My name is Craig Stephen and I am running to be your Sports President. In my four years here at the University of Stirling, I have had so much fun being part of the Sports Union and I would love to give other students the same sort of experience I have had.
What makes me qualified for this role?
I am the current President of the University of Stirling Basketball Club and I have worked alongside previous Sports Presidents as part of the Sports Union Executive for two years – both as the Communications Officer and the Participation and Engagement Officer. Amongst being on committee for the LGBTQ+ Society and being a module rep, I know I can make an impact in sport whilst supporting my fellow Sabbs in other areas of the Union.
What do I aim to achieve?
I am aiming to ACE my time as Sports President. To do this, I am planning to focus on:
Accessibility
- I want everybody to have the chance to get involved in sport or physical activity at the level of their choosing. Whether that be playing five-a-side football once a week, going to the gym or training for the Olympics, there should be opportunities at all levels for students to get involved.
- I want every student to feel as though they are welcome in a sporting environment. I plan to do this by highlighting the problems which minority populations (disabled/LGBT+/BAME students) face in accessing sport and finding ways to dismantle those barriers.
Community
- I want all our Sports Union members to feel as though they are part of something bigger than just their clubs. By encouraging our Sports Union clubs to support each other on game days and in other events such as fundraising, it will make being a Sports Union member even more of a special experience.
- Similarly, I want everybody to feel as though they are part of the wider Student’s Union. I want to increase collaboration amongst the Sports and Communities Zones so that individual students and clubs can foster supportive and mutually beneficial relationships.
Excellence
- I want to continue to promote all the excellent things that our Sports Union clubs do. Whether that be sporting success or success in fundraising and volunteering, I want everybody to know the amazing work that our Sports Union does.
- Our Student’s Union is the first to be carbon neutral in the UK, therefore I want the Sports Union to lead the way by focusing on how we can make sport more sustainable at Stirling.
Overall, I really want to see sport thrive on campus. With brand new facilities set to open and the accolade of Sports University of the Year 2020 awarded to the university, there are some exciting foundations to build upon to make our Sports Union as successful as it can be. It would be an honour for me to represent students and ensure sport remains at the forefront of a positive student experience.
