Nominations: Nominations closed
Voting: Voting closed
Election
Read about what the Social Class & Mobility Officer is responsible for.
In order to vote for this position you must self-define as a student from a low socio-economic background.
If you have any questions about the position, please contact [email protected].
Category
Candidates
Rhiannon Shannon
(she/they)
What will you bring to this role (e.g. experience, skills or qualities)?
I am passionate, hardworking, driven and dedicated to all my commitments
I have been on student councils in secondary school and college and have been involved in major decisions and events, such as prom.
I worked closely with the student union and their drive against period poverty. I featured in @pscsu 's most viewed Tiktok where we advertised free menstrual products from student services.
Last year, with the charity officer I conducted a Halloween costume fundraising event in college.
I also featured in the @winchestercitycouncil's Instagram post advertsing the new 'Symonds pantry'.
What do you hope to achieve in the role if you are elected?
- collaborate with foodbanks or students struggling to feed themselves at uni
- set up pantries in the common rooms of each UCL hall
- advertise the bursaries available to students from low-income backgrounds and ensure they are accessible, by creating a better social media presence which can communicate this other help to you
- tackle period poverty here and make menstrual products/contraception free and accessible to all UCL students who require them
- listen to you and your needs and support a group of people, for which coming to a university in London is more scary than exciting
Please summarise why students should vote for you.
I understand. I've had so many struggles and fears when it comes to money, both at home and now moving to London. I want to make the uni experience better for everyone but I believe my abilities are best suited for focusing on the issue of social class and mobility.
I have had a lot of experience raising money for charity and using social media as a platform to advocate for students of underprivileged socioeconomic backgrounds and I would be honoured if you allowed me to represent you.
Please vote for me and I will not let you down :)
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Anisha Rashid-Knitter
(She/Her)
What will you bring to this role (e.g. experience, skills or qualities)?
I would be perfectly suited for this role as I come from a working class background and have strived to elevate myself into higher education. I didn’t have the ‘connections’ to assists me in applying for university or securing competitive internships but worked to do it alone. I completed the Civil Service Early Diversity Internship whereby I got to work in a government department alongside others from a similar social background. This helped me to recognise the importance of social mobility in prestigious institutions. I am also a member of various social mobility organisations.
What do you hope to achieve in the role if you are elected?
I would love to work closely with the university in order to increase the opportunities for students coming from lower social classes as well as help to create a collective community for those that feel isolated because of their background. Classism is a real issue within academic institutions and I hope to do all that I can to combat this and create a positive environment for those who are worried about feeling judged because of their social class. I would also like to work alongside societies to encourage more involvement from those who are feeling apprehensive due to their background.
Please summarise why students should vote for you.
Students should vote for me because I want to create a space where they can feel heard and understood. Social mobility is difficult to achieve and particularly hard to navigate alone. I have experienced it myself meaning that I am eager to listen and make a difference. I would work closely with the university in order to create better opportunities to achieve social mobility and help to combat classism within the institution. I would have loved to have somebody to speak to about the difficulty of being my true self in a place where everybody seems different - I hope I can be this for you.
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Axel Massuyr
(He/Him)
What will you bring to this role (e.g. experience, skills or qualities)?
I am an exchange student coming from Belgium. I have been a student representative for both my department and my faculty for 2 years. Last year, I was also leading the whole student representative body of my faculty and the departments within it.
Moreover, I know how it feels to be around people with other ecoonmic, cultural, and social backgrounds. I have experienced the challenges of social mobility for the last 2 years.
I am also used to negotiate since I have been a member of multiple student organizations and I enjoy participating in "organisations-modelling" (EG: model EU Council).
What do you hope to achieve in the role if you are elected?
I want to represent my comrades and to empower those who, like me, did not have the chance to get access to private schools, to a network guaranteeing them a job, and to the best resources to study.
My aim is to make us proud of ourselves, for the journey we have already accomplished, and for the difficulties we have gone through.
I want to make UCL a better place for less-advantaged people, where no one would fear of being unable to afford the means of getting access to knowledge, because I believe that everyone has the right to have a chance.
Our collaboration is our strength.
Please summarise why students should vote for you.
Extract of my UCL application: Despite the sociological odds, notwithstanding my popular origins, thanks to my work, my studies go without incident. I am offered to show what I am capable of, and I wish, from the depths of my being, to do so. I wish that I be allowed to give all my skills, so that they can best be used for the benefit of the community. I wish to give back to the hundredfold all that I have received. I wish to contribute tomorrow for those who will create a world that will outlive me. I wish to become the best version of myself, so that I can participate in the progress of Man.
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Devangana Prasad
(She/her)
What will you bring to this role (e.g. experience, skills or qualities)?
I’m a 2nd year B.Sc Psychology student. I currently work as the President of the UCL Female Lead Society where we inspire people to take up leadership roles and jobs in areas that they may be underrepresented in. I’m trying to embody that change by being a Student Officer myself.
As a society President, I am already trained by and actively involved in the activities of the Union. This makes me better equipped to navigate the SU when trying to implement policies. I have also undertaken many leadership/volunteering roles and that has given me valuable insight into the opportunities at UCL.
What do you hope to achieve in the role if you are elected?
As an elected officer I aim to:
-. Introduce a newsletter - It will be the one-stop-destination for everything from one-off jobs to make quick money, part-time jobs, paid research participation studies to unpaid jobs that help set the stage for better future employments.
- Organize networking events where people exchange job offers and discuss their socio-economic challenges in a positive and safe environment.
- Use my platform as a Student Officer to enlist more people in helping the cause of supporting socio-economic development at UCL using whichever skills they would like to contribute.
Please summarise why students should vote for you.
As an international student living in London, I can further understand the added layers of cost-of-living that affect our life as students in London. Working as a Transition Mentor for the undergraduate freshers also keeps me connected with the needs and challenges faced by new-comers to UCL and London. Overall, my deep-rooted connections to people from different backgrounds at UCL combined with my passion to facilitate change make me a good fit for the role.
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Langat Naomi
(she/her )
What will you bring to this role (e.g. experience, skills or qualities)?
As a sponsored student from a low socioeconomic background, I bring a unique perspective and personal experience to this role. I am well-acquainted with the struggles of accessing quality education and navigating the complexities of financial aid. I am passionate about advocating for equitable opportunities in education, and I have actively engaged in initiatives, such as mentorship programs and awareness campaigns. Collaborative by nature, I will work seamlessly with the Equity and Inclusion Officer and other team members on projects that advance the interests of underprivileged students.
What do you hope to achieve in the role if you are elected?
As a Social Mobility and Class Officer, I will champion the needs and aspiration of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. while fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment within UCL, ensuring that these students have equal access to resources, opportunities, and support. I will persuade key decision makers to address the unique challenges faced by these students, such as financial barriers. Together, we will strive to promote social mobility, empower individuals, and create a more inclusive campus community that values diversity and provides a level playing field for all.
Please summarise why students should vote for you.
I am a passionate advocate for the needs and concerns of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, myself being one of them. Being a student on a scholarship, I deeply understand the challenges faced by these students as I have firsthand information right from my experiences of striving to access education financing as a student from an underprivileged background. I will therefore tirelessly advocate for their needs and concerns within the Union and collaborate with other officers to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all regardless of their socioeconomic status in UCL.
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Ken Sio & Enkuule Mergen
(he/him)
What will you bring to this role (e.g. experience, skills or qualities)?
K: My role in the Active Bystander project has made me aware of how class is often unaddressed, and volunteering with various communities has developed my sensitivity to the challenges faced by different backgrounds. Being an Academic Rep, I can confidently voice concerns to a wider audience.
E: Being a Student Ambassador under the AWPO has made me more receptive to the needs of disadvantaged groups. I’m also part of the Student Success Panel where I can take an active role in making UCL more inclusive.
By electing us for the role, we hope to use our platform to raise your specific concerns!
What do you hope to achieve in the role if you are elected?
We ultimately want to shift perceptions on class by increasing awareness of classism/elitism at UCL. We also want to provide a community for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds through the following:
- Free social events and activities, especially for POC
- Opportunities for networking/talks from professionals
- Clear guidance on accessing all available resources
- Improving financial support
Please summarise why students should vote for you.
During our time at UCL, we both struggled to make space for ourselves as we are both people of colour from working class British backgrounds. We feel like the exclusive culture of this institution forces students to assimilate. We recognise how socioeconomic backgrounds converge with different identities and how this is often ignored, so we aim to take an intersectional approach to this role. By voting for us, we will strive to build a more welcoming and community-focused UCL!
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