Carol Vorderman · @carolvorders
20th Oct 2017 from TwitLonger
Here is MY Cambridge story. #Oxbridge
In 1978 a girl, #Me, on #FreeSchoolMeals at a comprehensive school in Rhyl, North Wales was accepted by Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, aged only 17 #YearEarly to read Engineering. Only a handful of girls were in the Engineering department. Only 3 all-male colleges had accepted girls by this time. It changed my life, and many others too.
Sidney Sussex College had faith in THREE girls from "Northern state schools" that year. #Progressive.
Me; my room mate (also only age 17`) Sue Gibson (formerly Thomas) from Blackburn, now a leading Professor of Chemistry and winner of countless science awards https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/s.gibson ;
and, Ann Mather from Stockport who now serves on the global board of directors of Google, Netflix, YouTube, MGM and many more https://www.recode.net/2015/9/3/11618270/ann-mather-board-member-of-google-and-netflix-joins-board-of
They are my friends, we all are proud and grateful for the faith Sidney Sussex College had in us, very much against the odds at that time.
I am now a Fellow Commoner at Sidney Sussex College. I sponsor bursaries to those from similar backgrounds to mine to read Engineering there.
http://www.sid.cam.ac.uk/alumni/40-years-women-sidney