Latest News
PCA:SU President Harriet Moore invited to speak at SHRE Conference 2021
Monday, 6 December, 2021 — PCA:SU President Harriet Moore has been invited to speak at the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE) Conference on 10 December 2021.
<p dir="ltr">The Society for Research into Higher Education is a UK-based independent society that aims to improve the quality of higher education by improving our understanding of it, especially through the insights, perspectives and knowledge offered by systematic research and scholarship.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The <a href="https://srhe.ac.uk/conference-2021/">SRHE 2021 Conference</a>, titled (Re)connecting, (Re)building: Higher Education in Transformative Times, takes place from 6 - 10 December. The conference will see a host of speakers engaging in meaningful discussion on a range of important issues in higher education research and practice. <br /></p>
PCA:SU President Harriet Moore addresses the Class of 2020 at Graduation in July 2021. Photo by Sarah Brittain Edwards.
<p dir="ltr">Harriet Moore graduated from Plymouth College of Art with a BA (Hons) Photography in 2020. Prior to being elected the 2020/21 Students' Union President she worked on the SU Team as Marketing and Enterprise Lead for two years and as a Student Ambassador for three years.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As Students' Union President, Harriet ensures that students' voices are being heard, Harriet chairs the Student Voice and Executive Committee meetings to engage with student feedback and help to implement positive change.<br /></p>
PCA:SU President Harriet Moore (L) and PCA:SU Manager Paige Nolan (R) with their Think Student Award.
<p dir="ltr">Harriet and PCA:SU Manager Paige Nolan were recently recognised for their hard work in supporting student wellbeing, beating leading international universities to be selected as the winner of Best Campaign Supporting Student Wellbeing at the <a href="https://thinkstudentlive.com/awards/">2021 Think Student Awards</a>. Chosen as winners by the Student Pulse panel of 40,000 students, judges said: “The students loved how Plymouth College of Art went above and beyond to support their students during the pandemic, providing tangible help and access to essential items.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">During the first national lockdown in 2020, Harriet ran the Student Union Food Bank from her flat, hand-packing and coordinating delivery of parcels of food, period products and toiletries to students self-isolating or experiencing financial hardship. Harriet and her small team, who are trained as Mental Health First Aiders, also tackled period poverty by providing free period products in toilets across all campuses.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Harriet said: “Mental health and wellbeing is at the heart of everything I do in my role; I truly care about each and every one of the students at Plymouth College of Art. We never expect any recognition for what we do in the Students’ Union, it’s just our job, so to be voted for by a panel of 40,000 students to celebrate our work is amazing.”</p>
Harriet (centre) working at one of our Open Days with fellow Student Ambassador Chloe (L).
<p dir="ltr">On Friday 10 December, Harriet will speak at the SRHE 2021 Conference as part of a session titled Centring Students in Higher Education: Access, Equality, and Making Change (13:30 – 14:30). Harriet was invited to talk about diversifying and broadening student representation, and in fostering a more connected student community.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Harriet said, "I'm really excited to join two wonderful speakers, Dr Franziska Lessky and Dr Chantelle Jessica Lewis, in this plenary session discussing the importance of student voice and the impact recent events have had on student experience. I'm looking forward to discussing my work diversifying and broadening student representation, and in fostering a more connected student community, especially in the context of the pandemic.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“I never expected to be Student Union President at a time when students would be away from campus, isolated and learning online. With these challenges, came creative solutions for supporting students and ensuring they continued to feel part of our community."</p>
<p dir="ltr">Find out more about the <a href="https://srhe.ac.uk/about-srhe/">SRHE</a>.</p>