UKCISA unveils 2021-22 student ambassadors
Selected from an initial applicant pool of 205 international students, the 12 student ambassadors study at nine UK institutions and hail from 11 countries.
“I look forward to working with each and every one of them to shape policy”
The new ambassadors will officially take up their posts on the education policy and leadership development scheme in January 2021.
They will join the existing group of nine ambassadors who formed the inaugural group earlier in 2020.
“International students are at the heart of everything we do at UKCISA,” said the organisation’s chief executive Anne-Marie Graham, .
“We are proud to work with and learn from our student ambassadors to help deliver our vision for a world-class international student experience and drive the #WeAreInternational campaign forward.”
A panel of 20 judges shortlisted 30 students from the initial applicants, who were then interviewed before the final 12 ambassadors were selected for 2021-22.
Nebu George, chosen as an inaugural #WeAreInternational student ambassador in the 2020-21 cohort and current chair of UKCISA’s Student Advisory Group, said he was pleased to welcome a very diverse group of students to the network.
“I look forward to working with each and every one of them to shape policy and inform practice through our knowledge and first-hand experience on important areas such as academic support, graduate employability and student mental health,” George said.
The program aims to “empower international students to be key partners in shaping a quality student experience, using their knowledge and first-hand experience of studying in the UK to influence policy”.
The ambassadors will also be tasked with leading the #WeAreInternational campaign and develop an inclusive global student community.
The full list of 2021-2022 Student Ambassadors includes:
- Melody Noella Sequeira, University of Glasgow (UG), India
- Mary Wanjiru Wanjohi, University of Warwick (PGT), Kenya
- Juan Ramon Candia Jorquera, University of York (PhD), Chile
- Anna Tiffany So, University of Dundee (UG), Hong Kong SAR, China
- Simran Mahajan, Cardiff University (PGT), Kenya
- Ilona Susanna Myllyniemi, University of Edinburgh, (UG), Finland
- Reese M. Chamberlain, University of Edinburgh, (UG), USA
- Umme Sumaiyah, University of Portsmouth (PhD), Bangladesh
- Siqi Jia, University of Glasgow (UG), China
- Sagar Singh Grewal, LSE & London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (PGT), Canada
- Claudia Mylena Yanez Ospina, University of Glasgow (PhD), Peru
- Natalia Nassonova, University of Leeds (UG), Estonia