SJC Women's Network eNewsletter - January 2025

We hope you have had a wonderful start to 2025! This edition of the SJC Women's Network eNewsletter looks back on Autumn and ahead to our future events in 2025.

Our flagship September event was a fascinating deep dive into ‘Motherhood Myths’ with researcher-turned-author Alex Bollen (1991, Modern History), held at College.  We have been fortunate to have Alex as a Women's Network Committee Member.  Many of you may know her from the sessions she leads for the Network on navigating work and motherhood.

Alex became frustrated after years of encountering inaccurate or misleading science as part of a wider narrative that places the responsibility on mothers when things ‘go wrong’.  Motivated by the abundance of poor ‘motherhood science,’ which she felt would not meet her own professional standards of research, she decided to challenge it and uncover what the science actually says. This journey led to her first book: Motherdom: Breaking Free from Bad Science and Good Mother Myths (Verso, 2025).

Despite stemming from disillusionment, the work is optimistic and ultimately aims to break free from blame, instead celebrating the many different paths to motherhood. The event included a talk by Alex on her motivation for writing the book, a fruitful and well-received Q&A session, followed by a champagne reception in Canterbury Quad and a delectable College dinner in Hall. You can read more about this event below.

Autumn also saw our first London Drinks. This was an informal chance for fellowship and networking among our London-based alumni. We are keen to expand and run similar events, so please read more about this event below to find out how you can get involved.

Looking ahead, we are excited for our upcoming event on 20 February 2025, held in College. This will be a talk with Suzanne Heywood CBE, who has written a memoir reflecting on a tumultuous decade spent sailing around the globe from the age of seven with her family. Her self-motivated drive for education and passion for learning ultimately led to her entry into Somerville College, Oxford, then onwards to further education at King's College, Cambridge, and an illustrious career.

An Evening with Suzanne Heywood: From a Decade at Sea to Oxford and Beyond will feature a discussion of Suzanne's book and how she sought to overcome adversity and achieve her goals. You can find more information about the event here, as well as get a preview of her fascinating life story and life lessons in our book review below.

At the start of the New Year, we reflect on all the work we’ve done over the last twelve months. We thank the Steering Group for their continued commitment to organizing and facilitating our events and running the Network behind the scenes. For the main, we thank our members. Your ongoing engagement has created a rich and supportive college network for women, run by and for the community. You are the reason this Network exists, with the strength to host thriving events and sustain its future momentum. Whether you are in Oxford or further afield, we wish you a very Happy New Year 2025.

Rose Sundt (2015, Oriental Studies)
Communications Lead for SJC Women's Network
Click here to read more about Rose