Who Will Be Next? A Job Representing Students and Leading a Charity with a Multi-Million Turnover!

So the first term is over and your current Student Officers have made it through. It was hectic, stressful but crazily enjoyable to spend the term working for you. Honestly, this is the best job in the world.

It may seem mad but we’re now looking at you. We’re looking to see who will be running your Students’ Union next year! Every year thousands of students vote for five of their peers to represent all students at Reading. Those who win the elections will get the opportunity to be paid to work full-time for one year and lead RUSU.

It only seems a few weeks ago that I was nervously filling in my nomination form and trying to find some way to fill in my Spark* questions for their elections issue. I spent hours trying to create perfect answers that were funny, while keeping within the word limit! I’m pretty sure I failed massively.

I remember this time last year I was about to begin one of the most stressful times of my entire education. My dissertation deadline started to come in sight and my family begun asking what I wanted to do next! I imagine nearly all of last year’s 29 candidates felt the pressure. Running for election was the best choice I made. And the Spring Term of 2012 turned out to be the hardest and greatest time I ever had at university.

And now it’s your turn! This is your opportunity to lead an amazing charity and ensure that the Students’ Union and the University are doing their best for students. This job is like no other. I’ve gone from stressing about my grammar in essays to helping the Student Media streams progress and looking at the ways that students can make change in the Union, University and wider community. I’ve gone from ‘speed reading’ Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake to implementing our Gender Equality Policy that was passed at Student Voice.

It’s weird and daunting to think of leaving this job, but I’m so excited to see who’s going to get the chance to do this next. 

You may have been thinking of running for a while, or maybe it’s something that you’ve just heard about and think you’d be amazing at doing. Either way you’ve still got a few weeks to think about it.

Nominations open the Monday of Week 4 (4th February) and close Thursday of Week 5 (14th February). If you have any questions at all, come into the office when you’re back. The Student Officers are based above the RUSU reception and are always happy to talk to you. Otherwise, email us, tweet us, call us – all our details can be found here.

Campaigning to be a Student Officer teaches you so many things and it’s the most amazing opportunity!

Think one of your mates would make a great Student Officer? Send us an email titled 'I recommend' and tell us why. We’ll get in touch with them to encourage them and tell them about the process. 

See you all when you get back, it’s a little too quiet without you here.

Ceri Jones

VP Democracy and Campaigns