Dame Fiona Reynolds to stand down as Master of Emmanuel College

Dame Fiona Reynolds has announced that she will officially hand over her role as 27th Master of Emmanuel College, after eight years.

She is the first woman to hold the position since the founding of the college in 1584.

The Emmanuel Governing Body formally accepted her resignation earlier today, and have now begun the process of finding a new Master.

In an email to members of the college, Reynolds said: "I always knew I wouldn’t be here until retirement age, but that doesn’t make the prospect of leaving any easier. I very quickly fell in love with the College and everyone in it!"

During her time at Emmanuel, Reynolds commenced the preparation for the college’s ‘Visionary Project’, made possible by the purchase of land on Park Terrace.

"I’m proud of what we’ve achieved", said Reynolds. "I’m fully committed to ensuring everything is in place to deliver it and that we’re ready to tale full advantage of our new facilities".

Reynolds read Land Economy as an undergraduate at Emmanuel, and she returned to the college in 2012 after working for the National Trust, where she held the position of Director-General.

Before her position with the Trust, she was Director of the Women’s Unit in the Cabinet Office and was previously Director of the Council for the Protection of Rural England.

She closed by saying: "I’ll always love Emma and all who live, work and study here; and always be passionately committed to the college, our people and our future."

Photo Credit: Steve Cadman