My experience being in societies has truly helped me develop into who I am today. From my first year at Royal Holloway I have embraced every opportunity I’ve encountered. It’s been an honour to represent such a diverse group of people, and I will continue to ensure no voice goes unheard. Without the students, there would be no university, and without the student’s union there would be no progress.

I aim to use the existing media outlets to promote the student’s and societies’ work via a student opportunities app, created by the students for the students. The app will give the opportunity to create, promote and engage with all that the SU has to offer and vice versa.

I will also introduce a “Society Surgery” in the form of office hours, for students to come in and chat about their societies. This is an opportunity for guidance, making the running of a society a more enjoyable learning experience. University is more than your degree – the extra-curricular activities you take part in are just as impactful as the degree itself. I want students to feel comfortable communicating how best to improve what they get out of their student opportunities membership, as well as increasing the level of face to face interaction between societies and Sabbs.

Running a society is a challenge, so to help ease the process, I will create a pdf explaining everything from organising takeover nights, budgeting to room booking. With a better support network, societies will flourish and committee members will feel more confident - hopefully resulting in more subscribed members and maybe even new societies.

A key focus of my campaign is lecture capture, a system that many colleges, over 75% in the UK as of 2016, have put in place to help benefit students who are unable to attend regular lectures. Access to education is a right, not a luxury, especially with the current cost, and the potential increase in tuition fees making it more difficult for people to pursue higher education. In 2016, 76% of students did not apply for extenuating circumstances, despite being entitled to them. Currently the minimum attendance rule across Royal Holloway is 80%. Whilst it is important to acknowledge why this limit has been set, this pressure can seriously affect the grades and wellbeing of students. This is where lecture capture can be a key and abundantly useful resource.