Pasca Lane, 2003

Pasca Lane read Social & Political Sciences at Clare. She is now Director of Media & Corporate Communications at the British Red Cross.

Who was your greatest Clare influence and why?

Our college master, Professor Badger, was a wonderful, warm presence in college life. He also taught the most incredible course in my final year of History on race relations in the United States. It’s the most inspired and interested I've ever been in an academic subject. 

Pasca's Story

Spending three years at Clare College as an undergraduate has always felt like a huge privilege. I knew at the time I was experiencing something unique and special. 

Having been to state school in London, I was apprehensive about what studying at Cambridge might be like, so I chose to apply to a college which had a high state-school intake. 

I made a lot of friends - from such a variety of backgrounds - many of whom I continue to be close to over 15 years later. They have entered a myriad of walks of life, from law, to the arts, to accountancy, to teaching to public health. I work in the charity sector. All of us came from different places and backgrounds and I remember university as a time of many debates about social issues, the world and politics. And fun. 

I studied Social & Political Science in my first two years, before moving to History in my final year – which is probably an unusually late change! It's fair to say that I am not someone who can claim great academic achievement during my time at Clare, certainly compared to others I know who really mastered their subjects. But I did get very involved in college life, through a number of the sports teams and helped to run the college bar. It was a very sociable phase of life for me - University really is a time when there are so many options on the table and things to try. It's easy to take it for granted at the time – you don’t realise how rare it is to have so many societies and ventures at your fingertips. Jump in and get involved in anything that sparks your interest.

As we approached graduation, I remember finding that without doubt, having Cambridge on my CV opened doors to opportunities. I'm sure it played a role in me securing a number of internships and ultimately a place on a graduate scheme at one of the world's largest PR agencies. 

I was by no means sure what I wanted to pursue in life. I remember reading the Cambridge careers brochure and a profile stood out to me: someone who worked as a press officer for Oxfam. I've always had a strong sense of social justice and after a few years in the corporate world, I moved into the not for profit sector. I am now a Director at the British Red Cross where we respond to emergencies around the world and here in the UK. Though the path here has been long and by no means clear, it struck me recently that the Pasca graduating from Cambridge would probably have seen this as her dream job!