Introduction:
Hi, I’m Zainab Abdul-Obítáyo — your elected Postgraduate Officer for the 26/27 academic year!
I plan to work on strengthening the social community within Birkbeck by running a variety of events. Some of them will be purely social (like regular pub quizzes or visits to local bookshops) and some are intended to supplement/enhance our academic experience (like a guest lecture series). I also do some stuff behind the scenes to help the student experience and make sure that the postgraduate voice is heard throughout the institution, like attending board meetings and academic strategic consultation.
Manifesto:
My aim as Postgraduate Officer is to focus on:
- Developing the postgraduate community via regular events
- Tackling the cost of living crisis by working to expand the existing SU services
- Increased events for incoming postgraduates
- Helping prepare students for the ever-evolving workforce
What is your role?
I’m the Postgraduate Officer, so it’s my job to make sure that all postgraduate students (whether you are doing a taught or research course) feel supported, represented and heard within the University. My goal is to ensure that your voice is heard throughout the institution, and that you not only enjoy your time at Birkbeck but that you get your money’s worth.
For example, one way that I work towards this goal is by representing postgrads across several committees and boards within both the Union and the university. I use my position at the table to ensure that postgraduate interests are represented within strategic planning. So, please do reach out if you have any concerns, thoughts or ideas.
- Academic Committee
- Academic Committee Executive Committee
- Education and Student Experience Committee
- Governors’ Board
- Research Committee
- Student Union Board of Trustees
Tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m in the final year of my part-time master’s in Government, Politics, and Public Policy. Especially, when compared to my undergraduate degree in Psychology, it has been an extremely interesting change. Personally, I having fun learning about the role and impact of policy and politics in everyday lives and those interactions.
Why did you run in the elections?
I found that, particularly in comparison to my undergraduate degree, I was having a very different experience of studying at Birkbeck. This disparity in my experiences was only made worse by the price difference. Postgraduate degrees, whether it’s a taught or a research degree, are disproportionately expensive. I ran in the elections as I found out that this opinion was shared amongst my fellow students. I want to use my time as a Sabbatical Officer to improve both the current student experience and any incoming postgrads. We pay a lot of money to be here, and I want to make sure that we get our money’s worth.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself?
As a kid, I used to dream of being a librarian when I grew up. Instead, now I just own a lot of books and CDs.