President (Academic Life)

Hello! My name is Emma and I am your current President of Academic Life. I am re-running for this position because not only have I enjoyed the role so much, but I feel that there is still so much that I can do! I have been an active member of the community, as a student and a Student Leader, so I would love to be given the opportunity to carry on! I am applying for this position because I am passionate about constantly improving the student experience at Christ Church. I want to continue to use this role to advocate for students, making sure that their concerns are heard. I am always eager to help create an atmosphere where all students feel valued, respected, and encouraged to make the most out of their time at university.

I want to continue the work I have started this year, most importantly getting the Medway Shuttle Bus over the line! I am very close to having this completed and want to ensure that I can secure this for all students! I will continue to develop my Course Mentoring campaign, supporting first years with the transition to university and providing work experience opportunities for second and third years. On the theme of employability, I want to keep working with the careers hub to get students ready for life in the work force after graduation! This year, my volunteering campaign has introduced lots of students to the ‘log your hours’ platform, helping them to create a tangible reward for their volunteering. This has allowed them to develop their CVs without using more of their already limited time. This year, I have been the Medway campus Lead, reinstating the ‘More for Medway’ campaign. This has involved raising awareness of the inequities at the Medway campus and bringing their experience to the forefront of the conversation. In conjunction with the shuttle bus, I want to continue to ensure the students based at Medway have access to everything that they need, including university services and extra-curricular activities. I also want to continue my work to increase student space on campus. I am currently researching how to turn the Staff Common Room into a shared space for both staff and students, with the intention for this space to become a cafe/bar area right in the centre of campus! Student soft spaces are salient to the student experience, providing space for commuter students and activities but also just an area to chill between lectures and have your lunch.

I have always been heavily involved in the Christ Church community and I believe that I have continued this within my current position as President of Academic Life. I have learnt a lot about the inner workings of university and feel like I am effectively able to contribute a student perspective in high level University meetings, ensuring that your voices are heard at all levels! As the Medway Campus lead and Sustainability lead, I have also experienced working with a wide range of stakeholders and CCCU teams. So, I am prepared to continue fulfilling this role and using the opportunities it provides to get the best for all students. As a student, I was involved with the SU as a Student Representative for my course alongside being a peer mentor for first year students. This hands-on involvement highlighted possible areas in need of improvement which encouraged me to run for the position last year. I have always been passionate about making improvements as a student and would love the opportunity to continue this in my work as President of Academic Life. I was also president of a club at CCCU, so a position of leadership is familiar to me, and I am confident in my ability to successfully work alongside others. I like to think of myself as an approachable member of the Christ Church community and feel that so far I have proven myself to be an active member of staff that people can easily speak to.