Rhiannon, Saj, Osama and Aman's sole purpose is to represent you the students, taking your views and opinions to the University, creating positive change along the way.

Your Elected Officers have spent the summer planning out the year ahead to help students love life at Herts. Find out what their priorities are, what they're looking forward to this year and what they wish they knew before coming to Herts.

Rhiannon

Rhiannon is your President.
This year, she will be working on the cost of living crisis and findings ways for the uni and SU to better support students during this time, in addition to lobbying for increased hardship funds. Rhiannon will also be continuing her work from last year around tackling sexual violence on campus, with a particular goal to get consent training rolled out to all students.

Rhiannon is excited to see students returning to campus after the summer break and working closely with student leaders to lobby for meaningful change.

If there was one thing you wished you knew before starting at University, what would it be?

"I wish I knew how quick three years was going to go by. My time at University was amazing and I wish I had realised how fast it was all going to fly by, so that I could have appreciated every moment even when I was bogged down in coursework!"

What is your top tip for students?

"Take advantage of every opportunity that is open to you. Doing activities that are outside of your degree really helps with so many inter-personal skills as well as allowing you to get a well-rounded student experience. I am so glad I got involved with student representation through my role as a student rep and an SCO as well as volunteering for the emergency services and joining extra-curricular activities relating to my course."

Saj

Saj is your Vice President Activities.
Over the next year, Saj will be working on multiple projects and events. One of his priorities is securing more job application support for students, particularly looking at international students and the extra struggles they face trying to get part-time jobs. Another focus is society engagement and increasing the awareness of the different types of societies available to all students.

He can't wait to see how all the societies develop over this coming year, he's especially excited about all the fun and new societies students will come up with.

If there was one thing you wished you knew before starting at University, what would it be?

"I wish I knew that sometimes we all need to do some self-care. Student life usually becomes so busy that we forget to look after ourselves. Maintaining a healthy diet, regular exercise, engaging in outdoor activities and taking care of mental health is important."

What is your top tip for students?

"My top tip for students is to get involed in extracurricular activities whenever you get time. That is one of the best ways to get connected with other students."

Osama

Osama is your Vice President Community.
Osama will be working with many departments on a diverse range of student-focused projects. His priorities include accommodation support for students, and to improve on campus health and safety.

This year, he is excited about building a stronger community bond so that all students can enjoy their lives at Herts.

If there was one thing you wished you knew before starting at University, what would it be?

"One thing I wished I knew before starting at University is to learn some essential cooking skills as I wasted a lot of money in takeaways."

What is your top tip for students?

"Try to engage more with the Students' Union, it can be beneficial for your personal as well as professional growth."

Aman

Aman is your Vice President Education.
He can’t wait to see more students back on campus, especially for in-person classes. His priorities this year include academic skills and looking at personal tutoring.

If there was one thing you wished you knew before starting at University, what would it be?

"One thing I wished I knew before starting at University is how to cook because learning the basic meal preparation from scratch is very important and essential for students. How to combine ingredients and flavours, and mastering batch cooking has many benefits. It can help you manage your time, make sure you're eating a well-balanced diet, and can even help you stay within your budget. Having lunch on campus is a good thing from time to time, but it's better if you can do it yourself most days."

What is your top tip for students?

"I think the best tip for students from my side is make as many friends you can. Friends enjoy spending time together, they are caring and willing to listen, plus they accept who we are. Last thing I want to say is, be yourself."

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