► Steph Hurst

I’m Steph Hurst and I’m running for VP of Activities and Communications. Originally, I came to Plymouth in 2005 to study Geology with Ocean Science but changed course to Economics in my second year. I have been a student at this university for 5 years and I have seen so many changes to the Student’s Union from infrastructure, to themed nights, to big events, and I really want to be part of the next big transformations.

Currently I am the treasurer of Plymouth Storm, which means if I am elected and become a trustee I already have experience working with finances and accounts. I am also the creator and administrator of the Plymouth Storm website and administrator of the cheerleading minisite on upsu.com, which has taught me valuable skills that will be useful for the communications side of the role. For the past two years, I have been a Student Ambassador at the university working with students from disadvantaged backgrounds and/or with learning disabilities, as well as being a Teaching Assistant in a secondary school for 3 years. This year I have been involved in volunteering through the university and I am currently organising an event for Alzheimer’s Society and training for the Sport Relief race in March.

The three main areas I would like to focus on if elected are volunteering, societies and the UPSU Radio. Firstly, I aim to acquire the extra funding needed by the Volunteering Department for their current work with students with extra needs, mainly transportation costs. Due to my own personal experiences I know what a difference this work makes to those students involved and is therefore my number one aim. Secondly I would like to increase publicity and involvement for both the RELAYS scheme and the ‘Learning through Volunteering’ programme. These are both fantastic opportunities for students to add to their CV and even earn 5 credits for doing work that is already intrinsically rewarding.

I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of a club or society whilst being here at Plymouth. Therefore, I aim to create a ‘Give it a Go’ day with the VP of Sports during Welcome Week to increase sign ups and reduce the amount of membership refunds. Students can then try new activities without having to worry about wasting £20 or £30 if they don’t like it. I also aim to change the way societies are funded so that each society has an adequate amount of money without either clubs being overdrawn or the ‘society pot’ having leftover money.

Finally, this year will see the launch of UPSU Radio, an initiative started by James Redfearn, the current VP of Activities and Communications. Many universities around the country already have a radio station and I think it’s a great opportunity for students to get involved and voice their opinions. If elected, I aim to allocate a budget specifically for the long-term development of UPSU Radio and continue to support them during their first year.

Steph's Manifesto

Steph's Poster

Steph's facebook page

Steph's manifesto speech