The Student Equality Network is a group committed to promoting equality and ensuring the Union and University are shaped by diverse student experiences. The Network is run by paid part-time student leaders who share this commitment, and organise and lead the relevant meetings, ensuring that issues/concerns are being resolved and all students feel supported and celebrated. With this in mind, we wanted to introduce our Network Leader Spotlights giving you a bit more information about the wonderful team that make up the Equality Network. Each post will provide you with a personal insight into the Network Leaders, their experiences and ideas and why they have chosen to be part of the Student Equality Network. 
For our first Student Leader Spotlights, we talk to Adrienne Fong- our International Student Subnetwork Leader.

 Greetings and Salutations!  Hello, Reader! My name is Adrienne Fong. I’m a second year in English Literature with Creative Writing, and your current International Student Subnetwork Leader.  You might know me already, or you may not. Either way, consider this a formal introduction. 

Prior to this position, I’ve had my fair share of engagements with the university. You might have seen me as a Freshers’ Angel (in a yellow shirt and hat around Twyford Court or International House) during the Freshers’ Welcome Weekend, or helping out at the Career’s Fair in October. Perhaps you’ve seen me performing musical theatre with Musical Theatre Society, or poetry and songs at one Open Mic or another.

 Some of you are probably wondering at this point of reading: what does any of this have to do with being the International Student Subnetwork Leader?   To put it simply: a sense of belonging and connection.

 Personally, I feel fortunate in the fact that I feel a strong sense of such at the University of Surrey, but I know that that is not the case for everyone. I understand that trying to fit in anywhere can be very intimidating and stressful, but especially so when you’re also trying to fit into a whole new country, balance your studies, and everything that comes with it. I myself recall the stress and obstacles of moving into accommodation (the key card wouldn’t work and I was locked out at night), navigating the town (the connection was so bad that Google maps wasn’t working), finding accommodation every year, and the myriad of things that seemed more complicated than they were, or were more complicated than they needed to be. Quite frankly, I’m nearing the end of my second year, and still I find things that leave me off kilter and surprised. Take Daylight Savings for an example: I’m still unused to the concept of clocks jumping forward an hour. We certainly didn’t have that back in Hong Kong! All of this to say, I understand that many of you may have something to express, but may not feel comfortable expressing it. I know I did.

That’s what the International Student Subnetwork is here for! We are here to support you, but more than that, we are here to be your vocal point. We want to help international students get their voices heard. Therefore, one of our goals is to include as many communities, societies, and clubs in the subnetwork as we can to have more well-rounded engagement and a better, more multicultural representation of the international student body. Another of our goals is to allow you to be comfortable enough to be heard in the first place. Talking to us shouldn’t have to be something intimidating, so we’re aiming to make ourselves as approachable as we can be. We’ve got a few ideas planned for more relaxed and casual interactions, from the International Meet and Greet organised every 2 weeks on Thursdays in The Front Room, to prompt questions that open up discussion; from board games and snacks to a listening ear and advice. We’re even planning to issue prompt questions for short blogs about your lived experience. Anything goes! We are here for you, as are the university staff! 

 As you may well know, the university has implemented several services that cater to International Students. The list of services includes, but aren’t limited to: 

  • Appointments with The Hive at: https://surreyac.sharepoint.com/sites/Hive/SitePages/International-Student-Support.aspx. 
  • Enquiry submissions via support.surrey.ac.uk
  • Support in Halls and The Big Welcome with Residential Advisors 
  • Student Events and Communities Team for communal events across campuses 
  • Cultural training and religious festivals with Religious Life and Belief
  • Students visit and check-in with Residents on Campus  Scholarships and Study Abroad/ Placement/Internship Opportunities.
  • Part-time resources, eg job page at the USSU website and Unitemps 
  • Volunteer opportunities and assistance
  • Assistance with arrangements like obtaining NI Number, NHS enlisting and GP.
  • Collaborations with local organisations such as Friends International, The Samaritans etc. 
  • Briefings on British Culture with Friends’ International
  • Unsure of where to go? The network is here for you. Get in touch and we can offer advice and help direct you to the right place.

Finally, don’t underestimate what you might have to say! Any seemingly small and insignificant suggestion or opinion that concerns you could very well concern someone else too! The student body is exactly that, a body of students who can all support each other. If you’re interested in joining the International Student Subnetwork and seeing what you can do to make a difference, click the link here.

That’s all for now, until next time! As always, it’s my pleasure to be in service to you all. 🙂

Through campaigns, events, paid opportunities, and projects that celebrate diversity and amplify student voices, we encourage you to get involved. Led by students, for students—make a change together. Find out more about the network here  and sign up to the International Students Subnetwork here.Â