What a year it’s been! There have been some highs and lows, and your Officer team have been here to support and represent you through it all. Before they hand over to the 2023-24 Officers, here are some of the reflections from the team on what they have achieved and what they’ve enjoyed the most.
The 2022-23 team will see some of you at Graduation, to everyone else, enjoy the rest of your time at Exeter, it has been an amazing experience to represent you all this year!
Guild President: Lily
Achievement you’re most proud of this year: Seeing an increase in financial support for students facing hardship. This has mainly been done through increasing hardship funds for students, setting up new Scholarships and Bursaries, and supporting students in University accommodation. I hope that these have gone some way in making Exeter a place where every student can belong and thrive.
Best memory from the year: This isn’t just one memory. This year we massively increased our staff team, seeing so many new faces, teams growing, and the increase in our ability to serve students' needs has been fantastic.
What you’re doing this summer: Taking a break, I have loved this job, but it has been pretty busy too. So, I am grabbing my tent, walking boots and a map and seeing where the world takes me.
VP Education: Jack
Achievement you’re most proud of this year: Working with colleagues at the Guild and University on our Reference Right campaign and Exam Wellbeing project. The aim of each campaign was to reduce stress of students, both through improving the referencing technique of students and increasing awareness of what you can/can’t do in exams and where exams took place.
Best memory from the year: Definitely the Teaching Awards. It was great to see all the hard work of my colleagues in the Guild and stakeholders at the University pay off. It was an enjoyable night and whilst I was nervous to host the event, am very glad that I did.
What you’re doing over the summer: Taking some time to explore the Devon coastline
VP Opportunities: Izzie
Achievement you’re most proud of this year: Undoubtedly establishing Chub Club. This was the first of its kind as a community group for plus-size students, an overlooked group facing substantial discrimination and not protected by law. As a passionate supporter of fat liberation, I am so grateful to have been able to meet and support other plus-size students – I only wish it had existed whilst I was a student!
Best memory from the year: Planning and running the Guild’s first Student Small Business Christmas Markets on Streatham and St. Luke’s - these were so popular and wholesome, I loved seeing our student creatives selling their beautifully made wares (and picking up my own haul!).
What you’re doing this summer: I will be making the most of my last summer in sunny Devon and ticking off my Exeter bucket list! Then I will be moving back home to Reading and hoping to continue a career in the charity sector.
VP Liberation & Equality: Emma
Achievement you’re most proud of this year: Without a doubt, it’s getting the £2 meal deal! When I came into the role, I knew the cost-of-living crisis would hit students hard, so getting affordable food on campus was a must. We couldn’t have done it without an amazing group of students (shout out to Meg, Jakob, Berni, Sneha and Greg and everyone else for your commitment to the campaign!) lobbying for change, as well as the University catering teams listening to our concerns.
Best memory from the year: Our Shell Out protests have been really empowering and its been great to see so many students being part of a global climate justice movement against fossil fuels on a local level.
What you’re doing this summer: Well, I start my role as Guild President on Monday 10 July, but other than that I’m looking forward to speaking at Sziget Festival in Budapest about my climate activism with Just Stop Oil (and I’ll be having a few days there to explore)!