Written by Emily Fox. 

We have been in touch with some of the outgoing Officers to see what they have enjoyed most about their time representing you and how their experience benefited them both personally and professionally.

How did Laura get involved in the Student’s Union?

Laura studied the joint honours course, BA (Hons) Arts and Festivals Management with Drama at DMU, and initially decided to become a course representative. From then on, she chose to get involved in the Light The Night march, held every year on campus, as this was something she was extremely passionate about. When preparing banners for the march, Laura chatted to a previous executive about all things academic, and was inspired to run to be your Academic Representation Executive.  

Students outside the De Montfort Students’ Union for the Light The Night March. Credit: De Montfort Students’ Union.

How has being an Officer benefitted Laura?

Laura said: “It’s been a really valuable experience, because you learn so much about yourself that you didn’t before.

“It’s one of the most rewarding things that I’ve ever done, being able to actually speak to students who are having an issue and having the ability to solve those problems.”

She noted that this role has taught her a lot of things including learning to trust herself, and her decisions, and how to be a leader.

A skill Laura developed massively in her role was confidence, and this helped her to stand up for what she believes in. She told us: “Now, I’m able to communicate with a wide range of people from talking to the University executive board to a meeting of many students. It is such a worthwhile experience for my career.”

The DSU 2019-2020 full-female Executive Officer Team. Left to Right: Aisha Ismail, Katie Hobbs, Laura Flowers, Diya Rattanpal and Kate Askew. Credit: De Montfort Students’ Union.

Laura’s achievements as an Officer

A handful of Laura’s achievements as a two-term Academic Executive include:

  • Lobbying the University for a No-Detriment policy to provide a safety net for DMU students, ensuring that students’ academic performance would not be negatively impacted by extreme circumstances beyond the University’s control.
  • Leading the Light the Night marches on campus each year.
  • Implementing the ‘Are You Okay?’ campaign to give students a space to let DSU know how everything is going during the pandemic.

How can you get involved as a student?

Become a Course Rep!

Course Reps are the vital link between students and their lecturers and are responsible for letting academics know about the key issues that students face. They are a massively important part of the system we use to represent students’ academic interests at DMU and are here to help with any academic issues you might face; from deadline extensions to much bigger issues.

Every course at De Montfort University (DMU) can have a Course Rep. These are students picked by their classmates via an online election, and are trained to help you with any academic issues you might face during your time at university.

Speak up and nominate yourself to be a Course Rep between Monday 29th March – Friday 16th April 2021.