Newnham elects new honorary fellows

“Two distinguished women” have been elected for their “exceptional contributions” to their chosen fields

Sandi Toksvig, who has been elected to an honorary fellowshipstan_was

by Anna Menin

This article is 9 years old

Friday March 4 2016, 1:37am

Sandi Toksvig and Baroness Rabbi Julia Neuberger have been elected as Honorary Fellows of Newnham College.

Neuberger was Britain’s second female rabbi, and the first to have her own synagogue, and is currently a Senior Rabbi of the West London Synagogue.

She read Oriental Studies at Newnham, matriculating in 1969, before completing a Rabbinic Diploma at Leo Beck College, London. Neuberger was appointed DBE in 2004, and was made a Life Peer in the same year.

In June last year, Neuberger was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity by the University of Cambridge.

Toksvig is also a Cambridge alumna, who gained a first-class degree in Archaeology and Anthropology and Law from Girton College. She matriculated in 1977.

While at Cambridge, she wrote and performed in the first all-women Footlights show, before going on to act and present after graduating.

She hosted The News Quiz on BBC Radio 4 for nine years, and was recently announced as the new host of QI, taking over from Stephen Fry later this year.

Toksvig also co-founded the Women’s Equality Party last year, and is currently Chancellor of Portsmouth University.

Speaking after the announcement, Toksvig said that she was “honoured and not a little overwhelmed to join the illustrious list of women associated with Newnham.”

“The education and advancement of women has long been a passionate cause for me and I look forward to a lifelong association with the college and its members”, she added.

Both women are expected to attend a special ceremony at Newnham later this year.

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