Cambridge Colleges: Selwyn

           Rt. Reverand George Selwyn (1809-1878), was a member of the first ever Cambridge University Varsity Crew that raced against the Oxford University Varsity Crew on the Thames in 1829, launching a boat race tradition that continues to this day.  Born in Hampstead, Selwyn was known as both an athlete and a scholar, and it surprised no one when he went on to study at St. John's College, at the University of Cambridge, where he graduated with a B.A. in 1831 (second in the Tripos), and then going onto get an M.A. in 1834 and a D.D. per lit. in 1842.  As he was culminating his academic work, Selwyn--already a priest--was appointed the first bishopship of the Anglican church in 1841.  A post that he held for over 20 years.  In 1868 he was appointed bishop of Lichfield, and said goodbye to his beloved New Zealand to hold this post in England until his death at the age of 69.

          Having played an influential role in the Anglican church throughout his life, and being a distinguished graduate of the University of Cambridge, a committee was formed shortly after Selwyn's death charged with finding a way to memorialize the scholar and bishop by founding a new College at the University of Cambridge.  Appointing the first master of Selwyn College in 1879, Arthur Lyttleton, and beginning construction on the first of the colleges three brick-work course in 1880, the groundwork for the colleges official admittance to the Cambridge system was laid well before the 1882 Royal Charter was received.  It would take until 1958 for Selwyn to receive full collegiate status, but it was in the 1880's that the first Selwyn students and fellow began their working towards degrees at the University of Cambridge.
         In recognition of the religious work done by the college's namesake, Selwyn maintained a requirement for all student to attend chapel each Sunday until 1935.  Selwyn became one of the first all-male colleges in the University system to admit women, housing their first female students in 1976, and in 2009 Selwyn became the first of the Cambridge Colleges to appoint a woman to the office of "Head Porter."


          The college motto is a bible verse, 1 Corinthions, 16:13, Be Courageous, and the college continues to grow, with permits to carry out construction work on at least two additional stages of the college over the course of the next twenty years, which will enable to the college to grow both it's grad and undergrad populations--currently 180 and 403 respectively.  Selwyn's alumna include Hugh Laurie, John Saunders, Richard Budgett, Ralph Chubb and Clive Anderson.  It is of note that while the college is proud of it's heritage in regards to furthering the access that women in Britain have had to education, none of the notable alum listed on the collge wiki page, are female.
          Selwyn College hosts the Selwyn Snow Ball each year, Cambridge's only annual Winter Ball, distinguishing the event from the other May Balls and Summer Garden Parties held throughout Cambridge.  Selwyn's reputation for providing a relaxed environment perhaps contribute to it's reputation as one of Cambridge's friendlier colleges.