The Beginning of the Journey — Reflections on our Early Weeks in Oxford
Scholars during the leadership forum
In many ways, our lives changed on the day we received the email from the Weidenfeld Hoffmann Trust confirming that we had received the scholarships. For most of us, coming to Oxford was nothing short of a dream without funding. What we did not know, however, was that this scholarship would go beyond and above purely funding our Oxford education - it would make us part of a lifelong community of friends, colleagues and comrades-in-arms from across 25 countries, bound by common experiences, yet diverse in our own unique ways.
For most of us, coming to Oxford was nothing short of a dream without funding. What we did not know, however, was that this scholarship would go beyond and above purely funding our Oxford education - it would make us part of a lifelong community of friends, colleagues and comrades-in-arms from across 25 countries, bound by common experiences, yet diverse in our own unique ways.
Coming to Oxford in the midst of a pandemic was outrightly challenging – most of us who came from redlist countries had to quarantine for 10 days either in government-managed hotels or in college accommodations. What helped most of us get through the isolation period was the shared solidarity and camaraderie on our WhatsApp group – created three whole months before we actually met - which helped solve our shared anxieties on visa processes, RT-PCR tests and bank account creation. Every time one of us got out of isolation was a tiny moment of celebration. The WHT Cohort 2021-22 was slowly getting assembled. And soon we would all get to meet each other.
In the week after isolation, most of us settled into our accommodations, purchased bikes and visited the iconic sites in Oxford – soaking in the beauty of the Radcliffe Camera, the Bodleian Libraries and the Sheldonian Theatre, while consuming a year’s worth of scones in a week. Some of the wiser ones went to buy the sub fusc early on in preparation for matriculation, while others explored Port Meadow or the cafes on Little Clarendon Street. It was incredible to be finally out of isolation, and to finally be exploring this city of the dreaming spires, one that had occupied our dreams for so long.
And finally came the day of the WHT Leadership Programme – spanning 4 days from 19th — 22nd September at Worcester College. It was the first time that the entire cohort was meeting! Being able to finally put a name, face and personality to our fellow scholars – whom we only knew from their WhatsApp display pictures earlier – was incredible! We had spoken for months on social networks – sharing advice, resolving doubts and planning for Oxford – and now we could finally meet face to face. In that room in Worcester College that day, stood people with expertise in diverse fields – water policy, public health, artificial intelligence and so on. We came with different languages, accents, ideas and experiences – yet we felt more united than different. We were WHT, and that was an identity that would bind us forever.
And finally came the day of the WHT Leadership Programme – spanning 4 days from 19th — 22nd September at Worcester College … In that room in Worcester College that day, stood people with expertise in diverse fields – water policy, public health, artificial intelligence and so on. We came with different languages, accents, ideas and experiences – yet we felt more united than different. We were WHT, and that was an identity that would bind us forever.
As we began our journey as the new ambassadors of the WHT Scholarships, our first step was the Moral Philosophy Seminar. While most of us had never read Moral Philosophy before, we did our best to complete the pre-readings with excerpts from Machiavelli, John Locke, Mahatma Gandhi, Malcolm X, and many others. Whatever initial nervousness we had vanished when we met the fantastic moderators for each session, who made us feel very welcome and invited us to engage in an open discussion, while maintaining a very low-stakes environment. Over the course of the next 3 days, we discussed and debated on equality, liberty, leadership, power, rights, and the ethics behind them all. The seminars raised interesting, and often unprecedented questions for all of us – making them experiences replete with intellectual stimulation as well as cultural learnings.
The WHT Leadership Programme also has a component called the ‘Enterprise Challenge’ which seeks to equip scholars with practical skills in entrepreneurship, business modelling and elevator pitches. While our mornings were spent in debating on the ideals of liberty and community – our afternoons were spent in identifying key global challenges and developing niche solutions to help address them. The activities were quite intense and forced us to quickly start relying on each other to complete the tasks assigned to us, while nurturing team spirit. From the brainstorming process to finally developing the group pitches, people's diverse experiences and perspectives enriched the solutions. Yes, there were nerves on the day of the final pitch, but that day we realized that each of our fellow scholars came with incredible talent in building, presenting and expressing their ideas. That day, the power and relevance of the voices we had been forging in our countries was felt.
Yes, there were nerves on the day of the final pitch, but that day we realized that each of our fellow scholars came with incredible talent in building, presenting and expressing their ideas. That day, the power and relevance of the voices we had been forging in our countries was felt.
Enterprise challenge — Pitch preparation
One of the highlights of the induction seminar was the formal dinner hosted graciously at the Worcester college hall, after the culmination of the Enterprise Challenge. Over dinner, we had the chance to engage with some of the panel members and we were amazed and inspired by their career trajectories. Sitting in that grand hall, being served a delicious three-course meal, and having exciting conversations with such distinguished people – it was the quintessential magic of Oxford.
For most of us, coming to Oxford was nothing short of a dream without funding. What we did not know, however, was that this scholarship would go beyond and above purely funding our Oxford education - it would make us part of a lifelong community of friends, colleagues and comrades-in-arms from across 25 countries, bound by common experiences, yet diverse in our own unique ways.
For many of us, one of the most rewarding aspects of being part of this community has been getting to know other cultures and countries in such depth. Throughout this one month, it has been an intense education in the geography, history and politics of other countries – from getting to know of the flora and fauna of Costa Rica to understanding the historical etymology of Burkina Faso, from singing ‘Happy Birthday’ in Mandarin for a Chinese scholar, to exploring Argentinian desserts. Such an education would not have been possible inside any one classroom. As we look back upon the 4 days spent at the induction seminar in Worcester College, and the weeks that followed – we can only feel gratitude in finding a community that is truly a home away from home in Oxford.
