SCOTLAND'S Rural College Students Association (SRUCSA) have announced their new student leadership team for 2016/17.

Mature student James Bamkin (31), who has completed an HND in Countryside Management at the SRUC Oatridge Campus, is the new president, while Gemma Jones (23) who has gained a BA (Hons) in Outdoor Pursuits Management at the SRUC Ayr Campus, is vice president. They will take up their posts in July.

James, who has already served as his class representative for the past two years, says his main aim is to raise the profile of the representative body among SRUC students.

“I first got involved in the SRUCSA because I wanted to see students represented and staff held to account in a relatively new organisation. The SRUCSA tends to work very hard but is effectively hidden away. As president, my aim is to make it more high profile and active. There are lots of students who know we exist somewhere in the background – but don’t know what we can do to help them. I want to encourage much more student involvement in their own education and student life.”

In addition to representing SRUC students and being elected as member of the Scottish Executive of the National Union of Students, James will join the board of SRUC.

“I am very enthusiastic about the challenges ahead as President. I will be engaging with students on a personal level and not be aloof. I will be out there pressing the flesh. I also want to live up to the legacy established with the NUS award, and continue the rapid level of growth.”

Gemma takes up the role as Vice President after being Campus Officer at SRUC Ayr last year while completing her studies.

“At Ayr I took up the role as I wanted to improve the new SRUC Students’ Association by bringing in ideas that I had seen at other universities and colleges to improve student involvement. Then I decided that I was so involved that I may as well go the whole way and put myself forward as Vice President.

“My energy will be focused on boosting the current ‘Liberation Campaign’ which promotes equality within minority student groups.

“I also want to improve engagement and involvement of students across all six SRUC campuses as a collective – with activities such as inter-campus ski trips and sports tours.”

Janet Swadling, SRUC’s acting chief executive congratulated the new team: “The SRUC Students’ Association is playing an increasingly significant role and is recognised for its very positive input to College affairs. We are very proud of the constructive working relationship we enjoy with SRUCSA and I look forward to working with the new executive team and, in particular, the new president and vice president. James, as a mature student, will bring a different perspective to the role as president, while Gemma, as the new vice president, has sound experience on which to build having already been active as the Ayr Campus officer.”