News and blog

'Closing Gaps for Good' - insightful lecture for staff and students

'Closing Gaps for Good' - insightful lecture for staff and students

Students from Years 7 to 13 were recently asked to take part in an informative and timely online lecture hosted by Cambridge University on Tuesday 18 May, named ‘Closing Gaps for Good’.

Dr Anita Zaidi, President of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Gender Equality Division, alongside three remarkable Gates Cambridge Scholars: Tara Cookson, Shadrack Frimpong and Sharmila Parmanand, hosted an engaging lecture that had the aim of looking at how we can ensure 'equitable recovery in a post pandemic world'. 

Bill Gates welcomed us with a tribute to the Gates Cambridge Scholarship Programme, a legacy of his father, Bill Gates Sr, whose vision inspired a landmark gift from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. That gift paved the way for Gates Cambridge Scholars to fulfil their mission to make the world a better place. 

St Mary's students, alongside Ms Conroy our Head of Art, discussed a new future – one where the gender gap is closed, and every human being has the possibility to reach their full potential. This was a compelling and crucial conversation and very appropriate to our own mission to ensure every girl leaves us knowing that the sky's the limit in what they can achieve.