Inspiration, insight and intellectual challenges at Academic Scholars’ Supper

The annual supper for the academic award holders was held on Monday 19 January. We welcomed Ailsa McTernan a recent graduate from the University of Cambridge. Ailsa holds an MPhil (Distinction) and a BA Hons (Double-Starred First Class with Distinction) in Art History.

Ailsa spoke to our academic scholars about her academic journey and included snippets of advice she would give her younger self. Her main insight being to follow your passion. She urged the girls to make decisions on what they study based on what they loved doing, using the quote ‘choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life’ to illustrate the point.

A highlight of the evening was the fiercely competitive Academic Scholars Quiz, now a well-loved tradition. Categories included cryptic crosswords, world leaders and pattern recognition. The winners were the joint UV and UIV team of Layo, Taggie, Tabitha, Beana, Catrina, Jessica and Heidi, who won on the tiebreaker question.

Here is a small selection of questions for you to try yourself. Answers on a postcard!

1.            Cryptic Crossword Clues

                – Test in English before 10 in the morning (4)

                – Ancient language the French can identify (5)

2.            Name the country of the world leader:

                – Hakainde Hichilema

                – Anthony Albanese

3.            What do the patterns show?

                – South Africa, Brazil, Russia, Qatar, North America, Saudia Arabia.

                – V1E7G5E8G6E2C3.

Mr Michael Smyth

Deputy Head Academic