TrinityPlus: Expanding Horizons

A New Initiative Enhancing Student Experiences at Trinity

Entrepreneurship Programme group visit to venture capital firm Creandum in London, for an insider’s approach to backing visionary founders.

Trinity has long been synonymous with academic excellence. Now, a pilot College initiative, TrinityPlus, is providing new opportunities for students in Entrepreneurship, Policy, and Musical Theatre. With experts from both inside and outside the University, students from different fields of study learn together, complementing and enhancing their academic work. These programmes are open to all students – both undergraduate and graduate – with the Musical Theatre programme also open to students outside Trinity.

“The Trinity Entrepreneurship Programme has been established to support the culture of entrepreneurship at Trinity, to provide a rich experience for those members of the College interested in the benefits of entrepreneurial thinking and to enable access to a wide variety of initiatives.” Richard Turnill, Trinity Senior Bursar

The Entrepreneurship Programme: Developing Business Skills

With around fifty students participating in its first year, this strand of TrinityPlus helps students harness their academic knowledge in entrepreneurial contexts while developing complementary business skills.

Students are guided through applying their academic understanding to entrepreneurial challenges including idea development, investment acquisition, market entry strategies, and sustainable growth. The College has developed collaborations across the University and with organisations including the Cambridge Science Park.

Learning and Networking

Students advanced their entrepreneurial skills through a dynamic 2024-2025 programme. A visit to London-based venture capital firm, Creandum, and participation in the King’s College Cambridge E-Lab programme provided deep insights into innovation and startup development.

From Vision to Venture

From Vision to Venture

Students also networked extensively at Cambridge Science Park, engaged in the Bradfield Prize competition, and launched the Trinnovate Society – also open to members from Trinity Postdoctoral Society. The Vision to Venture event brought together successful entrepreneurs Lorna MacLean (2024/25 Bradfield Prize winner), Molly Haugen (2021 Bradfield Prize runner-up), and Jane Hutchins (Cambridge Science Park Director) to share their insights.

Students en route to the Bradfield Centre on the Cambridge Science Park.

Students en route to the Bradfield Centre on the Cambridge Science Park.

Throughout the year, these activities, alongside drop-in sessions at Trinity Bar, have started to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem, equipping Trinity students with practical insights, valuable connections, and a deeper understanding of transforming innovative ideas into successful ventures.

“For me, the programme helped bridge the gap between a start-up and the skills you develop at university. In your final year, you’re approached by a plethora of companies, yet you often overlook the option in-between academia (and a PhD) and working in the City – the middle path where you tackle high impact, fast-paced projects at the cutting edge, while accepting the greater risk and instability of a startup. Above all, it gives you the confidence to weather the challenges of building your own company and embeds you in a supportive community of peers facing the same journey.” Aprajit Mahajan (2021)

Trinity Senior Tutor, Professor Catherine Barnard, who directed the programme alongside coordinator Sian Gardner, emphasised the transformative impact of TrinityPlus:

“Trinity students change the world in small and large ways, whatever they do. This programme provides them with some of the skills necessary to make that impact as well as opening them up to the world and value of public service. It has been excellent to watch the students grow and flourish with this input.”

The Trinity Policy Programme: Addressing "Wicked" Problems

The Trinity Policy Programme focuses on helping students connect their academic studies to complex “wicked” policy problems – difficult social and environmental challenges characterised by complexity, uncertainty, and conflicting values. It is designed to give students the opportunity to learn how to apply their academic skills to tackle significant public policy challenges and to transition to careers in public policy and research.

For two weeks in Lent 2025, students – both undergraduates and graduates – learned how to apply their academic expertise to policy analysis, systems thinking, futures thinking, communications, and social innovation. This was complemented by seminars and discussions with, for example, Sir Laurie Bristow, former UK Ambassador to Russia and Afghanistan, and Susanna McGibbon, Treasury Solicitor and Permanent Secretary of the Government Legal Department.

Students collaborating during a policy workshop.

Students collaborating during a policy workshop.

The programme was designed and led by Dr Rob Doubleday, Executive Director of the Centre for Science and Policy (CSaP) at Cambridge, with support from colleague Christian Neubacher. CSaP fellows contributed as guest speakers and workshop facilitators, showing students how academic knowledge informs real-world policy challenges.

Programme Outline:

The first week of the programme focused on foundational concepts like wicked problems, systems thinking, and design methodologies, culminating in a deeper understanding of policy challenges.

Student teams presenting on policy challenges during a workshop at the Bradfield Centre.

Student teams presenting on policy challenges during a workshop at the Bradfield Centre.

The second week built on these foundations with specialised workshops on food policy, futures thinking, and a tour of parts of Whitehall, including visits to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and Parliament.

Group visit to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Group visit to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

The programme concluded with a case study review and attendance at the Bennett Institute for Public Policy Annual Conference, providing participants with a holistic view of contemporary policy-making approaches.

“The inaugural policy programme put on by the College for a diverse group of students exposed us to the personnel and processes of public policymaking. Through presentations and workshops delivered by experts – whether civil servants, politicians, special advisors, or academics – we were privileged to gain a view of this crucial sector. The trip to London was a personal highlight, especially the roundtable with the former UK Ambassador to Russia, Dame Deborah Bronnert. I would like to thank alumni for their generous support which, alongside the hard work of the policy programme team, made the programme possible.”
Zach Foster (2023, History)

The Musical Theatre Programme: Extending Musical Excellence

Trinity is renowned around the world for its choral tradition. Through the Musical Theatre Programme, the College is now utilising its expertise and networks to further the ambitions of aspiring musical theatre stars of the future too.

The group of talented Cambridge vocalists with Cameron Richardson-Eames (centre) and Trinity Senior Tutor Professor Catherine Barnard (far right).

The group of talented Cambridge vocalists with Cameron Richardson-Eames (centre) and Trinity Senior Tutor Professor Catherine Barnard (far right).

Through the academic year, the scheme offered 17 talented undergraduate and graduate student vocalists from across Cambridge the chance to work with internationally recognised voice teacher, and Head of the Musical Theatre Programme, Cameron Richardson-Eames (2011), known especially for his work with students on Broadway, the West End, and Hollywood, for film and TV.

Auditions were held at Trinity in December 2024, and throughout the Lent and Easter terms of 2025, participants each received six individual coaching sessions with Cameron. Each participant also had a masterclass with West End star and singer, Emma Hatton, and the chance to record a solo track in a London studio. To share their musical talent and celebrate their achievements, they each gave solo performances in a final Showcase Concert in Trinity Chapel on the 8th of May, performing alongside Queen of the West End, Kerry Ellis, and the UK’s ‘Queen of Soul’, Mica Paris.

Throughout the pilot programme, students have benefited from Cameron’s vast experience of the Musical Theatre industry and have been able to make professional contacts to help with future career aspirations.

“In May we had the showcase performance, which was a success beyond what any of us could have hoped for. The Chapel was transformed into a satellite of London’s West End, and students performed phenomenally well to a sell-out audience, giving world-class performances that demonstrated the strength of talent in Musical Theatre in Cambridge. It was a true privilege to work with all the students and I applaud them wholeheartedly for their extraordinary work and dedication. The setting of Trinity, and having the Chapel as the performance space, made this a genuinely unique experience.”
Cameron Richardson-Eames (2011)

The curtain call from the Musical Theatre Programme showcase concert.

Supporting TrinityPlus

Graduation 2024. Photo: David Johnson.

TrinityPlus represents the College’s commitment to developing well-rounded individuals by complementing academic excellence with practical skills and experiences. It’s been made possible thanks to generous donations from alumni and friends, including, crucially, time and expertise. These three programmes enrich students’ time at Cambridge, providing valuable opportunities alongside their academic studies.

For more information about TrinityPlus and how you can support these initiatives, please contact alumni@trin.cam.ac.uk.

Telephone +44 (0)1223 761527

This article is included in the latest edition of The Fountain magazine, issue 34 Summer 2025.