Rep of the Month is BACK! We decided to have a Rep of the Month for Undergraduate, Postgraduate Taught, and Doctoral students. And so our January winners are:
- Hannah Gormley (Modern Languages Year 3 Undergraduate)
- Tejas Acharekar (Automotive Engineering with Electric Propulsion Postgraduate Taught)
- Mathew Crawley (Doctoral)
Congratulations to these students for their exceptional work and for winning a Rep of the Month mug and a LinkedIn recommendation. We met up with these three students to learn more about why they enjoy their roles.
When asked why she wanted to be an Academic Rep, Hannah Gormley had the following to say...
"Since my first year, I have been involved in representing my department of PoLIS as a Student Ambassador. I decided to take on the Academic Rep role in my third year as I would be away from the University and wanted a way to still be involved (also the reason I became an HSS Placements Blogger); I wanted to be able to remotely contribute to influence change and gain valuable insight into the inner workings of my department. I have such a love for my course and the University in general and like to take every opportunity to further my engagement. I also wanted to be able to network and connect with fellow students and staff, building strong working relationships."
Academic Reps are the heart of positive change and Mat Crowley shared what has helped him bring this change within his role...
"At the moment, I am still a relatively new rep, but I would like to suggest that I have contributed a sensible, can-do approach to all my undertakings thus far. This has included being a voice for things that aren’t always perceived as popular, however, forms part of a bigger resolution to issues moving forward."
The role can develop many skills and in turn, impact your future. Tejas Acharekar told us about his positive experience...
"Being a rep helped me to improve my management skills, communication, being livelier with the community, share ideas and last but not the least, polishing my leadership skills."
Finally, we asked each of January's Reps of the Month what the best thing about being a Rep is...
"Hopefully being recognised as a trusted and effective member of my cohort and understand the educational journey that others are on also. It provides a level of perspective that you may never otherwise be fortunate enough to appreciate." - Mathew Crawley
"Becoming a part of an active student's network, contributing and influencing the decisions taken by the faculties and supporting students." - Tejas Acharekar
"The best thing about being a rep is how incredibly rewarding it is; it fills me with a lot of pride that I can and have enacted real change within my course. Another great thing about being a rep is the comprehensive training and support you receive. The Academic Representation Team is always available to support you in making changes, with regular updates and other circulated resources. Teaching staff are also willing to have a discussion even outside of formal meetings." - Hannah Gormley
If you want to know more about Rep of the Month like how to nominate someone or yourself, visit the Rep of the Month page: https://www.thesubath.com/academicreps/repofthemonth/