Professor Graham Virgo KC (Hon),
Master of Downing College, Cambridge (U.K.)

Richard Berengarten

I first met Richard when I was Senior Tutor of Downing College in Cambridge. I had oversight of the education of our students at a time when we were working especially hard to widen participation. Some students were not fulfilling their potential in their University exams. When I discussed this with the students and their teachers, I was regularly told that a number of students were struggling with their ability to express their ideas clearly and concisely in well structured essays. It was clear that we needed somebody to help develop our students’ writing skills. I asked Richard to help and he did so with enthusiasm and with impressive results. A number of students were referred to him for help with their writing skills over a number of years. Richard provided assistance and support to them. A number of students told me that they had never been taught how to write effectively and that what Richard had taught them made their studies so much more effective and enjoyable. Many of these students performed better in their examinations, sometimes dramatically so. But Richard’s impact did not simply improve these students’ ability to write: by improving structure of an essay and structure of a sentence. His impact was more profound. The confidence of many of these students improved. Their worry about writing, and expressing themselves clearly, was replaced with an enthusiasm for written expression and communication. They have gone on to achieve in many different walks of life. The influence of a teacher on their students is often difficult to discern, since there are so many influences on a person’s life. But seeing the difference in these students after they had been taught by Richard, I have no doubt that his has been an especially significant influence, for which I, and many others, are grateful.

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