Your Academic Affairs Officer this year is Emma Beenham. Her role focuses on promoting students’ academic interests.
Your Academic Affairs Officer this year is Emma Beenham.
Her role focuses on promoting students’ academic interests.
Here is a little introduction to get to know her, what she studied & why she stood for the role:
Where are you from?
Torquay in Devon
What did you study in Aberystwyth University?
Physical Geography
Why did you choose to study in Aberystwyth?
I've always loved living by the sea so having the beach on my doorstep was a big thing for me. I've been coming on holiday to Aberystwyth and Borth since I was little as well, so I knew the area well and knew it was a great location. The university are also world-renowned in my department and that was definitely evident when I came to my open day - everyone was so welcoming and friendly and I knew this was the place I wanted to study for 3 years!
Why did you choose to stand for this role?
I've been involved with the student voice from an academic perspective since my first year when I was a student rep for my course, so having regular conversations with students and staff is something I'm very used to and really enjoy doing. As an academic rep I've seen lots of changes occur within the university and within my department, many of which I've been a part of seeing through, so standing for Academic Affairs Officer was an exciting next step for me, as throughout my journey as a student I've come across many things I wanted to change and make a difference to.
An interesting or random fact about yourself...
I have a massive fear of anything with a beak... I'm terrified of all birds, especially pigeons and ducks, even though I've lived by the sea for my whole life. If you ask nicely, I might tell you the story of when I was attacked by a pigeon...
What are you looking forward to this year?
I'm looking forward to working with the new officer team and talking to students about their SU and what they want to build on and improve upon about their time at university.