Spotlight on … St Mary’s University

Where is your university?

St Mary’s University is located in Strawberry Hill, Twickenham.

When did it become a university? What are its origins?

St Mary’s was founded in 1850 by the Catholic Poor Schools Committee in response to the high levels of child poverty. The principle behind its origins was that education had the ability to transform lives and, therefore, training teachers would deal with the root cause of child poverty. While the social issues of the day have changed over time, the principle of the power of education to transform lives is still very much at the heart of St Mary’s today.

Describe the campus

Our main campus is a beautiful leafy setting with a combination of historic buildings, sports facilities, and newer educational buildings. All our University owned accommodation (c700 students) is on our main campus. In addition, we have three other locations within a 15 minute walk of the main campus including our sports pitches and a local culturally community centre in the heart of Twickenham. More recently, we launched a new Edinburgh campus where we deliver a number of Educational and Theology post graduate courses.

How many students does your university have?

We have nearly 6,000 students with approximately 37% studying at post graduate level.

How is accommodation provided to students?

We offer accommodation for our UG and PGT students, with most rooms occupied by our first years UG students. Most of our continuing UG students chose to live in the local surrounding areas after their first year.

Is the university known for particular areas of study?

Our heritage is Education which is still a core aspect of our provision. Our Institute of Education, rated as Outstanding by OfSTED, is perhaps one of the areas we are best known for. Sport and Applied Health are also traditional areas of strength for the University with some notable alumni. Finally, our Catholic roots also mean we have a thriving Theology department with a very strong research record.

What makes you particularly proud of your university?

Our community spirit! The sense of community at St Mary’s is very tangible, and the commitment to working collaboratively to help our students be the best versions of themselves is powerful. This was clearly evident in how our academic and services staff responded to the needs of our students throughout the pandemic. As the leader of our crisis management team I saw countless examples of our staff demonstrating generosity of spirit which I have found to be both inspiring and energizing. To say I am proud of our community would be an understatement!

Do you have a favourite spot on campus?

Can I have two? When I want some headspace, I like to walk in the Strawberry Hill Heritage garden. It is so removed from a work environment that it helps me relax. When I am looking for inspiration I like to go to the social learning space in the library, here you can see the students working together on various projects. The space has a real energy to it which helps remind me of our core purpose.

Which notable alumni have attended your university?

We have quite a lot, but to name a few:

•  Joe Wicks MBE, Fitness Coach, TV Presenter, Social Media Personality, and Author
• Tom Grennan, Singer/Songwriter
• Sir Mohamed Farah CBE, Athlete – Long-distance runner. Olympic medalist
• Corrine Hall, 2 x Paralympic Gold Medalist and 7 X World Champion Tandem Cyclist
• Rebecca Romero MBE, Athlete – Cycling and Rowing Olympic medalist

Which challenges is your university currently facing?

I sometimes think that for anyone in a leadership role in HE at the moment, it would be easier to say what challenges we are not facing! As a sector we have a never-ending stream of challenges, most of which are outside of our direct control. These, combined with the impact of a pandemic on our staff and students, mean that my leadership role in the University is a constant balancing act. If I had to pick one thing that worries me most, it is the mental health and wellbeing of our staff and students.

What is your university motto?

The University, dedicated to St Mary, has a motto: “Monstra te esse Matrem – Show yourself to be a Mother.”