Diplomacy Society: Secretary

My name is Laura, a first-year Politics and IR student (currently Head Columnist of the Diplomacy Review news column) running for the role of  Diplomacy Society Secretary.

The two values I would bring into the role would be transparency and reactionary behaviour. Transparency means that I value the importance of honesty and success within the society and the Diplomacy Review: having the ability to understand everyone’s wishes and aspirations for the association and consequently acting towards catering to each of your needs. Reactionary behaviour comes as a result of things gone wrong; which is inevitable in an ever-changing, fast-paced environment, ardently striving towards the organisation of an academic year filled with academic opportunities and journalism experiences. I am well accustomed to the need to always adapt, complete certain unforeseeable tasks at the last minute, at uncomfortable times, so that our common goals are well achieved.

I am dedicated to the society and wish to further my involvement in it. If elected, I will be sure to better engagement with the society and develop partnership programs together with other societies such as the International Relations, United Nations and Amnesty International associations. As secretary, I will target our audience better and improve publicity in order to increase our engagement with the student body in order to bring the society at the forefront of UCL's student union.

I would like to nominate myself for the role of Secretary of the Diplomacy society as I am organised, have good communication skills and an aptitude for international affairs. Having lived in numerous international cities, I have been able to equip myself with the ability to understand and communicate with people across the globe. After being an active member of the society in the last year, I have realised that Diplomacy can be a tedious industry to launch a career in. Therefore, I would strive to work with the committee to provide support and opportunities so students can establish themselves successfully. This can be done by not just hosting networking events but by also conducting workshops on how to network and maintain relationships effectively.

The role of a secretary also requires meticulous planning which I will be able to undertake as a well-structured and balanced student. As we are reaching the final stages of the pandemic, I would also like to introduce more in-person events including debates so we can converge our different perspectives to find holistic solutions in current affair problems; essentially engage in diplomacy ourselves. Additionally, I have been writing freelance articles for newspapers and I plan on integrating my skills to further the impact of the Diplomacy Review. I would strongly value the opportunity to be a part of such a diverse community of intellectuals and vow to expand the horizons of the Diplomacy society in the upcoming year.

My name is Matthew Bittle and I'm a first year Law student from Scotland. I have really enjoyed being first year representative of the Society for the past year. This fantastic role has given me the opportunity to see behind the scenes of the society and better understand how it functions on a logistical level. Having helped other members of the committee with their roles I have been able to help administer the social media of the society, help with events and liaise with speakers. In addition, I have also been proactive in creating the vision for the society next year and in organising my own events. I believe that the role of Secretary and its logistical responsibilities requires someone, not only with vision, but also with experience. As such I hope that you consider me to be an apt choice.

In brief my proposals for the continued success of the society next year are:

·      To continue the move forward towards in-person events where possible.

·      Continue the expansion of the society’s network with other universities and organisations.

·      Expand our careers branch with additional, dedicated, careers roles.

·      Organise more practical events with active member engagement.

·      Continue to maintain a clear and informative social media presence.

I believe Diplomacy Soc. is one of the best societies at UCL & needs more exposure. I aim to advertise our events to increase members, post-summary of events on journals & create interesting social media content. I am keen on collaborating with other societies in UCL & across London to host interesting, insightful & unique events. I want this society to be known in London as one of the most welcoming & professional societies. I was the Vice-President for Amnesty Soc. & we collaborated with Diplomacy Soc. I've already gained a great amount of experience. Also living in 6 countries, working with the United Nations- work experience & participating at MUN made me aware of diplomatic relations, I've some unique experiences which I would like to share with this society. Previously I was Transition mentor, Vice-Chair of Student Council at school, these helped develop my communication, teamwork & leadership skills. I'm a Sociology & Politics of Science student so we regularly discuss diplomatic/IR topics.