Celebrating Success: Maggie Wang

Congratulations to Pembroke student Maggie Wang (2019, History and Economics) who was awarded two University prizes for her performance in Finals! Maggie won the Wylie Prize for best thesis in American history, and the Gibbs Joint School Prize for the highest average mark in History Papers in a joint course.

Maggie shares with us below her experience studying at Pembroke. You can also click here to purchase Maggie's debut poetry pamphlet 'The Sun on the Tip of a Snail’s Shell,' which she wrote during her time at Oxford.

"My three years at Pembroke have been illuminating in the best of ways. The History and Economics course touches on a host of important questions about past and present societies, and its interdisciplinary nature proved especially rewarding. Many of the papers I took, including The Global Middle Ages, 500-1500; Development of the World Economy since 1800; and my thesis, which explored the experiences of Native American Vietnam War servicemen, led me to conceive of the world in fresh and beautiful ways.

Adjusting to Oxford as an international student demanded a dramatic shift in my ways of thinking and working. I am grateful to my tutors for placing their faith in me and always encouraging me to engage more deeply with the course material. All in all, it has been a tremendous privilege to be part of the Pembroke community. Despite—or perhaps even because of—the intense workload, I have met some amazing friends here and also found time to nurture my interests in music and poetry.

For prospective applicants, my advice would be to show your curiosity and be willing to learn, to be challenged, and to experiment with new and tentative ideas. Also, for those interested in the History and Economics course, I would highly recommend applying to Pembroke, as the HECO community and the support from tutors in both fields here are truly exceptional."

We wish Maggie the best of luck in her next chapter as she starts her Law degree at Yale.