council reps

Here to speak on behalf of students

INTERNATIONAL REP

Alexander Sablich Iraola

Proactive | Approachable | Driven

  • As an international student from Latin America myself, I understand the difficulties of leaving everything you know behind and having to adapt to a new country and culture. As your International Rep, I hope to make this transition better for all international students at the university, strengthening the ties in our communities. Especially now that the VP International position does not exist, there will have to be a lot of work to be done to make sure that our communities continue to be taken into account. I understand this challenge and I'm ready to face it. I will work tirelessly along with the rest of the International Reps and Council to make sure that international students get the representation we deserve.

  • As your International Rep, I plan on maintaining regular contact with cultural societies across campus to closely monitor the needs and interests of the international community. I will also make sure to support society's Executive Teams and, particularly, our International Officer to organize events that best represent the diversity of culture on campus. Moreover, I will use the various social media channels at our disposal to communicate with different communities at the university, making sure to be attentive to any and all suggestions, as well as to communicate the progress done at the Council. As President of the Latin American Society, I did my best to represent the interests of the Latino students on campus, achieving great progress for the community. As your International Rep, I will do my best to further expand and build on the work I did as President, by representing all international students on campus, celebrating our cultures, and advocating for our interests.

Elena Faieta

Caring | Reliable | Dedicated

  • I would love to have the privilege and opportunity to represent our International Students community! I want to ensure that every international student's voice is not just acknowledged but truly valued, even though there won’t be any VP International next year. I want to create a welcoming and inclusive space where all international students feel supported, heard and cared about. Together, we can work towards initiatives that prioritise your well-being and success during this challenging and beautiful time at Essex. Let's make sure your needs are met and your voices are never ignored!

  • As an international student myself, having been leading the Italian society as president for a year and working for SU for 3 years, I have a unique firsthand experience and background. I am deeply passionate about advocating for the needs of International students because I understand, on my own skin, the challenges and concerns they face on a daily basis. I am committed to ensure that everyone voice is heard and valued within our community. I want to create a safe space for you to voice your concerns, ideas and feedback directly to me! I want to connect with you on a personal level to better understand what you need from the SU and represents your interests in the best possible way!

Sairah Vinu

Communicative | Sociable | Planner

  • As an international student, I wanted to make the most out of my time at university. Studying event management comes with wanting to give people a good experience and that is what I would love to do. Give the students a good time at university and something they will never forget.

  • As your international student council rep, I'm all about giving back to you! I wanna work with you all to improve life at university. I am here to listen. You want more international events? I'm here for you. Get ready for epic cultural events, international awareness, and a support system. Let's party with global holidays, diverse clubs, and mentorship madness! Together, let's make uni life a blast!

LGBTQ+ REP

Grace Elizabeth Mullane

Inclusivity | Commitment | Action

  • I am a queer student at this university and have been a member and executive of many societies during my time here. I have been very active in challenging things at this university while being a student in RedEssex, Jewish Society and Palestinian Solidarity Society and have tried to create safe spaces in the forms of some of the social media accounts I run for students and staff at Essex. I study, live and work here and I want to ensure all students feel represented in decisions made affecting them.

  • I will listen to everyone and seek out those who do not participate as often in SU and University matters and I will ensure that discussions had include everyone. I will communicate with my peers in person and through social media and among all of my societies and staff members.I am very committed to having campaigns put forward by my fellow students discussed in council and met.

mature REP

Jonathan Bartlett

Empathetic | Inclusive | Proactive

  • On top of the academic challenges of University, mature students often juggle many additional challenges such as work or family - I aim to advocate for policies that support this community. I would endeavour to make it easier for mature students to engage with sport teams and other social societies. I would make sure that this community’s concerns are raised with the SU.

  • In order to engage with the mature students effectively, I would establish regular communication channels, create surveys to best understand every individual’s needs, and engage with individuals at events. I would tailor events and workshops to the needs and wants of the community. I will seek ideas to represent to the SU.

PG ARTS & HUMANITIES REP

Carson Hardstaff

Care | Commitment | Culture

  • Arts and humanities are the building blocks of what makes humans human. If there is no voice for this within the SU then we risk damaging our own humanity. Having been a history student from three years I know I am qualified to fill this role. It is my hope that I can be a voice for both student and faculty within the SU.

  • My job is a voice, and vote, for arts and humanities. Making sure I vote on issues that would impact both student and faculty in favour of humanities is how I will engage. I will also seek advice from student societies such as history, many of which I have already been part of.

REBEL REP

Vir Saxena

Independent | Committed | Passionate

  • Having been involved with Rebel in an exec position for two years with over 350 volunteering hours logged, I have seen the scale of impact it has on student life. Whether that is through opportunities, events or published work we have always had a voice in the SU and it is imperative that Rebel continues to voice its opinion as independent media that is run entirely by students.

    Being Rebel Rep this year, I am well adjusted to the workings of council and I know what it takes to represent this community.

    I believe my hours of experience as an exec member, staff and council rep at Rebel will allow me to do justice to the role and the commitments that it demands.

  • Rebel albeit a community with large influence is comparatively smaller in scale. I intend to engage personally with as many people as possible, while simultaneously taking the following measures:

    1. Council catch ups after weekly exec meetings.

    2. Council catch ups in bi-weekly general meetings across all departments

    3. Maintain a responsive inbox and anonymous feedback form for any questions community members may have.

    4. Continue to maintain the independence of the editorial team and any other publishing departments.

Yury Karutin

Aware | Involved | Interested

  • I've been a member of Rebel for two years, and in those two years I have been involved in every department. I've written articles that have been nominated for awards (One of them even won!), recorded podcasts with wonderful co-hosts, and filmed videos of important SU events. But I also understand the frustrations of the Radio studio not working all year, trying to decide what to keep from the interview and what to cut, as well as having to use a camera whose battery is loose to film the fireworks in the rain (I got the shot though!) As a Rebel Rep, I'll make sure that all of our interests as Journalists, Videographers, and Podcasters are given the proper attention from the Student Union.

  • I am someone who has never been shy about talking to anyone, and I have always believed in engaging with everyone I can. I aim to be a presence in the different teams that Rebel is composed of, making sure that I am aware of any issues they may be having, and if I am able to help, either as a rep or a fellow Rebel member. I am a strong believer that creativity is the most important element of our student media, and I am committed to ensuring it is supported to the fullest extent.

REfugee REP

Marta Haba

Determined | Self-confident | Easygoing

  • I feel that it is my destination, because:

    1. I am refugee myself

    2. Have strong wish to help my community

    3. I know what my community need and how university system works.

    4. I can represent their stories, experiences, and perspectives.

    5. I want to protect my community and support them.

  • There are several ways to engage with my community.

    1. Organize events and activities: We can organize events and activities, such as cultural festivals, panel discussions, and workshops, to promote understanding and interaction between refugees and the campus community.

    2. Create support networks: We can create support networks that connect refugees with students, faculty, and staff who can offer mentorship, guidance, and assistance with academic and personal challenges.

    3. Provide resources: We can provide resources, such as language classes, legal advice, and counseling services, to help refugees navigate the challenges of living in a new country.

    4. Collaborate with community organizations: We can collaborate with local community organizations that support refugees to create opportunities for volunteering and community service.By engaging with refugees in these ways, we can create a more inclusive and supportive campus community that values diversity and promotes social justice.

UG SOCIAL SCIENCES REP

Toby Warren

Reliable

  • Having been at Essex for two years now I've come to recognize how important a sense of community is when trying to build a thriving life for yourself at university. I made my first friends from my early classes and since then it has been a pleasure getting to know all of the motivated, fun, and hardworking people studying here at Essex. I want nothing more than to keep strengthening our community within the social sciences so that new students have the chance to experience everything that has made my time so far so special. I believe that as a university our courses of study are some of the most important aspects of what we'll do here, so I want to make sure that our academics can feel just as much our home as any other society we may join.

  • As your representative on the SU Council I'll make sure that I stay in close contact with students from across the spectrum of the social sciences to guarantee that our voice is heard at our council meetings. I'll always be available to talk about any issue you may be having and work to get it solved as best I can. Aside from doing my job at council meetings I'll also work to organize events for students and staff to interact outside of lectures and seminars. I hope to use my experience as President of the Model United Nations society to put on fun events that strengthen our community as we make new friends and make other departments jealous of how good we have it.

WOMEN’S REP

Emma Corp

Reliable | Creative | Proactive

  • I would love to be Womens' Representative whilst in my final year at Essex. I have been the student representative for my cohort, speech and language therapy, as I enjoy amplifying voices and presenting ideas and views to implement positive change. I would love to contribute to creating spaces where every woman feels heard, valued, and empowered.

  • I hope to engage the community by asking for input from the wider student cohort and bringing different perspectives and voices to meetings. I have found lots of previous success using social media, such as utilising polls. I would also keep myself available for open communication by email, as approachability is particularly important.

WHO’S R.O.N?

Every position within the election also has a candidate listed as re-open nominations, or R.O.N. for short.

This role is a way for you to declare that you don't feel any of the candidates would be fit for the role and you instead feel applications should be re-opened at a later date to allow new candidates to come forward.