A growing community: Two cohorts of Ellison Scholars come together in a landmark week
September saw the arrival of the second cohort of Ellison Scholars in Oxford and the first Ellison Scholars' Convening, bringing two cohorts together for the very first time.
The last week of September saw the arrival of the second cohort of Ellison Scholars in Oxford and the first Ellison Scholars' Convening, bringing two cohorts together for the very first time. As the 2026 embarked on a new chapter of their journey, and the 2025 cohort reflected on a transformative first year, the week represented a landmark moment for the growing Ellison Scholars community.
Welcoming a new cohort
To mark their arrival in Oxford, the 29 new Ellison Scholars took part in the annual Welcome Retreat, where they began building connections with fellow Scholars and preparing for the start of their chapters at the University of Oxford.
The Retreat schedule included panel discussions, guest speaker presentations, team-building activities and interactive sessions with EIT colleagues and more. The Scholars were also visited by Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, who took part in a Q&A hosted by EIT’s COO Lisa Flashner.
Scholars convene
Following the Welcome Retreat, attention turned to a new milestone in the programme’s evolution: the first ever Scholars' Convening. For the first time, Scholars beginning their Oxford journeys met those who had already completed a year as members of the community. Across two days, Scholars exchanged ideas, explored shared interests and began building relationships that will span colleges, disciplines and cohorts.
While each Scholar's path will be distinct, the Convening reflected a central ambition of the Ellison Scholars programme: to bring together ambitious, curious and collaborative individuals who can learn from one another and amplify each other's impact.
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Claire Joubert, Director of Education & Scholarships at EIT, said: “We are delighted to welcome the next cohort of Ellison Scholars to Oxford and mark this exciting moment in their journeys. We’re certain this group will thrive at Oxford and look forward to supporting them on their trajectories over the years ahead.
“Bringing together our first two cohorts of undergraduate and graduate Ellison Scholars for the inaugural Convening has been a particularly special moment for the programme. One of the greatest strengths of the Scholarship is the community it creates, connecting people with different experiences, perspectives and interests. This week has laid the foundations for relationships that will span disciplines, cohorts and years.”