Founders’ Day 2026: Goodenough welcomes new President

On Monday 5 October, Members, Alumni and Fellows gathered to celebrate the annual Goodenough College Founders’ Day.

During this year’s ceremony Janet Legrand OBE KC (Hon) succeeded Stuart Shilson CBE LVO GCStJ DL, as President of Goodenough College and Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Founders’ Day is always a special occasion when the Goodenough College community comes together to honour the vision and generosity of our Founders and Benefactors. We give particular thanks to Frederick and Maeve Goodenough, whose commitment created a home for generations of students, and to Lord Mayor Frederick Rowland’s National Fund for Thanksgiving, which made the building of William Goodenough House possible.

Our motto, Unitas in sapienta: nemo separabit  unity in wisdom: none shall separate, reflects the enduring vision of our Founding Partners.

The ceremony opened with an uplifting performance by the College Choir, setting a dignified and celebratory tone for the occasion.

A further highlight of the event was the announcement of the College’s newly appointed Fellows:

The Faculty of Arts and Humanities

• Ms Alice Rawsthorn OBE – Design critic and Author, member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Design, and of many juries including those for the Turner Prize, the Stirling Prize and the British Council’s panel for the Venice Architecture Biennale.
• Professor Jeremy Thurlow – Composer, Lecturer in Composition in the University of Cambridge, Professor, Fellow and Praelector of Robinson College in the same University

The Faculty of Medical and Natural Sciences

• Professor Tamsin Mather OBE FRS MAE – Professor of Earth Sciences, and especially of the Chemistry of Volcanic Plumes, in the University of Oxford and Fellow of University College in the same University. Associate Head of Research and Innovation in the University’s Division of Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences.

The Faculty of Political and Social Sciences

• Sir John Benger KCB – Master of St Catherine’s College in the University of Cambridge and lately Clerk of the House of Commons in the Palace of Westminster.

The Faculty of Business and Economics

• Mr Evan Davis, Senior Broadcaster – Presenter of Radio 4’s PM and BBC Television’s Dragons’ Den, sometime Economics Editor of the BBC.
• Mr Keith Robinson – Partner and Global Head of Trusts and Private Wealth at Carey Olsen in Bermuda, and President of the Bermudan Bar.
• Mr Miles Young – lately Warden of The College of St Mary of Winchester in Oxford, commonly called ‘New College’, in the University of Oxford, Chair of the English Speaking Union and sometime Worldwide Chairman and CEO of Ogilvy & Mather.