Hello! My names Rachel Collins and im currently in year 2 studying Zoology!

Im very passionate in changing the education system to benefit all students despite their backgrounds and beliefs. Creating a secure and beneficial space for Zoology students whether studying currently or joining us in years to come. There are several aims that I wish to put across in order to create this enviornment for all students.

As a course rep my main goals will be to:

Encourage more Women in STEM. ARU are already exceedling good with including women into STEM, however it is still a sector largely dominated by males.across the UK. I aim to encourage more women through communicating higher up into the university and organising more female bodys into the prospectus.

More recognition for the LGBTQ+ society. Many of our Zoology students are part of the LGBTQ+ society and I want them to have equal say as much as anyone else. Ill be in talks with the LGBTQ+ President at our current Univerisity in organising an event where zoology and lgbtq+ can come together. This will link to my aim further below in colloborating with other students and groups within the university.

More volunteering based roles for Zoology students. Many students including myself, due to Covid, are worried about experience and volunteer work. It can be hard in our current pandemic to gain these important aspects. To help Zoology students, I will be in talks with the career centre in making their more volunteering roles for Zoology students as I believe there is not enough. Our experience is very beneficial to our future careers so I believe this is very important to be highlighted as an issue.

Time management Keeping, Many students I have already spoken to are struggling with Time management issues due to our current covid situation meaning we are taught online. To sort this out Id like to be in talks with the career centre and the employability team in creating an optional session to help us deal with time management.

Collaborating and contacting eachother. Being online means we may not be able to get contact through to our fellow students or lecturers. I feel like organising a microsoft teams based session solely for Zoology students to interact and talk about problems within the work with their other pupils will be highly beneficial. It will be a safe environment with no lecturers for Zoology students to be as comfortable and free as they want without the worry of sounding dumb in front of others. It will be an inclusive space just for zoologists where we can talk and post about new issues, the modules we do or anything zoology based. This will be held once every fortnight and you would not have to feel the need to participate if you do not wish to.

My main aim will be to listen to all of you Zoology students and pass on any ideas and concerns higher up. Supporting us and our learning is essential.

Thankyou for taking the time to read my manifesto :)