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We talked to Dr Lalith Wijedoru, former part-time Executive Officer as well as a full-time Sabbatical Officer, about his experience representing students - the initiatives he helped shape, the skills he learnt, and how the role influenced his career and confidence long after graduation.
Lalith studied medicine at UCL between 1997 and 2003, going on to become a consultant paediatrician in emergency medicine. He left clinical practice as a doctor in 2021 to become a medical entrepreneur, focusing on social health. He set up a consultancy called Behind Your Mask and works across businesses, individuals, communities, and media to harness the power of stories to bolster human connection.
Whilst at UCL, Lalith was both a part-time Executive Officer as well as a full-time Sabbatical Officer (Welfare). He felt passionate about representing minority groups and amplifying those voices, and has spoken to us about how his student leadership experience gave him the confidence to talk about challenging topics, communicate effectively, listen with empathy, and to go about making change that has a real, lasting impact.
Looking to make your mark as a student leader? Put yourself forward today in the Leadership Race - nominations close Thursday 5 March.
Tell us about your journey to becoming a student leader - what role(s) did you take up, and why did you apply?
Maybe it is my ENTJ Myers-Brigg personality type, but I have always naturally gravitated towards leadership positions! In secondary school, I was class president. In Model United Nations at school, I was ambassador. I was motivated to speak up for others, but also to be organised, make things happen, and to work as part of a team.
When I turned up at UCL and attended the overseas student orientation and saw the Overseas Students Officer (part-time Union Executive Officer) speak, I immediately thought to myself that I wanted to do that job. I stood for election later that year and was elected to represent overseas students on Union Council 1998-9.
I worked alongside other part-time executive officers representing minority groups: the Anti-Racism Officer, Disabled Students Officer, Women's Officer, Mature Students Officer, and the LGB Officer. All of us 'reported' to the full-time External Affairs and Welfare Officer (Sabbatical). I got to know the Welfare Sabbatical Officer very well and was naturally curious about her role. She and a number of the other Sabbatical Officers encouraged me to stand for election. Campaigning was very difficult to juggle as a second year medical student, but it paid off.
I applied for student leadership roles because I wanted to make a difference. I felt passionate about representing minority groups and amplifying those voices. Truth, fairness, equality, and justice are important to me. I felt that being involved in student government was one way to uphold them. I was also someone who felt very loyal to UCL because it was the first institution to accept minority groups as students, so representing minority UCL students seemed like a natural fit for me and my values.
What did you gain from the experience?
I learned a lot about people, especially how to deal with inter-personal conflict. I was student officer during quite tumultuous times with the introduction of tuition fees for Home Students. I learned how to negotiate, be decisive, while also being diplomatic. I also gained further experience and confidence in public speaking and debate. Having to lobby senior College staff, and to advocate for the student body also demanded of me a maturity and eloquence that perhaps I would not have developed so early in my life had I not been a student officer.
Having to lobby senior College staff, and to advocate for the student body also demanded of me a maturity and eloquence that perhaps I would not have developed so early in my life had I not been a student officer.
What I cannot underestimate are the friendships and bonds that I have made with the people when I was both a part-time Executive Officer as well as a full-time Sabbatical Officer. These friends were fellow students, staff members, and alumni of the College and the Students' Union. I am still close to some of them decades later. I learned that it is often through adversity that you develop camaraderie and unity to help get you through it.
How has it helped you in your career to date?
Being a student leader helped me be organised, communicate effectively both orally and in writing, listen with empathy, and to see multiple points of view. It helped me understand governance processes and accountability. It laid the foundation of how to be professional and responsible for myself and for others.
These skills were undoubtedly transferable to any career, but it helped me as an undergraduate medical student. I felt that I had the confidence to talk to patients about challenging topics, and also the maturity to deal with patients of different ages. As a qualified doctor, many people commented on my astute observations on the psycho-social aspects of illness which came from my responsibilities I had as an officer for student welfare.
I felt that I had the confidence to talk to patients about challenging topics, and also the maturity to deal with patients of different ages
As a storytelling coach and facilitator, my student leadership experience undoubtedly gave me a good grounding in advanced communication skills. As the Union's representative to the federal University of London Union and the National Union Students, I had the opportunity to network, campaign, and lobby with other student leaders regionally and nationally.
I also use storytelling for leadership development in my current role. I use stories as a way to tap into the important skills of listening and empathy while also leading by example by not being afraid to show my vulnerability. Dealing with challenging health, welfare, and diversity and inclusion topics as welfare officer have grounded me well.
What are you most proud of achieving as a student leader?
One of the most substantial pieces of work I did as the Welfare Officer was the biennial Student Accommodation Survey. This required a lot of co-ordination between the College Accommodation Office, the Students Union, and the individual halls of residence. The Dean of Students commended my report as the best he had seen in his tenure thus far. They might have said that every year, but I believed it!
Another highlight was the co-ordination between the Students' Union and the College Registry to get newly registered students access to a London Transport (now Transport for London) student discount. In the pre-digital era, this was quite an administrative feat to simultaneously get this off the ground and fully operational.
What would you say to someone thinking about starting their leadership journey?
I am going to borrow a pearl of wisdom from economist Minouche Shafik. In the distant past jobs were about muscle (i.e. the physically strongest people). In the present, jobs seem to be about brain (i.e. people with knowledge). In the future, jobs are going to be about heart (i.e. people with emotional intelligence).
In the world of artificial intelligence, as machines get better at being machines, humans need to be better at being human. I want to remind anyone starting their leadership journey that leadership is about being human. I encourage you to lead with heart. Lead with compassion, kindness, and empathy. Leadership is not about physical strength or technical knowledge any more. It is about getting the best out of the people that you lead.
I want to remind anyone starting their leadership journey that leadership is about being human.
Other officers pictured:
- Lee Zimmer (Communications Officer 99-00)
- Phil Tozer (Medical Students Officer 99-00)
- Erika Bloom (Education and Representation Officer 99-00)
- Rina Patel (Services and Entertainments Officer 99-00)
- Caroline Harman (Finance and Societies Officer 99-00)
- Pek San Tan (Anti-Racism Officer 98-99)
- Maria Ioannou (Finance and Societies Officer 98-99)
- Philippa Brenton (External Affairs and Welfare Officer 98-99)
- Karen Brunskill (Services and Entertainments Officer 98-99)
- Matt Williams (Education and Representation Officer 98-99)