“It feels like I’m living my dream,” Evelyne Mayemba Bamba (Human, Social, and Political Sciences 2024) says.

“In many ways I didn’t think it would be possible.”

Evelyne represents the undergraduates of Gonville and Caius College as students’ union president. But it is her compelling personal story which explains her opening comments.

“Where do I even begin?” Evelyne laughs. 

Evelyne moved to the United Kingdom as a child refugee and lived in Wales – learning Welsh and teaching younger students at her primary school – before moving to a small town in north west England.

Evelyne is also a carer for her siblings, supporting a sibling with Down’s Syndrome, and, combined with her own health circumstances, her attendance at school was disrupted during her A-Levels.

She adds: “I had my responsibilities and I was ill. School isn’t always straightforward when some things happen.”

Attending university at the time was not on the agenda, but Evelyne still wanted to be in higher education. She found out about the University of Cambridge’s Foundation Year, which she started as a member of the second cohort in 2023. 

Studying at Cambridge, with its short terms and financial support mechanisms, also made sense.

The Foundation Year is intended to provide a stepping stone to Cambridge for students who have been prevented from realising their potential due to educational disadvantage or disruption.​

“A big misconception of the Foundation Year is the same type of person attends,” Evelyne adds. “There are plenty of reasons why someone might attend, like illness or another disruption to your education.

“I realised attending Cambridge was the economical decision for me, because of the eight-week terms, and the resources that were available.

“The Foundation Year was the access point for me. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted it to be somewhere that would push me academically. 

“When I came, I thought I’d do HSPS from the beginning, but I really loved History of Art. So I thought, why not make use of the flexibility in the Cambridge system? I completed Part I History of Art and now do Part II HSPS.

“Taking advantage of the access schemes at Oxford and Cambridge is something I’d really recommend. In many ways they are there for those of us who don’t have any connection to Oxbridge, allowing you to be able to experience and envision your life at Oxbridge and ask all the questions you might have.

“Seeing what it was like really made me realise I want to be here (at Cambridge). It was a completely different world and I wanted to be part of it.”

Evelyne, in the front row in the red jumper, is pictured at the 2025 Undergraduate Matriculation photo, with GCSU Freshers' Rep Lauren Meacher Nisbet (Theology 2024) and Vice-President Ed Pinnock (History and Politics 2024).

As President of the Junior Combination Room (JCR, representing undergraduate students), Evelyne is keen for Caius to maintain traditions, while being progressive.

“I really want to honour the traditions we have at Caius, while embracing changes that will shape an even stronger Caius tomorrow,” she adds.

“I’ve always liked leadership. I love all the roles in the JCR, but what drew me to the presidency was being a part of everything all at once.”

Evelyne continues to lead by example and is involved in charities such as the Social Mobility Foundation as well as Upreach. She is keen to promote access to Cambridge through her role as a Caius access ambassador, among other positions.

She says: “Seeing yourself in places like Cambridge and in integral positions of power that help this place function is what will make people realise ‘I can do that’.”