Meet the new Students’ Union President and Vice President for Education and Welfare

Published: 21 September 2020

Eoin Jardine and Sarah Jones are the newly elected Students’ Union (SU) President and Vice President for Education and Welfare respectively for the 2020/21 academic year. Recent graduate Eoin and current student Sarah share more about their background at St George’s, what they hope to achieve while in office and the services that St George’s Students’ Union can offer students.  

Eoin begins, “Before I was elected to the SU Executive team I studied as a paramedic at St George’s. During that time, I was elected as a year rep, a skills coach and also worked as a Student Ambassador and a Blue Light Champion. I was very committed to the extracurricular opportunities that St George’s had to offer and became the social secretary for the St George’s Hospital Boat Club in my final year.  

“I was attracted to the role of SU President as I felt my experience in these different roles would benefit the Students’ Union greatly. I also knew that I would be able to commit to the role fully in a year that good leadership would be needed.  

“My goal for this year is to ensure that the education, training and student experience provided by St George’s is not impaired by the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. St George’s has a reputation for producing highly skilled and capable graduates, along with being an incredibly welcoming environment. I want to ensure that this is still the case at the end of my presidency.  

“The SU can offer a huge range of services and support to students. Whether it is through clubs and societies or academic and welfare support, the SU is here to ensure that every student is supported throughout their studies.” 

Sarah continues, “I have just completed my second year of Paramedic Science and during it I lead the reboot of the Paramedic Society. Being president of ParaSoc catapulted me into SU happenings and made me want to be more involved in the union. 

“My predecessor, Beth Ward, did such an amazing job during the 2019/20 academic year and I knew from chatting with her that I wanted to run for the position of Vice President for Education and Welfare because of the role’s heavy involvement in University decision making. The University is so heavily centred on students, it’s really good to be able to make a difference and represent both individuals and the whole student body. This job is truly the best of both worlds. 

“One of my big hopes is to make steps towards improving the allied health and postgraduate representation in both University decision making and general SU activities. Also, ensuring that both the SU and the University are making real steps towards racial equality is a priority for me. 

“The SU is so much more than an events organisation. We are able to provide support for students with every aspect of their life at St George’s, so get involved!  

”There are over 100 active societies at the moment, so it’s really easy to find people who are like-minded and share your interests. Our exec team is filled to the brim with people who are enthusiastic and eager to help amplify the student voice, so don’t be afraid to get in touch if you have a concern, problem or a great new idea!” 

Vice President for Education and Welfare, Sarah Jones, and Students’ Union President Eoin Jardine