Hi! My name is Grace, and I’m your Full-Time Undergraduate Officer at Leeds Beckett Students’ Union.
Before being elected to represent you, I studied Law with Criminology at Leeds Beckett. I grew up in Manchester, so choosing to move to Leeds for university was a big step for me. But from the beginning, Leeds felt like a home away from home. It was a place where I could grow, meet new people, try new things and really make university my own.
One thing I’ve learned throughout my time at LBU is that your university experience is about so much more than your degree. I’ve always tried to get involved in as much as I could from being a Society President and serving on Society committees to working with other students to create spaces and experiences that bring people together.
If I’m being completely honest, one thing I wish I had done differently is getting involved from day one. There are so many opportunities at university, and sometimes it’s easy to think, “I’ll do it next year” or “I’ll get involved later.” Before you know it, your time is flying by. That’s something I really want to change for students making sure people know what’s available to them and feel confident enough to get involved, whether that’s through a society, volunteering, student representation, events, sport, work or simply meeting new people.
One of the most important parts of my university experience has been working at the Student Bar for two years. It ended up being one of the most fulfilling parts of my time at Leeds Beckett. Working at the bar meant meeting so many different students and becoming part of a cohort of people who genuinely cared about making students’ experiences more enjoyable. We weren’t just serving drinks we were part of people’s nights out, celebrations, society events, stressful weeks and some of their best university memories. It gave me a completely different perspective on student life and showed me just how much the people and spaces around university can shape your experience.
It also reminded me that sometimes the things that make university special aren’t necessarily found in a lecture theatre. They’re the conversations you have, the friends you make, the societies you join, the people you meet at work and the random memories you never expected to make.
I ran in the Student Elections because I wanted to take everything I’ve learned from those experiences and use it to make university better for other students. I want students to feel that their undergraduate experience is something they can genuinely shape. Whether it’s improving academic experiences, making campus life more enjoyable, supporting students with cost-of-living pressures, improving opportunities to get involved, strengthening student communities or simply making sure students know where to turn when they need support I want to be someone who listens and acts. Most importantly, I want to make sure students know that they don’t have to wait until their final year to make the most of university.
Get involved. Try something you’ve never done before. Join the society. Go to the event. Put yourself forward. Speak up when something isn’t right. Meet someone new. I know from my own experience just how much those decisions can shape your university journey. And if, by the end of my time as your Undergraduate Officer, students can say, “I felt like I belonged here, I felt represented, and I made memories that I’ll take with me long after graduating,” then I’ll know I’ve done my job.
Outside of university and work, you’ll usually find me with friends, planning something, singing my heart out travelling when I can, or getting involved in whatever is happening around Leeds. I love people, community and creating experiences that bring people together, which is probably why student life has become such a huge part of who I am.
I’m so excited for the year ahead, and I can’t wait to meet more of you.
Your university experience belongs to you. Let’s make it count. ❤️