Lilian Porufallah is running for the Student Representative Council (SRC) position of Vice President of Student Activities. Pourfallah is a fourth-year Philosophy/Psychology student and an international student from California. The role includes promoting, shaping, and leading student extracurricular activities at the University of Glasgow.
Due to her being an international student, she understands how difficult it is to adjust to a big life transition like coming to University, which is why she is after the position of VP of Student Activities. Pourfallah plans to better help immerse people into campus life and help students who may feel on their own, make friends. Student engagement, wellbeing support, SRC society involvement, and divestment are the key factors Pourfallah raised in our interview.
Pourfallah believes that all students deserve events that best suit their interests and needs. She hopes to be a friendly, approachable, and reliable face on campus, someone that students can come to with questions, concerns, and ideas for future events that help students feel connected and supported. As such, she is eager to collaborate with student societies and assist with event planning. “A lot of societies do want to get involved in charity events, which are difficult to host alone,” she explains. “The Raising and Giving society, for example, was “incredibly successful compared to previous years”.
With experience as Class Representative for both Philosophy and Psychology, Pourfallah’s interest for a sabbatical position has since piqued. We ask Pourfallah what fresh perspective she brings to the SRC, and as an international student, she urges the SRC to be more involved in international student groups and activities. “While we do have a lot of cultural programs that I do think are really great and have had increasing attendance, [the SRC should] connect more with the groups that already exist and be more involved with the planning,” Pourfallah says. “Right now I don’t think that’s the case. Having gone to these events, I don’t [feel] there’s a huge SRC presence there”. For Pourfallah, SRC involvement and visibility are necessary goals to reach .
We ask Pourfallah about the changes she would like to see in Freshers’ week, Pourfallah emphasises the importance of organisation and scheduling clarity. She references GUSA’s taster session calendar and puts forward that such coordination is “the smallest thing that can really make a big difference “. A taster session calendar, Pourfallah adds, makes Freshers’ week more “accessible” to students.
There is also a non-social aspect to Freshers’ week that Pourfallah does not neglect, an alternative for non-freshers, academic students, introverts, and neurodivergent communities. “There is no one place for students to go to relax, a place around campus to have a breather” amidst the chaos of Welcome Fair. To solve this, Pourfallah offers a space on campus that provides a more “peaceful” environment, with “comfortable chairs, […] free snacks, and drinks”.
Pourfallah also notes that there are changes she wants to make that she was not able to include in her manifesto, which limits her to 500 words. Exam De-Stress, a current SRC-led campaign to support students during exam season, is what Pourfallah describes as “underrepresented”. Including free resources and activities, Pourfallah appreciates the Exam De-Stress campaign which helps students’ emotional wellbeing, but also acknowledges its lack of promotion. “Free breakfast in the library,” for one, is something that “I did not know was happening [until this semester” Pourfallah states. “Even something as basic as DIY essential oils […] is important for a break.”
She ends with telling us that she is “really concerned” about divestment. The “SRC is supposed to act as a place for student opinion, but it does not reflect it when it has been voted on”. Action, Pourfallah tells us “should be happening but it hasn’t happened”.
My Priorities:
- Welcome Week
- We’ve all been there- it’s the clubs and societies fair, there are a million taster sessions all around campus, physical posters are everywhere, but they can be hard to keep track of, and most show only one event or QR code. I propose teaming up with some of the smaller societies to create an events calendar for taster sessions- that way, everyone gets the chance to advertise their events in one place.
- I plan to create a place on campus where everyone can go to escape the Welcome Week frenzy. Whether you’re in between events or just needing somewhere to wait for friends, you deserve a safe and calm spot to hang out!
- Over the year
- Welcome Week is one of the most memorable student experiences, but many of our favourite events only come around once a year. I plan on introducing a student event request form- the most popular events can be brought back throughout the year, ensuring that the energy of Welcome Week continues long past September.
- Our existing cultural clubs and societies are what help make Glasgow such a vibrant place! When cultural events are supported by stronger promotion and cross-society collaboration, attendance outcomes increase dramatically, so one of my goals is to create clearer channels for societies to collaborate on events.
- With this, I hope to expand into the year with monthly consolidated event calendars, displayed both physically around campus and digitally on screens in common areas, to make it easier for students to stay informed and participate.
Experience:
- I’ve had the opportunity to serve as a class representative for both Philosophy and Psychology- I’m more than comfortable communicating student feedback and community improvements to administration, and I’m always ready to listen to student ideas!
- I’ve volunteered as a Welcome Week freshers helper and have noticed that student challenges often stem from a lack of awareness of the resources available on campus. Improving communication and visibility is central to my approach.
- Additionally, I have experience as an International Student Mentor and Big Buddy, where I’ve served as a support system for multiple of my international student peers during their move to Glasgow. These experiences have strengthened my commitment to building inclusive spaces around campus!
