Forth Valley Student Association (FVSA) have announced their new sabbatical full-time roles of President and Vice President for 2024/25.
A total of 124 votes were cast for Elena Strachan as President and also for Kirsten Kennedy – who will remain as Vice President for a second term. Returning Officer Stephen Jarvie – who is the College’s Corporate Governance and Planning Officer – congratulated the winning students, as well as the FVSA, and FVC staff members, helped to organise the election.
New President Elena Strachan, who is currently studying for a NC Accountancy qualification, said: “I'm very glad to be the new Student President. First of all, I want to say a huge thank you to all the students who voted for me as President and for Kirsten as Vice-president. I'm looking forward to working in this team and to take forward all the points in my manifesto.
“I also want to say thank you to the FVSA which has supported us with all the information we needed for campaigning. To give some background on myself, I started as a student with no experience in this educational system and a few weeks after I started, I became a class rep. Then I became an Executive Officer, and ended up being Student President in just one year!
“How was this possible? – Well I must say I have received the right advice from the best people and I also just followed my intuition. So, if I can do it, each of you can too! I look forward to seeing you all in the future to freshen up the FVSA in all the Campuses, and please don't hesitate to contact me to share your ideas about College life.”
Returning Vice President Kirsten Kennedy, said: “I’m so pleased, and enormously grateful, to be able to return as Vice President for my second and final term. Representing FVC students is such a wonderfully rewarding position, and to be allowed to continue on for another year is great. I have learned so many valuable lessons and skills in my first term that I feel more than ready, and able, to make an even bigger impact on the coming academic year. I would like to thank the amazing FVSA team for always believing in my abilities and pushing me to believe in myself.”
The new Student President and Vice President will work together to represent the voice of students across Forth Valley College during the 2024-25 academic term. They are expected to take up post from July 2024.
Kasia Slapek, FVSA Student Engagement Co-ordinator, said: “Congratulations to both candidates. Sabbatical election this year was much quieter than the year before, none the less it brought excitement, a feeling of challenge, and supportive activities from both candidates and yet both candidates dedicated themselves to comprehending the needs of students and crafting manifestos to address them. Their relentless campaign efforts, coupled with active engagement with the student body, reflect their commitment to securing votes. A warm welcome to Elena as she joins our FVSA team, and kudos to Kirsten for her continued dedication.”
Lisa Baxter, FVC’s Student Association and University Partnership Manager, said: “We are delighted to welcome Elena as our new Student President, with many congratulations to Kirsten continuing in post for a second and final term as Vice President. Steve Kemlo, our out-going Student President, made a huge impact during his term in office, and we wish him all the very best with his next steps.
“Many thanks to everyone who enquired about the two posts, to those who helped to promote and deliver the elections, as well as to all students who voted.
“If you’ll be studying at FVC in session 2024/25, you might wish to consider running for Student President or Vice President next time! That being said, you don’t need to be Student President to make a difference - we’ll be promoting volunteering opportunities throughout the year, and we hope to hear from any student who would like to get involved in the work of the FVSA.”
