WHO AM I?
My name is Pranav Ramesh and I am a post-graduate Politics student running for the post of Mature Students Officer.
WHY AM I RUNNING?
I decided to run for this position because I recognize the challenges you face when you come back into education. Its not an easy decision to make, and there is a greater weight of responsibility on our shoulders- be it taking care of family, a full- time job, added financial burdens and more.
But a good education is about so much more than lessons learned within the confines of a classroom.
I want to represent students like me who are looking for help in managing these burdens while also having a fulfilling and exciting university life!
WHAT DO I BRING TO THE TABLE?
International student- As an international student, I am aware of the challenges faced by students from other parts of the world coming to study in the UK.
Former teacher- As a former teacher I feel like I can function effectively as a bridge between our students and our teaching and administrative staff, communicating the needs of the former to the latter.
Mature undergraduate student- I am currently a post- graduate student but having finished my undergraduate degree as a mature student too I am in a position to empathize with the needs of both.
WHAT ARE MY AIMS?
Establish that ‘mature’ is not an all- encompassing term- Despite being generally clubbed as mature students, the reality is that we as a group are as diverse as the rest of the student body and have different needs. Some may be returning after a short break, some (like me) have decided to take an extra step up midway through their careers, and others have returned to higher education after their retirement. As a Mature Students Officer I will undertake to address the needs of all our mature students.
Step up our e- learning resources- Mature students are more likely to make long commutes in order to attend classes or have more commitments on our time. I aim to push for increased access to e-learning sources, so we can the need to travel into university.