Save the date - celebrating 60 years of Van Mildert College

Since its opening in 1965, the College has evolved a proud history of enriching the lives of its whole community and Principal Tom Mole is looking forward to welcoming as many as possible back into College during the 12-month celebration.  

“We know that Mildertians have a special place in their hearts for the College. They hold cherished memories of their time here and have made connections for life. We look forward to welcoming them back, celebrating with them, sharing our plans and aspirations for the future, and most of all, having some fun.” 

Professor Tom Mole, College Principal 

Launching our year of celebration in London 

The year of celebration will get off to a great start in January with a drinks and nibbles reception in London, hosted at Killik Stockbrokers in Mayfair. We look forward to catching up with many of our South East-based alumni, as well as those travelling from further afield.  

The year will be punctuated by a programme of ‘Mildert Meets’ hosted by our alumni association in venues around the country. There will be opportunities throughout the year for our alumni to meet up with old friends – and, of course, make new ones, in a range of great locations and settings.   

A Gala Reunion Weekend in the Summer 

In the Summer, our traditional July alumni reunion weekend in Durham is planned to be a glittering gala occasion. There will be a formal dinner in College as well as more informal lunches, a full schedule of entertainment featuring student bands, musicians and entertainers from throughout the last 60 fabulous years, as well as lots more activities. 

To mark the anniversary, there will be a photographic exhibition in College for the Gala Reunion to inspire memories from your time in College – and even the reconstruction of a student bedroom from 1965 – a real trip down Memory Lane for some! 

Wrapping up and marking the anniversary pre-Christmas 

Our final event will be pre-Christmas drinks and nibbles in London, which will offer the opportunity to look back at the year-long celebration and connections made and renewed.    

60 years of history 

Named after William Van Mildert, the last Prince Bishop of Durham, who was instrumental in founding the University in 1832, Van Mildert College opened its doors in 1965 to 350 male students. Following the expansion of university education in the 1950s and 1960s, and with Durham's growth boosted even further by its separation from Newcastle University in 1963, four new colleges were added to the existing eight. Along with Van Mildert the other new Colleges were Grey, Trevelyan and Collingwood.  

In the early 1970s, Van Mildert was the first Durham college to admit female students; with the first formal intake in October 1972; the other colleges soon followed suit. 

Today, our College is home to almost 1,600 students, with over 500 living-in. The College motto is that of William Van Mildert - sic vos non vobis ("Not for yourselves") - and in line with this ethos, our students are renowned for their outreach and volunteering activities, and strong community spirit: within and beyond our own walls. 

Our college community is inclusive, built on caring for each other and those less fortunate than ourselves through our outreach and volunteering. Our sports teams and societies also play an active role in the college community, offering opportunities for personal development and leadership, and fostering an inclusive atmosphere for all. 

Looking to the future 

As we celebrate the last 60 years, we have an eye to the next 60. This anniversary also provides an opportunity for us all as a community to look to the future. The College has great plans to continue enriching the lives of our members through improving our facilities and supporting those students that need our help. We are extremely grateful to our alumni and supporters for their ongoing support and engagement.  

To keep up to date with our plans as they unfold, visit the Van Mildert 60 page on our website, follow our socials or contact the College office on vm-college-office@durham.ac.uk 

For more information about:  

• Van Mildert College 
• Durham alumni