Senior Student – Patrick BatesI am so grateful to be the Senior Student of Trinity College in 2022. In this role, I will represent and advocate for the student body, sit on the Trinity board, and lead the college student leadership team – the TCAC. Although each of these responsibilities requires unique attention, I will try to empower the voices and ideas of the community in everything I do and make positive change wherever I can.
I wanted to be Senior Student because I recognised what a special capacity to support and impact the college the role offers. As I have grown to love the Trinity community over the past two years, I’ve taken advantage of every opportunity to lead and lift those around me, and I always knew that as Senior Student I would be in the best position to expand my reach and support anyone I can.
I am most excited to expose myself to as many varying experiences and perspectives as I can. As a leader, I will look to students in every corner of our community for input and guidance. I hope to be a Senior Student with whom anyone feels comfortable working alongside and chatting, and for that, I am ultimately excited to learn.
Social Secretary – Jeremy HandAs Social Secretary, what I realised pretty quickly is that there are two main sides of the job. You’ve got the ‘secretarial’ responsibilities, and these are pretty self-evident: things like organising dates, helping draft proposals, that sort of thing. And then there’s the ‘social’ part of the role, which looks at organising and planning events, like the formal dinners throughout the year, and the ball of course.
Going into my third year at Trinity, more than anything I wanted the opportunity to be involved in making the college experience the best for everyone. I chose the Social Sec role specifically as I guess I wanted this involvement to take the form of event planning, amongst other things. I really see this role as an exciting opportunity to help facilitate people’s goals in getting out of college what they want.
It goes without saying, but like a lot of people, I’m super excited to have what is hopefully a more normal year in 2022. I’m really looking forward to the return of events, and to working with the clubs and societies in planning a whole range of things we weren’t able to do this year. The possibilities are endless, and I’m so excited to be able to be involved in it all!
Treasurer – Eleanor GilliesMy role as the treasurer is to organise the money that the TCAC has and make sure that it is allocated and budgeted well. Basically, I help everyone organise events and make sure that they stay on track and are super fun and affordable for everyone. I have to make sure that all the clubs and societies and corridors are aware of the money they have and how they can use it effectively. I’ll also help with the planning of each event to make sure it runs smoothly and nicely, and am also responsible for helping with merchandise sales.
Treasurer is not a role I would usually associate myself with, and it is quite different from the degree I’m doing, however, I thought the role isn’t really about commerce but more about making peoples vision and planning a reality. Basically, I wanted to help whoever else was on the TCAC create what they wanted and help them as best as I can through my role, as well as contributing and giving back to the college as a TCAC member.
This year had such high expectations in regards to college events and uni being back to normal. I would say I’m most excited for a ‘normal’ year and a year where we have more events and are more able to mix together as one big college.
Community Representative – Willow Plex I will be taking on the role of Community Representative for 2022. This role covers a wide area of responsibility, but the two main areas are outreach – looking at ways that the college and students can give back through fundraising, volunteering, and social entrepreneurship – and wellbeing – helping students to feel supported and safe at college through an array of resources, programs, and assistance procedures. I see my role as a way to facilitate initiatives in the areas of wellbeing and outreach. I have a formal role on the Wellbeing and Outreach committees as well as a role in helping individuals and committees coordinate with the TCAC and Residential College team.
I am so fortunate to be here at Trinity and to have met so many wonderful people, so I went for this role to give back to the college and the students.
I want to work alongside the TCAC to improve college life and facilitate a culture that celebrates diversity and focuses on giving back and supporting each other in healthy and positive ways. I want people to feel that their issues are heard, and that we as a TCAC can help them with solutions. I am most excited to make Outreach Dinner the big night of the year.
Indoor Representative – Jack ChomleyI have been elected to the role of Indoor Representative for 2022. I am so humbled and proud to have this opportunity and can’t wait to make 2022 a successful year. The role of Indoor Rep is a mix of things, but can be split into three main responsibilities, food, facilities & properties, and merchandise.
I have always had my eyes set on Indoor Representative as I believe it to be a creative role that gives back to the Trinity community. Additionally, being on the TCAC was another reason of going for Indoor Rep as I now have the opportunity to foster an inclusive and fun culture here at Trinity.
I am most excited to revive Trinity after the last two years of COVID and hopefully bring about an exciting and accepting culture. I am also very excited to design and create the merchandise for Trinity. I have a lot of ideas and can’t wait to share them with everyone. I cannot wait for the year ahead!
Arts Representative – Amelia CarrilloMy role for next year as Arts Representative is to integrate different variations of art back into the college lifestyle. This includes working with different clubs, societies and groups to promote art through various avenues, specifically with a focus on wellbeing and mindfulness after the two years gone by. I really believe my role is to support all at college through both art and pastoral care, whilst encouraging awareness, inclusion and fun along the way. Of course, I also am required to work alongside the fabulous new TCAC and help Paddy, our new Senior Student, in his initiatives and college-wide endeavours to make Trinity the best place to live. Honestly, the role is what I make it, and I am looking forward to creating an incredible leadership legacy for future Arts Representatives to springboard off!
The past two years have seen consecutive hits to the arts. Theatres, galleries, the music scene and creative outlets have been given low priority during the pandemic and are seated at the bottom of the ladder in the social and political climate Covid has fostered. This was an oversight by the world and a massive underestimation of the impact of the arts. At its heart, the arts provide an outlet, an expression, and a cozy little feeling as small as singing in the car, dancing in the shower and doodling in your notebook when bored in a tute. The arts really are a passion and deep love of mine and I hope to be able to fill others with that same love and passion – thus, my application for Arts Representative. I also have a passion for helping people, and my position on the TCAC allows me to pursue this. In having an avenue to escalate concerns, work alongside the Residential College team, provide adequate support and enact change, I am looking forward to influencing the college environment in a positive way and reaping the rewards of our hard work as a collective at the end of this year. I feel so very lucky to have been given this opportunity and hope that the next year sees the passion and dedication of the whole TCAC shine through!
I am probably most excited to help rebuild the college culture after the past two years. Aside from the loving, inclusive and safe environment we are hoping to continue to build upon as a group, I am looking forward to leading an incoming group of first years as they step into the adult world. At the end of this year, we are so sadly losing our last cohort of ‘Covid-normal’ residents, meaning there is scope for traditions to be lost and events to be forgotten. I am looking forward to working super hard with the TCAC to maintain, adjust and uphold these traditions and to hopefully see the college move towards a Covid-normal environment, especially after the past two years. Ultimately, I have been so excited to draw on long-lost traditions and see them worked back into day-to-day college life and, you never know, we may see the return of secret societies and long-lost customs along with the new good change that we need to see as our society continually shifts to a more accepting and inclusive world.
Women’s Sport Representative – Pip SoutheyMy role next year is basically to make sure that sports are accessible to everyone at Trinity. I'll work with the Intercollegiate Student Council Society (ICSC) to create the sporting calendar, help organise events and hopefully bring back all college sport in full swing for 2022! Along with intercollegiate sports, I also want to make sport a really fun and inclusive thing within college to get everyone involved. This can include inter-corridor competitions and the purchasing of communal sports equipment.
In general, I really wanted to be on the TCAC. I went for this role because I think it suits me the most and playing sport has been some of the best times for me at college. I guess I'm a pretty sporty gal... I’m also very organised so I think doing sports schedules and planning sports ball will be right up my alley.
I'm most excited for the prospect of a Covid-normal year (fingers crossed). Hopefully we can re-introduce seconds sport, which will be a major step in making sport accessible for so many more people. I really hope that by the end of my tenure, people have been able to contribute to our sports culture, whether they're on the field or cheering on the side. I hope to get more attendance at games; I think from my experience as Jester I can increase morale at sports games. I’m also very excited for sports balls and Shums #partay!
Men’s Sports Representative – Kalisi FonuaMy role for next year is the Men’s Sports Representative. As a member of the TCAC I am pretty involved in aspects of college such as making sure that the culture we are trying to cultivate is inclusive and respectful. My domain is mostly in sports and my role is to ensure that I work with Pip, the Women's Sports Rep, to make sports something everyone can enjoy.
Sports has a unique ability to transcend linguistic, cultural, ethnic and financial barriers. I've made many phenomenal memories playing sport at Trinity and I want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to share that experience. I went for this role because I think I can bring some fresh new ideas to make people feel like sports is something they can do.
I am so excited to see we can do as the new TCAC. I think it's a really exciting time, assuming Covid doesn't affect us because we'll be able to see what a full college year looks like!
