CelebrateCommunityStudent Exec

A Lasting Legacy: Celebrating Lucy and Felix’s Impact at LUU as 24/25 Student Exec Officer

June 26, 2025
3 Mins Read

As we transition to the 25/26 Student Exec term, we are celebrating the legacies of the two departing officers: Lucy Hart, Union Affairs & Communications Officer, and Felix Ejessu, International & Postgraduate Officer. Their passion, leadership, and commitment have made a lasting impact on student life at Leeds.

Before they hand over to our newly elected officers, we want to take a moment to recognise the incredible work they’ve done to amplify student voices, challenge structural barriers, and build a more inclusive, connected community.

Lucy Hart – Union Affairs & Communications Officer 24/25 Lucy has been a driving force behind greater democratic engagement, civic participation, and student recognition at LUU and beyond. Here are some of her proudest achievements from the past year:
  • Championing Civic Engagement Lucy delivered a powerful speech to the full Leeds City Council, highlighting the value of student voices in shaping the city. She also led the formation of the Leeds Students’ Union Network, uniting SUs across the city to influence civic decision-makers and advocate for over 100,000 students.
  • Celebrating Our Student Community Lucy speaks of the enjoyment she got from hosting the Riley Awards and Halls Awards, honouring the achievements of student leaders, clubs, societies, and halls teams that made a difference in students’ lives.
  • Driving Democratic Reform Lucy proposed and passed three impactful Better Forum ideas:
      • Updating LUU’s By-Laws to align with NUS reforms. View policy
      • Calling for Alternatives to Current Higher Education Funding System. View policy
      • Transforming LUU’s Democratic Structures This policy aims to evolve LUU’s engagement model from representative to community-led organising. View policy
  • Creating Platforms for Student Voices Lucy was pivotal in offering students meaningful opportunities to share experiences, celebrate leadership, and speak directly with decision-makers by spearheading the
  • Representing Students Nationally Lucy represented LUU at several major events, including the Russell Group Students’ Unions and NUS England Conference, where she presented a session on behalf of the Women’s Collective. She also joined two Parliamentary APPGs to discuss the Renter’s Rights Bill and higher education funding—advocating alongside NUS and over 70 other student reps.
Felix Ejessu – International & Postgraduate Officer 24/25 Felix has been pivotal in establishing platforms and forums to address the key challenges experienced by International and Postgraduate students. Here are some of his proudest achievements from the past year:
  • Establishing the NHS–LUU–University Medical Coordination Forum Felix initiated a cross-sector forum that brings together healthcare providers, the University, and student representatives to improve access to health services—particularly for international students, disabled students, student carers, and other underrepresented groups.
  • Tackling Housing Inequality Through Guarantor Reform Felix played a leading role in advocating for the University Guarantor Support Scheme, launching in September 2025, which will help students secure housing without the need for private guarantors. He also joined forces with the NUS to lobby Parliament as part of the national No More Guarantors campaign, pushing for the removal of guarantor requirements from the Renters’ Reform Bill.
  • Reforming Graduate Policy for Postgraduate Researchers Through successful lobbying of the University’s Graduate Board, Felix secured important policy changes that will take effect in September 2025. These include a formalised contract for postgraduate researchers (PGRs), centralised recruitment for teaching assistant roles, clearer pay structures for teaching and demonstration duties, and improved support through shared parental leave provisions.
  • Launching the International Students Parliament To strengthen student representation, Felix launched the International Students Parliament—a termly forum where international students, LUU, and the University come together to share experiences, raise concerns, and co-create solutions.
  • Improving Communication Through a Centralised Information Hub Felix championed the creation of a centralised information-sharing system to streamline communication between the University, LUU and the students. The University has since launched a unified email hub, with key updates now distributed consistently across digital screens, websites, social media, and other platforms—making it easier for students to stay informed and engaged.
Lucy and Felix, thank you for your dedication, compassion, and courage to lead. We wish you both the very best for what’s next—and we know you’ll continue to create change wherever you go.

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