Year 12 welcomed students from Lancing College to Roedean this month, for our third annual Symposium. There was a wonderful feeling of collaboration and exploration across 10 rooms as 50 students presented papers on a vast range of topics, it was fantastic to hear them discuss the issues and ideas posed by the presentations.  

In the afternoon we were thrilled to have OR, Cora Chalaby, return to Roedean and deliver a keynote speech on her doctoral research into female artists in the USA in the late 20th Century. She shared her experiences and encouraged students to be persistent in following their dreams. Having studied at Cambridge and The Courtauld Institute, Cora is currently undertaking a PhD in the History of Art at UCL and so had a wealth of experience to share.

Cora also held two informal talks with the Year 12s. The first was an introduction to studying the History of Art with a small group of art students. She encouraged them to share their thoughts on some artwork and to then start interpreting the pieces. With a second group, Cora held a Q&A for students who are interested in applying to Oxbridge. The questions were varied, and it was wonderful to have such honest and insightful answers which provided the students with some valuable tips to help with their applications.

It was a really lovely opportunity to share fascinating research and hear the passion people had about the topics they presented on. The atmosphere was very supportive, and everyone did so well. 

Maria