Jihanna Mottley

After completing my Master’s in Boston, I wanted to continue my studies in London at the School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, renowned as one of the very best in the world. Finding out about Goodenough, I applied immediately and was lucky enough to be accepted for a College scholarship.

Coming from Trinidad, I’m proud that Commonwealth Members can contribute our sense of shared values and interests to the Goodenough community. I’ve played a part by helping to host events as co-Chair of the African Caribbean Society. Learning and sharing is such a central part of the Goodenough experience: it forces you to step outside your comfort zone, to experience ideologies, perspectives and interests that may well be new to you, and to do it in an eminently respectful, engaged environment.

For example, finding common ground and understanding among different faiths can be very confrontational. By contrast, the Bible study group I started surprised many of the Members that attended, with a 21st century perspective on the Christian faith. This is just one of the many ways Goodenough encourages its Members to articulate themselves clearly (in my case, with a little help from the excellent Skills Week workshops) and to interact deeply with the College’s diversity.