Alumni event at British Embassy in DC

In early February 2010 the British Ambassador to the USA, Sir Nigel Sheinwald, generously hosted a cocktail reception at the British Embassy in honour of ten years of the Gates Cambridge Scholarships.

The event was attended over 100 guests including a number of Gates and other Cambridge alumni, as well as representatives from the Trust, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the National Association of Fellowship Advisors, several US universities and other institutions.

The Ambassador spoke about how the special relationship between the UK and the USA was in no small way due to educational programmes such as the Gates Cambridge Scholarships that send talented young Americans to the UK. Gordon Johnson (Provost of the Trust) talked about the importance of universities to society and how it was vital that bright young people use the educational opportunities they receive to make a positive impact on the world around them. Cynder DeKltoz (Co-Chair of the Gates Scholars’ Alumni Association) spoke about the work that the GSAA had been doing in terms of creating an international network of Gates Alumni and also in reaching out beyond the Gates community to universities and other organisations.