Student Stories

Sam describes how he and his family have been rewarded for living in the residential community with lifelong friends and connections.

Mike talks about the supportive and welcoming nature of the Cuddesdon community and living at Cuddesdon with his wife Kirsty.

Susy talks about the welcome families receive at Cuddesdon and how  one's family is integrated into formation.

Tracey talks about coming to Cuddesdon as a single parent and how she manages studying alongside family commitments.

John talks about the diversity here at Cuddesdon, and also what he's looking forward to in his second year of the Durham MA Course.

Helen talks about her love of the breadth of worship and about her experience of coming on an Open Day.

Alex talks about the range of Oxford and Durham university courses, his experience of taking a Post-Graduate Durham course, and what he's enjoyed about living in the community.

Laura talks about being a solo student, with her dog, but belonging to the wider Cuddesdon family. She also describes her experience of taking the Durham University Common Awards BA course.

I realised quite quickly that Ripon College Cuddesdon had become home for me. I understand now that so much of ordained ministry is based entirely on discovering and maintaining good relationships, and training at Cuddesdon gave me the best possible start in preparation for this. Living in the Oxfordshire countryside in a beautiful village meant that I had time and space...

My name is Sam I’m 22 years old and in my third year of training for ordination at Ripon College Cuddesdon. I’ve come from Kingswood where I’d been working with the churches in Kingswood Team Ministry, mostly with the Church plant All Souls Southey Park and in the estate it’s planted in through different community projects.

I became a Christian...

Both my wife, Barbara, and I have a Roman Catholic background, but some years ago we’ve discovered Anglicanism and found it to be a better, more exciting and more challenging way to follow Christ. It helps us to see the world in more open, positive and inclusive way.

In 2012 I planted a small Anglican Congregation in Krakow (Southern Poland) and...

I’m a two-year ordinand studying for the Oxford University MTh and enjoying the great outdoors at Cuddesdon. I’d been in PR and communications in London for 15 years mainly in property and financial/professional services, and there’s no doubt returning to full-time education and moving has been challenging at times. Formation for any type of ministry is not easy but being at...

I've felt called to ministry for a long time now, but never imagined when I first met with a DDO that I would be studying for an Oxford degree, training for ordination and mothering our two little boys here at Cuddesdon. It all felt a bit like an impossible dream!

Before coming to Cuddesdon, I worked for eight years in London...