Cambridge in America

Cambridge in America CAm promotes interest in and support for the University of Cambridge and its constituent Colleges
(1)

John McPhee (Magdalene 1953) has written more than 30 books, won a Pulitzer Prize, taught writing for 45 years, and help...
08/27/2026

John McPhee (Magdalene 1953) has written more than 30 books, won a Pulitzer Prize, taught writing for 45 years, and helped shape generations of writers. At 95, he is still writing.

But ask him which educational experience influenced him most as a writer, and his answer might surprise you.

In a conversation with Cambridge in America, the legendary author reflects on his year at Cambridge, the lessons he passed on to his students and what life looks like at 95.

Read “His way with words: The Legendary John McPhee”:
cantab.org/cam-homepage/his-way-with-words-the-legendary-john-mcphee-magdalene-1953

Photo courtesy of Yolanda Whitman, wife of John McPhee

The New Yorker Princeton University

“You are who you are when nobody’s watching.” - Stephen Fry Happy Birthday to Sir Stephen Fry (Queens’ College 1978)! Si...
08/24/2026

“You are who you are when nobody’s watching.” - Stephen Fry

Happy Birthday to Sir Stephen Fry (Queens’ College 1978)!

Sir Stephen Fry was born in Hampstead, London, on August 24, 1957. In 1977, Fry was offered a scholarship to Queens’ College in Cambridge for matriculation in 1978. At Cambridge, he studied English Literature, joined the Footlights, appeared on the University Challenge TV quiz, and graduated with an upper second-class honors BA degree in 1981.

Fry went on to become a celebrated actor, comedian, broadcaster, writer, and presenter. His career includes "A Bit of Fry & Laurie," "Jeeves and Wooster," "Blackadder," "QI," "Wilde," "Gosford Park," "V for Vendetta," and "The Hobbit." He has also authored several books retelling Greek mythology, including "Mythos," "Heroes," "Troy," and "Odyssey."

Fry got his start appearing in the comic act “Fry and Laurie” alongside Hugh Laurie (Selwyn College 1978), with the two starring in “A Bit of Fry & Laurie” (1989–1995) and “Jeeves and Wooster” (1990–1993). He also starred in the sketch series “Alfresco” (1983–1984) with Laurie, Emma Thompson (Newnham College 1977), and Robbie Coltrane, and in “Blackadder” (1986–1989) alongside Rowan Atkinson. Since 2011, Fry has served as President of the charity Mind. In 2025, he was knighted by King Charles III for his services to mental health awareness, the environment, and charity.

In 2026, Fry is set to star in FOX’s new spy drama "The Interrogator," which he wrote and executive produced. He also completed a celebrated West End run as Lady Bracknell in Oscar Wilde’s "The Importance of Being Earnest," for which he received the London Standard Theatre Award for Comedy.

In December 2009, Stephen Fry delivered a speech at Cambridge University's 800th Anniversary celebration in New York. His remarks capture the spirit, history, and global impact of Cambridge and can be seen here > youtube.com/watch?v=EmTHKdjBFdk

To learn more about Sir Stephen Fry, visit stephenfry.com.

Photo By Elena Ternovaja

08/13/2026

What will your Cambridge legacy be?

A gift in your will is simple, accessible, and can help future generations of students, researchers, and scholars pursue ideas that change the world.

This August is National Make-a-Will Month. Learn how you can include Cambridge in your estate plans and make an impact for years to come by visiting https://cantab.myplannedgift.org/wills-and-living-trusts

Questions about how to include Cambridge in your will? Please contact David Stiles, CAm's Planned Giving Advisor at [email protected] or 212-201-0781.

Today is the last day to make your gift!On the final day of CAm’s 25th Anniversary year, we are so grateful to everyone ...
07/31/2026

Today is the last day to make your gift!

On the final day of CAm’s 25th Anniversary year, we are so grateful to everyone who attended events, shared their stories, and extended their generosity to Cambridge in America. If you haven’t yet made your gift, please join the thousands of US alumni and friends who have already come together in observance of this special milestone. Cantab.org/givenow

Over the past year, Cambridge in America has commemorated the special occasion by highlighting the best and brightest of our alumni, the great achievements of our transatlantic partnership, and the potential that our future holds for Cambridge.

By making a gift before midnight tonight, you invest in the success of students, world-renowned academics, and groundbreaking research for the next quarter-century. You make it possible to grant bursaries, provide world-class teaching and learning, and make breakthroughs on the most urgent global challenges. Your gift is invaluable to the mission of Cambridge.

Thank you again for your dedication to Cambridge. Now at twenty-five years of distinguished accomplishment, we look forward to the next twenty-five.

Celebrate CAm’s 25th Anniversary and add your gift now!There are just two days left in Cambridge in America’s 25th Anniv...
07/29/2026

Celebrate CAm’s 25th Anniversary and add your gift now!

There are just two days left in Cambridge in America’s 25th Anniversary year. Alongside celebrating a quarter-century of excellence in partnership and collaboration across the pond, your gift provides the resources researchers need to take on the world’s most pressing challenges and helps students make the most of the unique Cambridge education.

Will you make your 2026 gift and celebrate this historic moment with Cambridge in America? Cantab.org/givenow

By giving this summer, join your fellow Cantabrigians to help prepare the Collegiate University for the next chapter of life-changing teaching and cutting-edge research. Your gift of any amount to Cambridge in America (CAm) in support of your college and/or any area of your choice, made before midnight on July 31, is fully tax-deductible.

Thank you for supporting Cambridge.

For more than a century, the May Bumps was one of Cambridge's great traditions. This year, history was made.The Wall Str...
07/28/2026

For more than a century, the May Bumps was one of Cambridge's great traditions. This year, history was made.

The Wall Street Journal looks at how Cambridge alumna and world champion rower Camille VanderMeer (Peterhouse 2025) helped reshape one of the University's oldest sporting events. Following a landmark change that replaced the men's division with an Open division, allowing mixed crews to compete, VanderMeer led her crew to victory.

It's an inspiring story of talent, determination, and tradition evolving with the times. Read the article here: wsj.com/sports/an-american-woman-shook-up-one-of-the-oldest-of-englands-old-boys-sports-d4a32b09

This year, Cambridge in America (CAm) is celebrating 25 years of generosity and achievement in North America. The suppor...
07/27/2026

This year, Cambridge in America (CAm) is celebrating 25 years of generosity and achievement in North America. The support of our alumni and friends helps Collegiate Cambridge deliver its distinctive, world-class education and drives pioneering research. If you haven’t had the chance, we invite you to mark this important milestone—the 25th anniversary of CAm—by making a gift in support of our mission. Cantab.org/givenow

Your contribution of any size to your College or any part of the University helps ensure that a transformative Cambridge education remains accessible to talented students who might otherwise be unable to attend. On this special anniversary, your support honors 25 years of impact and strengthens Cambridge’s role in shaping a better future for the world.

This summer, help us close this historic occasion by adding your support. We look forward to another excellent year of keeping you connected with your fellow alumni, friends and the University.

What do award-winning video games, archaeology, ancient Greece and Cambridge have in common?For Gates Cambridge Scholar ...
07/24/2026

What do award-winning video games, archaeology, ancient Greece and Cambridge have in common?

For Gates Cambridge Scholar Jakub Szamalek (Clare 2009), they are all part of the same story. After earning a PhD in classical archaeology at Cambridge, he helped write “The Witcher 3” and is now launching his own studio's debut title, “The Blood of Dawnwalker”, one of the most anticipated RPG releases of 2026.

Discover how Cambridge shaped his path from scholar to game creator:
cantab.org/cam-homepage/from-academia-to-rpg-master-jakub-kuba-szamalek%E2%80%99s-next-dark-adventure

07/20/2026

Congratulations to Andy Burnham on becoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

The new Prime Minister graduated from Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge with a degree in English in 1991.

Whilst at Cambridge he won inter-collegiate football tournaments and helped set up the women's cricket team at his College.

He also met his wife Marie-France at Cambridge, who studied SPS (Social and Political Sciences) at the same College.

In late May, a volunteer archivist made an extraordinary discovery in London's National Archives: a rare copy of the Dec...
07/20/2026

In late May, a volunteer archivist made an extraordinary discovery in London's National Archives: a rare copy of the Declaration of Independence that had remained hidden for 250 years. How it traveled from revolutionary America to the British archives is a remarkable story.

“It reminds us that it still takes someone working through physical collections to uncover an object that can reshape our understanding of an event or provide entirely new historical context,” said Nicholas Guyatt, professor of North American history at the University of Cambridge.

Read the full story of its extraordinary journey and discovery from NBC News
https://www.nbcnews.com/world/europe/rare-declaration-independence-found-in-uk-rcna352852

Photo: Shivansh Gupta / PA via Getty Images

Address

1120 Avenue Of The Americas
New York, NY
10036

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Cambridge in America posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share