New Honorary Fellows elected into Fitzwilliam College
Alumni Sonita Alleyne OBE, Sir John Vincent Cable, Sebastian Dakin and Adele Thomas were elected into Honorary Fellowships this month.
Sonita Alleyne (Philosophy 1985) is the first woman to be elected head of Jesus College and the first black person to head an Oxbridge College. She was educated at an East London comprehensive school, and later founded an online service helping primary pupils connect what they learn in the classroom with jobs in the real world. She founded production company Somethin' Else which she led as Chief Executive from 1991 until 2009 and has also worked as a journalist and broadcaster, hosting and contributing to weekly shows for Greater London Radio, BBC Four and BBC Five. She is a Fellow of The Royal Society of the Arts and the Radio Academy and was awarded an OBE for services to broadcasting.
Rt Hon Sir John Vincent Cable (Economics 1962) was Lib Dem MP for Twickenham 1997-2015 and 2017-19. He was leader of the Lib Dems 2017-19 and Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in the Coalition government from 2010-15. Some of his achievements include the world’s first ever Green Investment Bank, support for young people through apprenticeships, the promotion of socially responsible capitalism, the creation of the British Business Bank and the Catapult network of innovation centres.
Sebastian Dakin (Oriental Studies 1990) had a central role in formalising the College’s relationship with his former employers the Tsuzuki Gakuen Group – a major Japanese private educational board. More than 100 students had the opportunity to spend a year in Japan as a result. He also helped to secure a generous donation from the Tsuzuki Group in 2002 which was used to build the Fitzwilliam College auditorium.
Theatre and opera Director Adele Thomas (English 2000) recently made her Royal Opera House debut with Handel's Berenice. She has previously worked for National Theatre Wales on renowned production The Passion, before working on the London stage. Her London debut was The Knight of the Burning Pestle in the opening season of the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, and she went on to make many shows throughout the UK. Her Opera debut was Cosi Fan Tutte for NIOpera.
Photo credits:
Adele Thomas: Mark Douet
Sonita Alleyne: www.dpdaniel.com
