GUSA Council Member - Nomination Form & Manifesto 2021/22

Alongside committing fully to the enhancement of the Alumni Club Sport Trial and ongoing implementation of an online alumni donation platform, should I be elected as your 2021-22 GUSA Alumni Convenor, I pledge to do my upmost to support the development of individual alumni networks within each of our sports clubs and teams. Accessing a network of GUSA-wide alums, whose expertise both in and out of sport can be drawn upon to support our members whilst at university and beyond, is central to maintaining our sense of community within GUSA. I believe in a bright future for each of our GUSA clubs as restrictions on sport begin to ease, and I believe that this future can be strengthened throughengagement with GUSA’s past:

1. Alumni that is Accessible: At the centre of my campaign this year is an emphasis on demystifying the manner in which clubs can found, grow and invest in alumni networks. By opening up a conversation surrounding Alumni Best Practice and contacting the CTS and Convenors within GUSA who already maintain strong Alumni platforms, I plan tocreate a series of exemplar documents outlining the practicalities of forming a graduate network. I hope to consider everything from outlining how to book an event in the GUU to sharing media strategies and communications policies- including the importance of GDPR compliance when retaining contact details of former members. By simplifying and streamlining the task of cultivating alumni networks I will seek to encourage each of our clubs to incorporate alumni responsibilities within one of their established committee positions or as a standalone role. No club is ever too small or too late to start growing their network, and I will do everything in my power to support this development.

2. Community Centric Club Cultures: For many of the individuals in sport at Glasgow, it is our GUSA Clubs that are theirfirst campus community. It is this sense of belonging and connectivity that I would love to see our clubs continue to develop, building a community that extends beyond graduation to connect alumni far beyond their time at University. To this end, I will aid clubs in facilitating the return of former members in both formal and informal settings. I will advocate for priority facility booking for Clubs organising alumni weekends or tournaments and seek to support all club wishing to organise non-sporting alumni events – whether for networking, delivery of training or simply to connect different generations of members in the celebration of shared sporting history.

3. GUSA at 140: This year we celebrate 140 years of GUSA/GUAC. I will endeavour to arrange Alumni events, workshops, and festivities to mark the significance that Glasgow’s oldest student body has for its members, both past and present. Alongside what will hopefully be the largest ever 1881 Dinner in a special venue, I will encourage our clubs to look out their oldest photos and memories, so that we may acknowledge as one student body how far our association has come. 2021 looks set to be a year filled with celebrations, and I am so excited for our community to return to sport and to work with you to safeguard GUSA’s legacy for the next 140 years.

Position Alumni Convenor

Nominee: Name: Ewan Galbraith

Club: Volleyball

Nominator: Name: Amir Fard

Club: Muay Thai

Seconder: Name: Jade Aimers

Club: Netball