All you need to know about your candidates for VP Activities

The VP for Activities will be responsible for representing students in matters that relate to ‘active citizenship and involvement within the Students Guild’s volunteering, activities and representative structure’.

In other words, they’re the ones who will be responsible for your reckless society-based frolicking.

John Chilvers 

Alongside tackling student numbers, second year Politics student John also plans to create a “Refreshers” fair for returning students, which includes half-price society membership for those who missed out during Term One.

Many of you may remember him from the hugely successful “No” campaign that ensured that Exeter remained within the NUS, which he tirelessly campaigned for.

He believes that “students need to be treated like they are”, which is why he will be using rhetoric instead of colourful costumes to gain votes, which he believes “treats people like children”. This Socratic approach will most likely attract those who see the elections as more than just “fun and games”.

He also wants to install a slide down Forum Hill, but, unlike the infamous ‘Puppygate’, you won’t be seeing a ‘Slidegate’, because they’ve already received sponsorship and council approval.

Sam Johnson

Third year Mathematician Sam is promising a “Re-Freshers” week, for more society-taster sessions once exam-week has concluded during Term 2. He is also pressuring the University to drop timetable changes if they prove to be unsuccessful.

A Student Ambassador and a Societies Executive, Sam has helped to distribute grants, affiliate new societies and debate ways to improve the various societies, which has seen him become “passionate about defending them from things like the pressure on space and funding”.

As part of his campaigning, Sam will be holding Spacehopper races on the piazza, with the fastest time at the end of the week winning.

Katie O’Connor

Third year Katie wants to bring more musicians and comedians to Campus.  She also plans on introducing a “Guild Tab” on Exehub so that we can all keep up to date with upcoming events, while also “relieving pressures” by introducing more work-spaces for activities.

Katie has already researched her ideas and they have been discussed with students, the Guild and University executives, so the viability of these ideas is not a question.

Katie will be campaigning around Campus with “a game or two”, and encourages you to watch her video.

Niklas Rahmel

We now come to third-year IT Management for Business (which he added included Ethics, Management Studies and Computer Science, or rather “perfect preparation”).

Possibly most importantly, he’d like a waterslide for when it’s warm.

His involvement with XTV and Exeposé, RAG, the Welcome Team and the SSLC also means that has plenty of experience with both the Guild and its students.

However, unlike John, Niklas will be parading around in a costume, that being, a Teddybear onesie (Teddybears Picnic = ‘Pick Nik’ (his pun, not mine). He will also be making use of his skills as a photographer and his “very convincing” German accent.

Kwasi Yeboah

The sharply dressed third-year Lawyer was unfortunately on a journey back from Amsterdam at the time of writing, and so was unable to supply a response.

Nevertheless, the fact that Kwasi is offering what is essentially a “Subway Card but with pints” is an appealing one, as well a rigorous update to the Guild’s “Student Ideas” page.

Kwasi has had a vast amount of experience on various society committees, and like Niklas, Kwasi will be campaigning in costume, dressed as a penguin. However, you can be sure that he won’t give you the cold shoulder.