Nominations: Nominations closed
Voting: Voting closed
Election
In order to nominate/vote for this position you must self-define as a student from a low socio-economic background.
Category
Candidates
Lorena Lopez
What will you bring to this role (e.g. experience, skills or qualities)?
I am an advocate for education. I was the first in my family to graduate from college, the only one who speaks English, and the first who was not a teenage mother. My experience shows how education can transform a family’s legacy. Hence, my life goal is to promote the right to high-quality education. As a teacher, I designed the first curriculum to teach conflict to Colombians. I fostered the first gender policy through pedagogical exercises in rural areas in Colombia. I created Enlaces Educativos, an NGO that wants to ensure access to education in rural areas reaching over 100,000 children
What do you hope to achieve in the role if you are elected?
I want to mobilize real solutions to real problems. I have to work three topics: A) UCL and London adaptation. 2) Career plans. 3) Group sustainability. Solutions: 1. Creating an emotional, academic and recreational network with workshops to understand what are issues UCL students have to experience 2. Promoting networking spaces with companies and Alumni to support our future plans. 3. Looking for support from UCL stakeholders to create alternatives to support the students with low socioeconomic backgrounds
Please summarise why students should vote for you.
I am convinced that collective work and leadership allow us to reach ambitious objectives. During my role as SOCIAL CLASS & MOBILITY OFFICER, I will always defend the interests of all students. Besides, I have experienced first-hand what is to overcome a low socioeconomic background as a daughter of teenage working-class parents and as a project manager of different organizations. Empathy will be my mottos and flag to work for you.
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Leah Priestley Black
What will you bring to this role (e.g. experience, skills or qualities)?
As a keen passion of mine, I've been involved in youth voice for the last 6 years. This has helped me to understand the importance of representation, facilitate representation and speak where others are unable. I'm grateful to have had opportunities to do this on a local and national scale most recently at the Net Zero Youth Summit of the North West and the National CAMHS Summit discussing mental health services. I hope to use these skills and my ability to network to create meaningful representation that brings tangible action from all voices regarding social class and mobility boundaries.
What do you hope to achieve in the role if you are elected?
If elected I hope to achieve a move towards a more intersectional based support system where overcoming the barriers surrounding social class and mobility are not just looked at through the lens of a particular characteristic but account for the their combination. Meaning that students who face more than one barrier such as a low income household and being a carer can have a more holistic and personal package of support and less of a one size fits all system based on individual labels. Also, I would look to make sure that funding is being used in a way that makes a difference for you.
Please summarise why students should vote for you.
I'm driven and passionate about improving the circumstances of people who face barriers within university and I'm excited to listen to concerns. I'm open and approachable and if elected I would ensure visibility and transparency in supporting you to make the changes you want to see which I feel would make me a suitable candidate.
Thank you for reading my nomination and please feel free to get in contact with me if you have any questions, ideas etc.
Instagram: @leahblxck
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Sam O'Sullivan
What will you bring to this role (e.g. experience, skills or qualities)?
Hey - I am Sam, I am a second-year undergraduate student in the Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies.
I have a long-standing interest in making education accessible to all. I have spent over ten years in the Higher Education system in one way or another. Seeing first-hand how support for poor and disadvantaged students has changed over the last decade has given me a unique insight. I saw the cuts happen; I know what we need to do to make it better. I am proactive, dedicated, a good listener, and I do not give up easily.
What do you hope to achieve in the role if you are elected?
I would:
- Cut bureaucracy and make the Financial Assistance Fund more accessible.
- Lobby UCL to increase the Undergraduate Bursary for students with a household income of less than or equal to £16,000 – the £3,000 cash bursary they currently offer is not enough!
- Lobby UCL to increase the Care Leaver Bursary.
- Work with UCL and the SU to create targeted employment workshops and paid internship opportunities for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Work with UCL to give students from low socioeconomic backgrounds priority when booking study spaces.
Please summarise why students should vote for you.
Indifference and ignorance (and sadly, sometimes even outright hostility) from the university and our fellow students can make studying here difficult. I will take on this culture of apathy and win.
I am not into student politics or protests; I am much more interested in finding pragmatic and workable solutions to real-world problems faced by students at UCL. I believe my policy suggestions are achievable, and I will work hard to get them approved.
Thank you. :)
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