Trevelyan College is a close-knit, forward-thinking community renowned for its welcoming atmosphere and distinctive hexagonal architecture. Our students engage in a diverse range of activities outside their degree programmes ranging from artistic and cultural activities to wellbeing and volunteering initiatives. Many of these activities are student-led, providing opportunities for personal development and growth. Our multidisciplinary and intergenerational community brings together students, staff, and SCR members to co-create many of our signature experiences. Our student common rooms play a central role in various aspects of the wider student experience, complemented by opportunities organised by the SCR. In addition, our recently launched Explore Programme encourages students to discover new avenues for enrichment and wellbeing.
Our JCR is an active community for undergraduates, leading various student events and activities
Our MCR provides opportunities for postgraduates to engage in social and scholarly activities
Our SCR contributes to the academic, cultural, and intellectual life of College
Our Explore Programme provides enrichment and wellbeing activities for current students
Our Junior Common Room (JCR) coordinates a wide variety of activities for current undergraduate students ranging from sport, music and theatre to large-scale social events and volunteering. Students play a leading role in shaping these initiatives, constantly introducing fresh ideas to enhance engagement and community life.
The 2024/2025 academic year was marked by outstanding sporting achievements: our cheerleading team secured first place in the coed group stunt at the Intercollegiate Cheerleading Competition, while our men’s and women’s badminton teams remained unbeaten as league champions. Our theatre groups continue to shine with impressive musical productions, original student-written plays, and outstanding performances. Music thrives at Trevelyan, with a vibrant programme throughout the year, including performances by student bands at Trevs Day and Trevstock. Recently, the JCR proudly relaunched HEX Magazine - a creative platform for student writing that was previously active from 1997 to 2013.
Our students are exploring without limits across the wider student experience and making a significant impact within the college, across the university, and in the wider community.
The JCR is a space for students to showcase their talents, try something new, and engage with university life beyond their academic studies. We have an exciting programme of student-led events which enable students to enjoy themselves while feeling a sense of belonging.
The Middle Common Room (MCR) provides an active programme of social, scholarly, and cultural activities for taught and research postgraduates at Trevelyan College. Our postgraduate community has established several signature events, including the annual Inter-MCR Formal, the GM Trevelyan Research Prize, and HM Evans Music Prize. Regular cultural activities provide opportunities for our students to broaden their global perspectives while building strong connections with the local region. Termly research evenings showcase the breadth and depth of research conducted by our postgraduate students and foster collaboration across the three common rooms. As part of our celebrations, we will also reflect on the contributions of our postgraduate students to Trevelyan’s history and explore opportunities to celebrate their scholarly achievements.
The MCR is a community that allows our postgraduate students to get a real understanding for College life and also provides a stable foundation from which they can explore the opportunities provided by both the University and the city of Durham. It has been a genuine pleasure to both be a part of, and also serve, the MCR.
In 2025, our Senior Common Room (SCR) remains a vibrant community of academic and professional services staff, local community members, and supporters who actively contribute to the academic, cultural, and intellectual life of the College. The SCR plays a key role in supporting student activities, including attendance at performances, support for travel bursaries, and hosting various scholarly activities. In 2023, the SCR launched the Global Dynamics lecture series, which explores topics of international significance across the University’s four faculties. For 2025/2026, the series focuses on ‘Between life and death: warfare and the environment’. Recordings of these lectures are available on the Global Dynamics webpages. Looking ahead, we are excited to celebrate a special anniversary series in the 2026/2027 academic year.
Our SCR rocks! It is lively and is home for people of all backgrounds. People from all walks of life and all four corners of the planet gather here to celebrate the college’s many achievements, contribute to its mission, and share in its values. For us, everything is possible!
Launched in October 2023, the Trevelyan College Explore Programme offers students a wide range of enrichment and wellbeing activities designed to inspire curiosity and personal growth. Through this programme, students can gain new experiences, develop valuable skills, and discover fresh interests - all completely free of charge to ensure accessibility and engagement. In recent years, we have organised art-based activities, nature connection sessions, creative competitions, writing retreats, proactive wellbeing initiatives, and careers experience sessions, among many others. To learn more about these opportunities, visit our student enrichment webpages.
Our Explore Programme activities encourage students to step out of their comfort zone and explore new interests in a supportive environment. Our initiatives enable students to be curious, creative, and innovative whilst learning from one another.
Explore Wellbeing supports students to navigate everyday challenges and develop their resilience through proactive wellbeing initiatives, such as goal-setting, nature connection, and reflective practice.
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