St Hilda's College
St Hilda’s College, Oxford is delighted to announce a transformational philanthropic gift of USD 2.6 million from alumna Athena Ko (PPE, 1997) to endow the Tutorial Fellowship in Economics, currently held by Professor Anders Bredahl Kock. The Fellowship will be renamed the Dr Mary Gregory Tutorial Fellowship in Economics, in honour of Athena’s esteemed former tutor.
This landmark gift, now the largest single cash gift in the College’s history, recognises the profound influence of Dr Gregory’s teaching and the enduring power of Oxford’s tutorial system. Athena Ko was moved to give after attending a special reunion event in late 2024, which reunited Dr Gregory with her former students.
Reflecting on her time at St Hilda’s, Athena Ko said: “My time at St Hilda’s was extremely formative, and I look back with fondness at those years. Dr Gregory was (and still is) a tour de force, and it feels right that her impact on the College should be remembered for generations to come with the endowing and naming of this Fellowship.”
Hosted by Senior Development Executive Maren Florenz, the event was a celebration of the unique bonds formed between tutors and students at Oxford.
“St Hilda’s was the last Oxford College to go mixed in 2008. Whilst there are still differing views as to the pros and cons of this, it is clear that there was something very special about an all-female economics tutorial group. It was really special to bring Dr Gregory and her alumnae back together.” – Maren Florenz
Dr Mary Gregory commented: “I’m deeply touched by this incredibly generous gesture. Teaching at St Hilda’s was one of the great joys of my life, and it’s a privilege to have played a part in the journeys of such remarkable students. I’m honoured that the Fellowship will carry my name.”
The endowment ensures the long-term security of the Economics Fellowship at St Hilda’s, strengthening the College’s ability to attract and retain world-class academics, while celebrating the life-changing education made possible through Oxford’s tutorial model.
Principal Professor Dame Sarah Springman commented: “This is an extraordinary act of generosity and a deeply meaningful tribute. We are profoundly grateful to Athena Ko for recognising the lifelong impact of Dr Gregory’s teaching, and for ensuring that future generations of St Hilda’s students will benefit from that same standard of excellence in Economics.”
The newly named Dr Mary Gregory Tutorial Fellowship in Economics will be formally inaugurated later this year. Athena Ko has been elected as a Foundation Fellow of the College.