Hi, my name is Marta Cipriano and this year I am running for Mature and Part-Time Students' Officer. I am a Criminology and Sociology student and I am 26 years old. I am running for this position as I want mature and part-time students to have their voices heard as well as the same opportunities as those coming into university straight from their A-Levels or equivalent course.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is easy to forget that most commonly, part-time and mature students have a life outside their education. They may have jobs and a family. Due to COVID-19, home schooling and unemployment have soared, affecting mental health, not to mention that many are key workers, having battled through all this chaos. I am running for this position because I want to voice it loud and clear that we need support. I want to make sure that the support is there through mental health support, financial opportunities and also university resources such as staff availability.
I want to make sure that mature and part-time students get the same internship opportunities. Often, part-time studies or returning to education later in life are the only options there are. People return to education because they want to better themselves, or change the course of their life, but if internships are not available during our study to gain experience, due to our age or longer completion time, how is that giving us a fair chance at employment once leaving, compared to those completing their course by the age of 22 and within 4 years or so?
Voting will open on Monday 1st of March (8am) and close on Thursday 4th March (8pm)!
Vote at qubsu.org!