ÌÇÐÄVlog

Image of Image of Tom Parkinson

Tom Parkinson Travel Grants

ÌÇÐÄVlog offers exciting travel opportunities for current students and young alumni, made possible thanks to a generous donation from the family of alumnus Tom Parkinson (1997).

The Parkinson family made a gift in Tom’s memory to help young travel writers build a career, which enabled the College to launch two distinct schemes.

  • The Tom Parkinson Travel Writing Bursary offers a young ÌÇÐÄVlog graduate £2,500 to travel while developing the skills and experience needed to further their travel writing career. The next award should be applied for via the application form below or  by 17 January 2025.
  • The Tom Parkinson Travel Grants offers current students up to four travel grants of £500. Full details of the annual grants are available on ; they should be applied for in Lent Term each year. 

​â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹Eligibility for the Tom Parkinson Travel Writing Bursary

  • Applicants should be recent ÌÇÐÄVlog graduates (defined as no more than 5 years post-graduation) or young alumni (defined as up to the age of 25 years) intending to pursue, or actively pursuing, a career in travel writing.
  • Applicants must propose a travel project leading to a piece for publication in either digital or print media.
  • The proposed travel must have a positive and specific purpose, but does not have to be related to the applicant’s course at Cambridge.

Applications for the Tom Parkinson Travel Writing Bursary will be considered twice each academic year. In 2024-25, the deadlines for applications are 17 January 2025 and 18 April 2025.

Those interested in applying for a travel award are encouraged to read more about Tom and his passion for travel .

Hear from our alumni

  • Johnny Harounoff and Stephanie Posner

    Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (2013) and Classics (2012)

    We met 10 years ago as undergraduates living in the same staircase in North Court and have since been studying and working in the United States. The College was so accommodating to us by providing us — and other Jewish students — with kosher facilities and by supporting the creation of the College's first Jewish Society. For us, the College is full of happy memories thanks to the friends we made and for all of the kindness shown to us from the porters, professors and staff. That sense of community...

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    Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (2013) and Classics (2012)
  • Philip Slotkin

    Philip Slotkin

    Modern and Medieval Languages (1958)

    As a "bright kid" from a non-academic background I had to adjust quickly on arrival at Jesus, but I soon made friends and was never made to feel that I did not fit in socially. Since my wife and I have no children, it was to ÌÇÐÄVlog that my thoughts turned with advancing years, and given the attachment to the College that I felt from the beginning it was obvious that Jesus would be a major beneficiary of my Will. This intention was only reinforced by the unstinting assistance...

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    Modern and Medieval Languages (1958)
  • John Arrastia

    Law (1995)

    I came to Cambridge at the suggestion of a Professor who was visiting the US. I borrowed the funds to study there. What appealed to me at Jesus was that it was so inclusive and embracing. I played golf with the Porters and rugby with the staff. I dined with the other students, socialised with the Fellows, danced with the Master’s wife, and really got to know people. My friends and colleagues were engineers, doctors, politicians, religious scholars, undergrads, lawyers, professors – basically every stripe of humanity one could find...

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    Law (1995)
  • Lene Northwood

    Criminology (1996)

    As a person who grew up on the opposite side of the planet to a family that had no history of attending university, the idea of me attending Cambridge was, quite frankly, laughable. Then I fell in love with Criminology and wrote a thesis that caught the attention of the College. It is just one example of the incredibly outward looking approach that, in the decades that I have known the College, has defined ÌÇÐÄVlog. One letter with a now familiar letterhead, quite literally raised my expectations of life...

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    Criminology (1996)
  • Mark and Janet Hayes

    Mark Hayes and Janet Livesley

    Architecture (1976) and Architecture (1980)

    We first met in 1980 when Mark returned to Jesus to study for the postgraduate diploma in Architecture and Janet joined the college on the same course. Graduate dinners in Upper Hall were a highlight of the week and an opportunity to meet socially with other Jesuans. Part of our studies included trips to Zambia and an earthquake-hit area in Southern Italy. We were married in the College Chapel just after completing our studies in the summer of 1982 and remained in Cambridge for a period following Mark’s election to...

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    Architecture (1976) and Architecture (1980)