Sports and societies

The Murray Edwards College Bell Burnell Society is named in honour of our alumna and Honorary Fellow, Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell. As a postgraduate student, Bell Burnell discovered the first radio pulsars, which is one of the most significant astrophysics discoveries to date.

Membership of the society is open to all Murray Edwards College students interested in science. We invite a speaker each term, and aim to cover a wide range of STEM related fields. We also run socials throughout the year - usually at the start and end of each term, such as quizzes and movies nights. We aim to promote science, and connect students who share similar interests.

The Gabe Society welcomes MML undergraduates, graduates and Fellows. Its purpose is to hold regular meetings at least once a term, at which a fourth-year undergraduate gives a 20-minute paper on a subject of academic interest to them, followed by questions. The aim is to provide a focus for academic exploration and inquiry at undergraduate level, and bring a spirit of dynamic innovation to the group. Talks are followed by drinks and dinner, and provide a great opportunity for our students to meet and chat informally and to get to know students in other years.

The History Society is for all Murray Edwards Historians. We host two speakers per term; this year the topics have ranged from 20th Century masculinity to fashion in Early Modern Europe to the role of animals in 18th-19th Century political thought. We also hold an assortment of social events throughout the year, a particular highlight being a picnic during May Week.

The Law Network began in 2012 with first members Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC (commercial disputes, energy and construction barrister) and Hazel Wright (NH 1975), family solicitor and mediator. It is for all those who study or studied law at New Hall or Murray Edwards, who teach law, or who work in the law or want to do so.

We meet for networking events (such as a dinner at the National Portrait Gallery in London), and to listen to speakers. We aim to meet at least twice a year, and less formally we mentor and help younger women thinking about legal careers. As a subgroup of the New Hall Society for alumnae, we work with the college in the interests of lawyers.

The College Maths Circle encourages mathematicians from all years to meet up weekly to socialise and solve problems collaboratively. Run by the Director of Studies, it also gives students the opportunity to present on a topic within Mathematics that is of interest to them.

Murray Edwards Medical Society (known as MEdMed Soc!) is a supportive community which looks after the welfare of Murray Edwards medical students. We run lots of fun events, including our annual dinner for all Murray Edwards medical students and Fellows. A guest speaker is invited every year to gives us a talk after the dinner: we've had some excellent talks from very successful doctors and researchers at this event. We also organise lots of fun social events with medical societies of other colleges and events to help students from different years get to know each other better. We collaborate our academic resources and encourage older students to pass on advice to those in the year below.

The Veterinary Society has members from all six years of Veterinary Medicine students at Murray Edwards. Members meet regularly for "vetty tea". This is a chance for members to catch up with each other and for older students to help those newer to the course. The Veterinary Society also organises formal dinners and May Week picnics. 

Our students currently run societies in Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Climbing, Football, Hockey, Lacrosse (combined with Peterhouse and Fitzwilliam College), Murray Edwards Rounders Massive, Netball, Rugby Club (combined with Sidney Sussex and Girton), Running, Squash, Swimming, Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee Club (combined with Churchill) .

Rowing is a great way to get to know people in College and show some Medwards pride! Early morning training sessions may not sound appealing but seeing the morning mist roll across Midsummer Common as you head out into the countryside is one of the most beautiful sites in Cambridge!

Our team, Murray Edwards Boat Club (Insta), is currently on a winning streak - and we've just had our most successful May Bumps performance in a decade. We welcome students of any standard and have many novice crews. many of our best rowers have never tried the sport before coming to Cambridge so just come down to the river and have a go!

The Murray Edwards Music Society seeks to support all College musicians and give everyone an opportunity to participate in College musical life. All musical styles and standards are welcome.

We run a range of ensembles and event series, with performances ranging from concerts in the Dome and Fellows’ Drawing Room, to relaxed events in the bar and garden. Check out our blog post about the 'Informal Post-Formal' concert series here!

Inter-Alios is the joint choir of Murray Edwards College and Churchill College. The choir sing alternate Sundays at each College, serving as the Chapel Choir to the ecumenical Chapel at Churchill, and hosting a unique 'Music and Words' event in Murray Edwards, which combines choral music, poetry and a short address on a topic pertinent to the human experience. This musical alternation introduces the choir to probably the broadest and most diverse repertoire of any Cambridge College choir.

The title, 'Inter Alios', literally translates as 'among others' and speaks to our collective spirit. We are proudly inter-faith, inter-collegiate and international in our make-up. On top of that, we seek to juxtapose well-known choral works with contemporary repertoire, and particularly music by female composers. We have premiered a number of pieces including works by Erollyn Wallen, Stef Conner, Anna Semple and a host of student composers.

The choir's annual schedule increasingly includes trips outside of Cambridge to perform in cathedrals such as Ely, Rochester, and Canterbury. We are regular contributors to the Brandenburg Choral Festival, in venues such as St Martins in the Fields. 

The 'Orchestra on the Hill' is the joint orchestra for Murray Edwards and our neighbouring ‘hill’ Colleges. The repertoire ranges from classical symphonies to film music and new works. The standard is about Grade 8 and new members are always welcome: especially strings and brass! OotH is a very friendly, social group and so it’s a great way to meet musicians in other Colleges. OotH also provides great opportunities for budding conductors and soloists.

All Murray Edwards undergraduates automatically become members of the JCR when they arrive. JCR stands for 'Junior Common Room' and refers to both our undergraduate community, as well as to their physical common room in College. The JCR is at the heart of life in College for our undergraduate students, and is a welcoming community for all.

The JCR is led by the JCR Committee, the democratically elected representative body for all undergraduate students. It acts as a liaison between senior members of College and students, proving an effective voice through which their opinions can be heard. Committee members sit on many different boards within College, with the JCR President sitting on the College Council as a trustee. They also represent the College to the wider University through the various channels of Cambridge University Students' Union.

The Middle Common Room (MCR) refers both to the Murray Edwards graduate student body, and the physical common room in College. It is a small, welcoming, and close-knit group that is full of friendly and inspiring students.

The MCR is led by the MCR Committee, an elected group of students who represent graduate student views in the College and University. Committee members sit on many different boards within College and the MCR President sits on the College Council as a trustee.

The Committee organise regular social events for Murray Edwards graduates and their friends, including film nights, games nights, garden parties and BBQs. A programme of events is arranged during the first week of the new academic year to welcome new graduates to Murray Edwards College and help them settle in quickly.

The focal point of the graduate social scene is the spacious, comfortable, and modern graduate common room in the Canning & Eliza Fok building. The common room is equipped with sofas, a kitchen, computers, a television, a CD player, DVDs, games and books. Graduates use this room relaxing, socialising and entertaining their friends, as well as for activities organised by the MCR Committee. 

The Murray Edwards Feminist Society (FemSoc) is open to any member of the College who wishes to discuss and learn about issues pertaining to gender and feminism, with an approach that aims to be intersectional, abolitionist, and empowering. We want to create an open and dynamic environment for interesting, informative and inclusive discussion. Each term we host a mixture of events, reading groups, art evenings and discussions.