The University of Queensland’s Student Union (UQU) has always produced skilled leaders, this year is no different with Vice Presidents Amy Sienkiewicz-Grob and Isabella Scattini leading the charge on real world issues. Vice President (gender and sexuality) Amy Sienkiewicz-Grob has been active in the fight against sexual assault, saying it is an important issue that affects everyone.
“One in five women, and one in twenty men have been sexually assaulted or threatened, this is something that everyone needs to be fighting against,” said Sienkiewicz-Grob. “I’m really proud of the work we have done this year, a big part of that has been encouraging people to be active bystanders.”
Sexual assault was not the only focus this year. Sienkiewicz-Grob organised a number of networking events for women at UQ. Earlier this month, she organised a charity event at the UQ Art Museum to support women with ovarian cancer and to help fund medical research at The Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) with their fellow students. The UQU Vice President (welfare) Isabella Scattini has also taken strong steps in increasing the employability of students at the university.
“When I took over the portfolio at the start of the year, we had about twenty volunteers, that number has grown to roughly 500,” Scattini said. “It’s really great to see our volunteers develop skills that make them more attractive to employers. We have had a few volunteers that have gotten jobs in large part because of their time as a volunteer.”
The UQ union team represents the interests of UQ students and run independent services, events and outlets to enhance the student experience. As the Vice President of UQ Union, Sienkiewicz-Grob said she was optimistic that their successors would build on their work, and described the volunteering program as a great stepping stone for students. “I hope the students are able to look at the work we have done this year and are happy with what we have achieved, I know I am,” Scattinin said.
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