Hi everyone! I'm Ciara and I'm the outgoing President of the ISSU.

I wanted to run for this role because I had just completed my term as International Officer and I had some amazing chances to meet so many great student activists from all over the world during that year. This was hugely motivational for me and inspired me to run for the leadership of ISSU. This decision was one of the best I've ever made, as the past year has provided me with so many fantastic opportunities and experiences that I would never have had otherwise, and I can confidently say that I am leaving the role with a whole variety of new skills that I have picked up throughout my term as President. Something I am particularly proud of this year is completing 17 Regional Councils across the country, and electing 36 fantastic Regional Officers. We have worked really hard to increase grassroots engagement this year, something that I had as a key issue in my manifesto for election, and an initiative that is crucial to our existence as a union. 

As President I've had many public speaking and representative opportunities, and this has been a huge learning curve for me. 

Some advice that I would have for anyone thinking of running for President is to really consider how much you're willing to contribute to the union, as it is really important that the President is willing to prioritise ISSU. Delegation is also crucial to a successful term, and learning to rely on your NSE is incredibly valuable."

For more info on how to run for the NSE click here. Deadline for nominations is the 26th of April!