A father and daughter received their MA alongside each other in a graduation ceremony earlier this spring.

Mike Gilbart-Smith (Mathematics 1992) and his daughter Abigail Gilbart-Smith (Theology 2019) received their MA on March 28. The Cambridge MA is awarded “not less than six years from the end of his or her first term of residence” and after the BA degree has been conferred. Abigail, a third generation Caian and granddaughter to Mike’s father George Gilbart-Smith (Mathematics 1961), received her MA at the first opportunity. Mike had waited, and waited. 

“Ever since I applied to Caius and then got in, it's been a conversation,” Abigail says. “Dad said as a joke that when it came around to it, he could come and collect his MA with me – and then it actually happened.”

Mike adds: “I didn't get it with my year group just due to disorganisation rather than anything else. And then I didn't have particular need of it after that. There didn't seem any point kind of just graduating with a random group of people I didn't know.”

Mike’s lack of organisation is renowned among his Caius friendship group and has continued throughout life. And it resulted in a late search to ensure he was in the correct attire for Senate House.

“I had to go and pick up his gowns and things and he'd forgotten to order a bow tie,” Abigail adds. “I then scrambled around various clothing stores desperately looking for a white tie – we did manage to find one.”

Mike adds: “I was never the most thoughtful student and I haven't become greatly more organised since.

“But it was a lovely day. It was bright sunshine and great to be back at Caius. It was fun to bring the family.”

Mike was working for a church in Cambridge at the time his cohort received their MA. He is now a Pastor at Twynholm Baptist Church in Fulham, west London. 

Like her grandfather, Abigail is now a teacher, working at a west London school alongside John Atherstone (History 2019).

She says: “He was my first friend at Caius and then he did the PGCE at Cambridge straight after we graduated; he persuaded me to do it the year after. Then I persuaded him to join me at my school.”

The Caius connection will continue this summer, when Abigail marries her fiancé, a Sidney Sussex alumnus, and the reception takes place in Old Courts.