Francis & Jonathan GoddenWhen personal trainer Jonathan Godden realised he was missing the buzz he got from learning at school, he and his brother Francis embarked on a journey that brought them both to Wolfson to study Engineering as mature undergraduates.
The younger of the pair, it was Jonathan, now 24, who first recognised that returning to study would provide the fulfilment he lacked:
"As a child I never believed my life path would be that of an intellectual. I had little confidence in my academic ability and decided to follow my interest in sports as a potential career path. After leaving school without the qualifications needed for a university degree I began work as a lifeguard and later started a career as a personal trainer in a fitness centre.
"I missed school however - my friends, my tutors and the whole learning experience in general. I confided in my brother Francis and found that he felt the exact same way. So together we decided to enroll on an A level course at Southgate College, London. After a year of hard work we were rewarded with the highest grades our college had seen and the confidence to apply to Cambridge University.
"Two years later and I am currently an undergraduate engineer at the number one university in the whole world. I feel like my life could not be any better and I have my family, friends and of course Wolfson College to thank for that!"
Francis, 27, came to Wolfson in October 2010, and is now starting his second year of the undergraduate course in Engineering. "When I applied to Cambridge, I had no idea that I would be feeling as 'at home' as I do in Wolfson. I am living among the kindest, friendliest (and not to mention most intelligent) people that I have ever met.
"On arrival, I was certain that I wanted to study electronic engineering and so was slightly worried that the first two 'general' years of the Engineering Tripos may be better suited to younger undergraduates who would benefit from an engineering 'overview' to aid them in finding the engineering discipline that interested them the most. Having completed the first year I can say that it definitely was NOT an engineering overview. There is enough theory in the first year alone that would allow one to build a simple computer from nothing but transistors, and electronics was only a quarter of the course!
"All engineering disciplines, be it mechanical, civil, electrical etc. are fundamentally related and I quickly realized the importance of a strong multi-disciplinary knowledge foundation before you can call yourself a true engineer and that is exactly what the Cambridge Engineering Tripos gives you. One thing I found very interesting in the first year is how many of the mathematical end results and formulas look very similar across the different engineering disciplines, even though the steps taken to derive them may have been very different."
So, there is plenty of variety in store for Jonathan as he embarks on the course, and a ready source of sage advice on hand when he needs it. But how does it feel to have a younger brother in tow?
"Having my brother around makes it even better. We share a set in S block that is quickly becoming a central gathering point for our friends and study group before we head off to the bar, gym, Lee Room or Library (depending on workload!)."
Wolfson College admits mature undergraduates (aged 21 and over) in all subjects except mathematics. Find out more about life here as a student, and how to apply.