Lauryn studies Mathematics. She has been a voluntary member of the Strath Union Board of Trustees for 2 years. 

I was coming to the end of my first year at Strathclyde, right in the midst of semester 2 exams, when I got a message from the then Student Union President telling me that the Union’s Board of Trustees was looking for student trustees and inviting me to apply. After doing some research into what a trustee is, I was in two minds about whether or not to apply; what qualified me to be a trustee? I was relatively new to uni, my only work experience was part-time jobs, and I’d never sat on any Boards before. It’s now that I realise that it was exactly those things that qualified me. I knew what it was like to be a first generation, undergrad, commuting student in 2019.

When I first joined the Board I felt a little out of my depth, reading papers and accounts that I’d never seen before, but I soon realised that no question was too small to ask (and that no one minded if I asked them). We got inductions to help us understand the role, charity law, and everything we were reading and observed a meeting before starting to learn how it worked.

I joined the Board because I wanted to know more about how the Union worked as a charity and to help make decisions about the organisation. During my time on the Board I’ve learned about charity governance, accounts, audits. I’ve had the opportunity to provide a different perspective in meetings and learned from other people on the Board. I’ve even been able to chair meetings of the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee.

I’ve loved getting to be part of the Trustee Board, and would encourage anyone who might be interested to really consider looking into what trustees do and applying if you can see yourself being one.