Hello interested reader! My name is Salma Hussain and I am the President of KCLSU. I just finished my biochemistry degree, still hesitate to say graduate till I get my ceremony, and I was involved with a lot of peer support schemes throughout my time in university, which is reflected in my objectives. I am going to write about my three main priorities for this year:

Financial Literacy: 71% of students worry about making ends meet and 81% have money worried caused by the pandemic, according to the 2020 Student Money Survey, commissioned by “Save the Student”. I imagine this will worsen, with the pandemic’s impact on the hospitality sector where most students work in order to help ends meet. Although I cannot give every single student more money they deserve, what I can do is help students learn how to manage their money better. I want to champion all the great services KCL Money & Advice offer but also provide some workshops to equip students with skills and confidence to manage their money better.

Peer Support Schemes: Who better to tell you how to write an essay than someone who wrote that essay last year? I want more formalized schemes, embedded into the university, to facilitate workshops and meeting between students of different years. I was President of such a scheme in the School of Biosciences, and I honestly do not know what I would have done without it. The knowledge and lived experience of students is an untapped resource and can support both wellbeing but also improve academic performance. I made so many friends within this scheme, improved my assessment average but also developed vital skills such as organization and communication – all of these are key to a full student experience which is why I want all students to be able access this.

Covid-19: Inevitably, this had to make it on the list. I cannot control the pandemic, but I can control my actions as a result of the changing climate. I am committed to representing students in regular meetings discussing covid-19, to ensure the student experience is considered in every instance. I am looking for innovative ways that students can be supported during this time whether that be through academic representation or community building due to a lack of face to face teaching.

If you are interested in getting involved with my campaigns, feel free to email: [email protected]

I hope that you all have a wonderful year and that my priorities work towards improving your student experience in what is very challenging year. This is not the year I envisioned when I campaigned for my post however it is the year that I am President and I will do everything that I can to make this academic year the best possible for all students. We will get through it together.