A north-east agricultural student has been appointed as president of the students association at rural college SRUC.
Alex Robb, 22 – who recently gained a First Class BSc (Hons) in Sustainable Environmental Management at the college’s Craibstone campus, near Aberdeen – will take on the role after serving for one year as the association’s vice-president.
The role of vice-president has been awarded to mature student Gary McGillivray, 33, who lives in Ayr and has just completed a BA in Sports Coaching and Development at SRUC’s Ayr campus.
The duo are the third joint presidential team to represent SRUC students across the college’s six campuses, which cater for 2,500 full-time and 5,000 part-time students.
They will serve on the 12-person executive team of campus officers and post graduate student representatives.
The new roles start at the beginning of next month.
“Scotland’s Rural College Students Association is a very young organisation formed after the Scottish Agricultural College merged with the Barony, Elmwood and Oatridge Colleges in 2012. Last year we were able to bring our activities more in line with students associations across Scotland and now we are ready for more,” said newly elected president Alex Robb, whose post will see him join the board of SRUC.
“It will be a big learning curve but tremendous experience working at that level. I gained so much from the administration and communications responsibilities last year, this coming year’s challenge will be equally rewarding.”
SRUC acting chief executive and principal, Janet Swadling, said: “The staff of SRUC enjoy a constructive relationship with the students association which is playing an increasingly significant role and providing positive input to college affairs.
“I look forward to working with the successful candidates. The fact that Alex is serving a second year will add some valuable continuity and Gary, as a mature student and someone who has already served in the important role as campus officer, will bring a different perspective.”