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Meet the School Reps
School Reps are paid student leaders who represent every student in their LJMU school. Working with Course Reps and senior university staff, they push for changes that make learning better across whole departments, from assessment feedback to more inclusive teaching.
Find your School Rep
Students and staff can get in touch with School Reps directly. Find your school below.
Alina Fesu
She/Her
School of Computer Science and Mathematics
Email Alina
PhD in Cyber Security
“Representation is about listening with care and understanding what matters to students.”
More about Alina
What made you interested in applying for this role?
This is my third year as a School Rep, and I was also a Course Rep during my undergraduate studies. I have really enjoyed being involved in student representation and wanted to continue contributing to the school community.
Now, as a PhD student in Cyber Security, I have been able to experience university life from a different perspective. I also supported labs in my school last semester, which gave me further insight into the different ways students experience their studies.
What are you most excited for in your role?
One of the things I enjoy most about the role is working with other reps and staff across the school and getting to know more of the student community. I like hearing what is working well for students, while also helping to identify areas where things could be improved.
What do you hope to achieve in your role?
I want to ensure that students have a clearer idea of what their reps actually do and how we can support them during their studies. I also want to keep them informed after they have raised something, so they can see what happens next. I hope to build on my experience and make sure there is better follow-up between students, reps and the school.
What does representation mean to you?
For me, representation is about listening with care, understanding what matters to students, and recognising when an individual experience may point to a wider issue. It also means taking those concerns forward appropriately and making sure students' perspectives are communicated clearly and fairly in discussions that affect them.
Ciara Benn
She/Her
School of Education
Email Ciara
MA Education & Social Justice
“Representation is so incredibly important to me, especially as a neurodivergent student.”
More about Ciara
What made you interested in applying for this role?
I applied for this role because I was interested in making a difference to the quality of education for the student body, and being in this position gives me the opportunity to do that, especially for minority student demographics. I was previously a course rep and had always wanted to do more with my role. This position allows me to work closely with academic staff, act as a bridge between academic staff and course reps, and give a voice to those who cannot share theirs. I look forward to working with everyone!
What are you most excited for in your role?
I'm most excited to work on issues directly affecting students, such as AI usage, by working with academic staff and learning how these issues are experienced across my faculty. As well as this, I'm keen to work on ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion for minority student demographics, particularly neurodivergent students. I'm eager to learn how these issues affect demographics in different ways and how I can work with my fellow school reps and course reps to rectify them.
What do you hope to achieve in your role?
In this role, I hope to not only improve the quality of education across my school and faculty, but also to inspire confidence in students to share their opinions on their education and what can be done to improve it. It can be intimidating to voice your thoughts at first, but that feedback is crucial in improving your learning journey. As a neurodivergent student, I would also like to inspire other students from minority demographics to take up leadership positions like this. Advocating for others who have similar experiences to you may inspire them to do the same!
What does representation mean to you?
Representation is so incredibly important to me, especially as a neurodivergent student. Making sure every type of voice within the student body is heard means that everyone has the opportunity to receive the highest quality of education that they possibly can. The more that we, as students, and our academic staff are exposed to experiences that differ from ours, the more we have to learn. These experiences then become a regular part of our student community rather than the exception.
Gaia dos Santos
She/Her
School of Engineering and the Built Environment
Email Gaia
Civil Engineering
“Representation means amplifying quieter voices and making sure different perspectives are genuinely considered.”
More about Gaia
What made you interested in applying for this role?
I enjoy supporting my peers and acting as a bridge between students and staff. Having experienced course representation myself, I will continue to help strengthen the unity and integrity of our institution by ensuring students' experiences and feedback contribute to positive change.
What are you most excited for in your role?
I'm most excited to create a friendly, welcoming and inclusive environment where every student feels comfortable, valued and confident sharing their thoughts, opinions and experiences.
What do you hope to achieve in your role?
I aim to create a space where Course Reps can openly share feedback with academic staff, ensuring it is not only heard but acted on, with outcomes communicated back to students across the cohort.
What does representation mean to you?
To me, representation means amplifying quieter voices and making sure different perspectives are genuinely considered. It's about "closing the loop" by communicating outcomes back to students and helping strengthen our university community and learning environment.
Katie Ackers
She/Her
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Email Katie
BA (Hons) Criminology and Sociology
“Good representation isn't about speaking for students; it's about creating opportunities to listen to them.”
More about Katie
What made you interested in applying for this role?
Having previously been a course representative, I've experienced first-hand how important student representation can be. I also know that taking on a representative role can feel daunting, particularly when you're unsure how to raise an issue or whether your voice will be heard.
I wanted to take on the School Rep role because I'd like to build on my previous experience and help make representation feel more accessible. I want students to feel comfortable approaching me, knowing that their concerns, ideas and experiences will be listened to and taken seriously.
What are you most excited for in your role?
I'm most excited about meeting and working with students from across the school and helping to create stronger communication between students and staff. I'm looking forward to hearing different perspectives and understanding what matters most to students across Humanities and Social Science.
I'm particularly excited about being able to take feedback from students and help turn it into meaningful conversations and, where possible, positive changes within the school.
What do you hope to achieve in your role?
I hope to improve communication between students, representatives and the school, while making sure students feel that they have a clear and approachable route to raise their views.
I'd like to help create a culture where students feel confident speaking up, whether they have a concern, an idea for improvement or simply want to share something about their university experience. Ultimately, I want students to feel listened to and to know that their experiences can help shape positive change.
What does representation mean to you?
To me, representation means making sure that everyone has an opportunity to have their voice heard, not just the people who are naturally confident speaking up.
It means listening without judgement, understanding that students have different experiences and perspectives, and making sure those experiences are communicated effectively to the people who can make a difference. Good representation isn't about speaking for students; it's about creating opportunities to listen to students and making sure their voices are genuinely part of the conversation.
Kai Philpott
He/Him
School of Sport and Exercise Sciences
Email Kai
Sport and Exercise Science
“It's about showing up for people and turning what students say into real, visible action.”
More about Kai
What made you interested in applying for this role?
I've already been a School Rep and part of the Student Equity Council, so I've seen how much impact good representation can actually have. I enjoy getting involved and connecting with different groups, whether that's Course Reps, academics or the Men's Football Society, and making sure students' voices aren't just collected, but acted on.
What are you most excited for in your role?
Working closely with students and staff, keeping things moving, and making sure our school feels open, supportive and genuinely driven to improve.
What do you hope to achieve in your role?
Better communication and visibility, clearer feedback, and changes that actually make a difference to students day to day, not just in meetings or reports. I also want to increase engagement across the school.
What does representation mean to you?
Making sure everyone feels equitably heard and included. It's about showing up for people, giving space to voices that might not speak first, in whatever ways work best for them, and turning what students say into real, visible action.
Lucy Ollier
She/Her
School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
Email Lucy
MSc Biomedical Science
“Every voice matters, so even if that change is small it is still positive!”
More about Lucy
What made you interested in applying for this role?
I had previous experience as a Course Rep and loved playing an active role in the student experience. I am proud that I am able to enact positive change and represent the views of my peers.
What are you most excited for in your role?
I am most excited to get to know my fellow School Reps and get started collecting feedback to make change.
What do you hope to achieve in your role?
I hope that I can help to improve the student experience, even slightly. Every voice matters, so even if that change is small it is still positive!
What does representation mean to you?
Representation means that everybody gets a say. I am proud to play a role within a system that tries to make everybody's voice heard, and I hope to gather feedback from as broad a group of people as possible.
Amber Furlong
She/Her
School of Psychology
Email Amber
BSc (Hons) Psychology
“I want every student to feel as if their voice has meaning.”
More about Amber
What made you interested in applying for this role?
I took the role of School Rep to ensure that every student within my faculty feels supported, represented and heard. This motivation comes from both my own experiences and those of my peers. Knowing how hard it can be to raise concerns, or to worry that your voice won't be heard, I want every student to feel as if their voice has meaning and that they have the right to be supported within a friendly environment.
What are you most excited for in your role?
I'm excited to work with my fellow School Reps and meet students to help create a friendlier and more transparent environment within the university, helping to empower students and make sure they are heard.
I also look forward to meeting the Course Reps and working as a team of students who know what it's like to feel unheard, all working together towards a shared goal of making positive changes for all students.
What do you hope to achieve in your role?
I hope to help students within my school feel more heard and represented in the way they deserve. Within this, I hope to create a more transparent environment and ensure students know the impact of their feedback. Students deserve to know if their feedback brings about change and what those changes will be, or, if changes can't be made, why not. I want to ensure that students know they are being heard and that their feedback has meaning.
Additionally, I want to help underrepresented students, to make sure they are represented more and to help reduce barriers by creating a more supportive environment for everyone.
What does representation mean to you?
Representation to me means making sure all students are heard, regardless of their background. As a student from an underrepresented background, I know how hard it can be to feel heard and seen, especially at university, and the fear that if you speak up you won't be heard. I want to change that by representing my fellow students.
I hope to be a School Rep that students can trust and feel comfortable speaking to. Please feel free to reach out if you have any worries, concerns or questions, as I'm always happy to listen and help!
John Monaghan
He/Him
School of Law and Justice Studies
Email John
Law LLB
“Representation is about reaching out to students who feel apathetic and marginalised, and asking them how we can help.”
More about John
What made you interested in applying for this role?
I wanted to apply to be a School Rep because I can see that both students and universities everywhere are struggling to adapt to the post-COVID environment, and I want to contribute to making a stronger and more proactive community at JMSU.
What are you most excited for in your role?
I'm really looking forward to working with the academic student societies within the School of Law and Justice Studies to encourage more collaboration and to foster a stronger sense of community and belonging.
What do you hope to achieve in your role?
I hope to make the School of Law and Justice Studies more welcoming for new students and supportive of students who are nearing graduation, and to contribute to the reform of the Board of Studies system so that issues that matter are addressed faster.
What does representation mean to you?
Representation is more than dealing with student feedback. It's about reaching out to students who feel apathetic and marginalised, and asking them how we can help them.
Riham Bakhouche
She/Her
Liverpool Business School
Email Riham
BSc (Hons) Business with International Business Management
“True representation is impossible without active listening, because student feedback is absolutely key.”
More about Riham
What made you interested in applying for this role?
I became interested in applying for the School Rep role because I have really enjoyed being involved in student representation during my time at Liverpool John Moores University. I am someone who loves working hard to achieve my goals, and I always want to bring out the best in the people around me.
My time as a dedicated Course Rep for two years, an LJMU Student Ambassador and a Curriculum Enhancement Intern allowed me to understand deeply how students feel about their classes and university life. I genuinely love helping students, listening to different opinions and trying to make things better. I noticed that many students have brilliant ideas and want to share their perspectives more openly.
I chose to step up as a School Rep because I have the passion and the experience, and I am completely ready to take action. I want to make sure that communication between students and staff is direct and strong, so that everyone's views are truly valued and used to improve our university experience.
What are you most excited for in your role?
I am really excited to be in this role and to work closely with the Student Voice Team, JMSU, the other School Reps, Course Reps, staff and module leaders. I truly believe that teamwork is the main path to success. By working together as a strong team, we can share ideas and make university life incredible for everyone.
I love talking to new people every day and bringing a huge wave of positive energy wherever I go. I am so ready to start open conversations, listen to different perspectives and create a warm environment where every single person feels happy and proud to be here at Liverpool John Moores University.
What do you hope to achieve in your role?
I hope to make sure that every student gets the space to talk, share their thoughts freely and see real, positive changes happen at our university. I want everyone to know that they truly belong at LJMU and that we care about them. Every student is unique and has different feedback to share, which is why I want everyone to take part.
I also care deeply about our disabled students, students who might be shy and those who lack confidence. I want them to know they are completely worthy and accepted exactly the way they are. Everyone is different, and my goal is to make sure they feel totally comfortable speaking up. I will provide safe, comfortable ways for them to share their views in the way they prefer, creating a true comfort zone.
Gaining this incredible experience while making our student journey even better is exactly what I hope to achieve, because students are the absolute heart of our university.
What does representation mean to you?
Representation means standing up as a strong voice for every single student and making sure their unique perspectives are fully respected. It is about standing up for everyone, making them feel included and ensuring that no one ever feels left out at university. As a School Rep, my role is to protect that voice, work hard every day and stay consistent so that our students see real, positive things happening across our campus. True representation inspires others to step up and share their ideas and feedback openly. It means earning the trust of students and using this opportunity to help create an environment where everyone feels worthy and respected.
It is also about looking out for people with real care, making sure everyone is doing well in their studies and in their lives. I have done a lot of work across our university, including internships and jobs, much of which involved gathering student feedback. These experiences taught me that true representation is impossible without active listening, because student feedback is absolutely key.
A perfect example of what representation means to me was hosting 'The Belonging Podcast', where I saw how creating a warm and comfortable space helps people feel safe and confident to share their honest stories. Being nominated as a 'Student Star' by the university and students showed me the power of this approach. Good representation means being a dependable leader who brings people together and ensures everyone has a safe space to speak up, because when you lead with real care, every student thrives.
What do School Reps do?
Collect feedback
from Course Reps and students across every course in the school
Work with senior staff
including Heads of School, to raise school-wide issues
Sit on committees
such as Faculty Education Student Experience Committees and Student Voice Forums
Champion key issues
like inclusivity, accessibility and student wellbeing
Amplify your voice
alongside JMSU's elected Officers
Still not sure who to speak to?
Drop the Voice Team a message and we'll point you to the right person, so your voice gets heard quickly.
Where next?
Find My Course Rep
Not sure who represents your course? Use our Course Rep directory to search by course or department and connect with your elected student rep today.
Coming SoonMeet the Academic Reps
Not sure if it's a School Rep you need to speak to? Head back to see how Course Reps and School Reps work together to represent you.
Meet the Academic Reps