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The St. Luke's—Oxford Connection
A short visit to Oxford creates a lasting impression...
St. Luke’s junior Clara Pakman will not soon forget her visit to Corpus Christi College Oxford. “It was like a dream world. I expected to be amazed by the architecture, but I had no idea how spectacular the gardens are. Every college has a garden, and I think Corpus Christi’s may be the most beautiful. The library was also incredible. Some of the oldest books, I think dating back to the 16th century, are locked up because they are hand painted...Walking around that campus, you can feel how scholarly the environment is — like it’s in the air.”
Pakman is not alone in her admiration. Oxford is ranked first in the world in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2017 and 2018, The university, made up of 44 colleges and halls, offers 300 different graduate degree programs. Famous “Oxonians” include 27 British Prime Ministers, 30 international leaders, 50 Nobel Prize winners, and 120 Olympic medal winners. Corpus Christi, founded in 1517, is one of Oxford’s oldest colleges. Famed for its Classical Studies, Corpus counts Thomas Arnold, John Keble, John Ruskin, and Vikram Seth among its accomplished graduates.
St. Luke’s has its own Oxonians, including 2014 Valedictorian Sebastian Bates who received a First Degree in Law and the All Souls Prize for Public International Law from the university. Chris Wearing, a St. Luke’s School trustee, and parent is also an Oxonian. He arranged Pakman’s visit, including an introduction to Corpus Christi President, Steve Cowley, Wearing’s Corpus classmate. Last year, Wearing hosted a dinner in New York with Cowley, St. Luke’s Head of School Mark Davis, and St. Luke’s trustees Bob Wyckoff and David Pakman.
Cowley, a physicist, is the first scientist to lead Corpus Christi. He has also been a professor of physics at UCLA and Chief Executive of the UK Atomic Energy Authority. His Ted Talk about nuclear fusion offers insight into his passion and life’s work.
During their meeting at Corpus, Pakman was surprised when President Cowley congratulated her on winning her run for St. Luke’s Class President (turns out her father David had tipped Cowley off). The two discussed differences in the education systems of the United States and the United Kingdom and Oxford’s use of the tutorial system. Pakman found the tutorial system particularly appealing: “You meet one-on-one with your professor every week and have to present your thinking and be ready to debate. I think this is why people who go to Oxford are such strong conversationalists They have to debate all the time. The teacher challenges your thinking. You have to either change your thinking or be ready to back it up. The focus is on developing your intellect. It’s mind opening.”
Oxford has a hold on Pakman, and she hopes to return to Corpus Christi this summer for The Oxford Summer Seminar. Pakman’s college plans will be guided by her love of STEM and literature: “I see myself involved in video game development. It’s where my love of coding, writing, and art intersect. My goal is to delete the idea that video games are absent of higher purpose. I want to break stereotypes and use games to impart lessons for social good...I don’t know what school I’ll end up at, but I know I will always find ways to return to Oxford.”
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 35 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Center for Leadership builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
