As the Strath Union elections approach, we spoke to the candidates for VP Community about what they would do if elected. If you’d like to know a little more about them, here’s what they had to say.
Rachael Baird
Rachael is your “friendly face and a listening ear” who will always be there for everyone. Never afraid to answer questions, she wants students to feel confident in approaching her. As a true team player, Rachael hopes to work with other elected executives to ensure the success of the initiatives undertaken.
Serving as President of the Chorus Society has strengthened her leadership skills, which she believes will make her a great addition to the Strath Union Executive team. It was during this role that she “learned first-hand what it meant to have funds cut.” As VP Community, she would like to see “tighter and clearer guidelines around the fund and ensure its security.”
Three words that best describe Rachael: friendly, funny, reliable.
Barnaby Brock
Barnaby is not just a biomedical science student—he’s also a massive nerd and an active member of the Board Game Society who always up for “some ridiculous game.” He encourages students to “come and play with me.”
Passionate about student wellbeing, Barnaby wants to improve access to the support available at Strathclyde. One key issue he hopes to tackle as VP Community is housing, as too many students struggle with accommodation challenges.
Barnaby believes his experience as Board Game Society Treasurer has prepared him for the role. Through this, he has developed skills in persuasive writing, grant applications, and understanding what the Union looks for when allocating funding—skills he plans to put to work for students.
Three words that best describe Barnaby: motivated, friendly, persistent.
Anshu Chauhan
As an international student, Anshu knows “how it feels to adjust to a new place,” and wants to ensure that every student at Strathclyde feels included and supported. She recognises that “a lot of students feel disconnected, not just from societies and events, but from the university itself.” With Strathclyde having “so much to offer,” she believes students deserve to experience it fully.
Anshu sees her biggest strength in “connecting with people,” and as VP Community, her priority would be to “fix the way we communicate with students—because what’s the point of societies, events, or even voting if no one knows what’s going on?” She plans to focus on better promotion, easier access to student opportunities, and ensuring that no one feels left out.
Three words that best describe Anshu: people-first, action-oriented, a little bit chaotic (in a good way).
Jo Fitzpatrick
Jo may be a face you recognise from their role as Disabled Students’ Rep, or through their volunteering activities, for which they were nominated for the NUS Scottish Student of the Year award. They are actively engaged in Strath Union events, and these experiences, along with the training they have undertaken, has made them confident in communicating with students.
Jo wants to “work with students to shape how they see VP Community” and collaborate on their projects “instead of just being a point of contact for when something goes wrong.” They are “interested in getting involved in different events” and “having a bit of fun with it.”
Three words that best describe Jo: enthusiastic, determined, fun.
Tanisha Kalia
Tanisha is “deeply passionate about making student life at Strathclyde better for everyone” and would like it to be “a place where every student can thrive, find their community, and make a positive impact.”
With “a background in digital strategy, community engagement, and connection,” she knows how to “approach problems creatively and communicate effectively with diverse groups.”
As VP Community, Tanisha would love to focus on “making extracurriculars accessible to everyone” and “removing barriers that prevent students from fully participating.” She would like to see “environmental action at the heart of everything we do,” and is “eager to build bridges between students, staff, and the wider community, creating opportunities for growth and collaboration.”
Tanisha’s goal is to ensure that “every student feels like they belong, regardless of their financial, cultural, or personal circumstances.”
Three words that best describe Tanisha: empathetic, proactive, and innovative.
Lucy Mills
As an international student, Lucy understands that the challenges students face go beyond visa issues. As VP Community, she wants the Strath Union to be “more proactive in providing students with necessities such as hygiene products, Tupperware, etc., making resources accessible and sociable without the need to go through complicated systems.” She believes student life would be easier with simpler access to these essentials.
Lucy is also the president of Strath Fusion Radio, a role that has strengthened her leadership, making her “concerned with how we all work together as a team.”
She believes university is a time to explore arts and societies, and wants to ensure grants are secured and fairly distributed across a variety of societies – engineering, STEM, arts, and culture – so all students have equal opportunities.
Three words that best describe Lucy: approachable, caring, lighthearted.
Nikkie Steinback
Nikkie is a postgraduate student and rugby player who aims to be “a friendly face that people can lean on.” Currently working part-time at Level 8 in Instant Welfare, she is often involved in running various campaigns, including those addressing the housing crisis and mental health awareness. She would love to transition to a full-time position and put her three degrees “to work to really affect change.”
As VP Community, Nikkie would like to leverage her strengths – her “background in law” and experience in “grant writing” and “policy writing” – to secure long-term funding for arts and culture. She strongly believes in these values, finding them “pretty fascinating” and “essential for what makes a community flourish.”
Three words that best describe Nikkie: resilient, passionate, driven.
All candidates encourage students to vote, as electing a President or Vice President who best represents your values is a way to have your voice heard.
Voting will open at 8am on 25 February and close at 3pm on 27 February.
Full manifestos for all President candidates can be found here.
Hi, I am Julia Braun Raven, an award-winning student journalist, having been named Arts Writer of the Year at the Herald Student Press Awards 2026. Following this achievement, I am continuing to develop my journalistic skills and contribute to The Herald’s arts and culture section under the mentorship of Arts Correspondent Brian Ferguson.
I am a third-year Journalism, Media & Communication and English & Creative Writing student. I was re-elected as Editor-in-Chief of the Strathclyde Telegraph for 2026/27. Alongside preparing for the new academic year, I am delighted to continue working with the team to create a student newspaper that reflects student life on campus, while also covering the wider issues shaping the world around us.
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