellows of the college.

Elâ is smiling with sunglasses on her head, in front of a set of marble statues in the Trinity College chapel.
Josep is lookign to the side, wearing a conference lanyard.

Halls & Swaps Officers / Elâ Sutcliffe and Josep M. Tirapu

Hi! We are Elâ and Josep, PhD candidates in Veterinary Medicine and Law, and we are the Halls and Swaps Officers of Christ’s MCR! Our role consists of organising and coordinating Grad Halls every Tuesday and Swaps with other colleges.

Ethnic Diversity Officer / Walter Santana Garcia

diversity@christsmcr.co.uk

Women’s & Non-Binary Officer / Jiaxin Fu

Hi! I'm Jiaxin, now entering the second year of my PhD in the Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience. I'm your Women's & Nonbinary Officer for this year. As Women's and Non-Binary Officer, my role is to ensure our college is a welcoming and inclusive place for women and non-binary people. I’ll be sharing mini stories of women working in different areas through emails. I also plan to organise events like movie nights, book clubs, and a period product scheme. I am here to represent our unique experiences as women and non-binary people in the college. Feel free to contact me if you have any ideas for potential activities or simply need someone to talk to. Hope you have a good time studying and living in Cambridge!