Inclusion President

Jo Fitzpatrick

Inclusion President

They/Them/Theirs

About me

Hello! I am Jo I am so excited to be your Inclusion President this year! I have been a student at Strathclyde since 2021! My undergraduate degree was in English and Psychology, and I also did a Masters in Applied Gender Studies. Alongside my degrees, I have held multiple part time jobs on campus including being a Student Ambassador, working at the Welcome Desk in Strath Union and most recently, joining the Voice Team as their Campaigns Assistant last year. I have loved my time at Strathclyde and I am buzzing to be here for another year supporting students in all things Inclusion!

During my five years at Strath, I was also busy taking advantage of all the volunteering opportunities the Union had to offer. I first got involved through joining the welcome team and then got involved in things such as Hear to Listen and Societies Exec. I was also your elected Disabled Students' Rep for two years and have held committee positions in the Neurodiverse Students' Association and the LGBTQ+ Society. So many of my favourite university memories have come from volunteering at Strath Union and you'll always hear me encouraging other students to get involved!

Outside of work, I volunteer part time for Scottish Action for Mental Health. Some other facts about me are that I have a dog (Pixie) and two cats (Angel and Nova). I love to read, write poetry and listen to music (including a lot of musical soundtracks)! I am also teaching myself how to crochet and play the guitar. I am really looking forward to working with you all, and please get in touch at any point throughout the year if there is something I can support with. And if you see me on campus, feel free to come and say hello! Whether it's an Inclusion-related question, campaign idea or even a book reccommendation, I'm here for it all <3

My manifesto

1. Improve communication between union officers and Faith & Culture and Widening Access Societies by ensuring student groups have frequent opportunities to collaborate and share ideas.

2. Lobby the University to become more visibly trans+ inclusive so students are aware of the active steps being taken to promote their safety and wellbeing.

3. Support ongoing work with the Race Equality Charter and ensure that student voices are prioritised.

4. Create guidance for student groups on how to make events and activities accessible so that all students can fully engage in all areas of University life.

5. Establish an online forum for International Students to easily connect with each other and foster a sense of community despite being new to Glasgow.

6. Ensure all students have the resources and confidence to call out and report discrimination by pushing for better communication of pre-existing support resources and improving awareness around being an active bystander.

7. Develop an awareness campaign around menstrual and reproductive justice to give students an opportunity to learn more about feminist history and their rights.

8. Promote opportunities for students to increase their knowledge of LGBTQ+ History by highlighting ongoing work and spreading awareness on the importance of allyship.

9. Lobby for clearer guidance on International student support and ensure there is consistent information given on who is best able to help with different issues.

10. Ensure work relating to, and celebrations of, diversity are year-long and aren't limited to specific history months or awareness days.