Wednesday 13-05-2026 - 13:10

As my two years as your Socdev Officer comes to an end, I’ve been reflecting on everything we’ve achieved together and how rewarding this journey has been. It’s been an incredible experience supporting societies, working with student leaders, and helping create opportunities for students to connect, grow, and make lasting memories at Manchester Met.

Over the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside so many passionate and dedicated committee members who continuously go above and beyond for their societies. Seeing societies thrive, grow in confidence, and create impact within the student community has honestly been the most rewarding part of this role.

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🌟 The Highlights

Growing and supporting our Societies

One of my proudest achievements has been supporting and approving over 60 new societies during my time as officer. Watching new ideas grow into active communities and giving students more opportunities to find belonging and connection has been incredibly rewarding. I’m especially proud of the growth of academic societies, helping create spaces where students could connect through shared courses, career interests, and professional development opportunities.

Alongside this, we successfully delivered grant panels that supported societies in accessing funding for their activities, events, and development. It was great to see societies use these opportunities to bring their ideas to life and create even more opportunities for students.

Committee training sessions were another major focus during my time in the role. Supporting new and returning committee members with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to lead their societies successfully was something I really valued, and I’m proud of the collaborative and supportive environment we built together.

Building community and recognition

Another highlight has also been delivering successful committee socials (Townhall), creating spaces for committee members across different societies to network, share ideas, and celebrate the amazing work they do throughout the year.

I’m also incredibly proud to have launched Societies Spotlight, a platform dedicated to recognising and celebrating the achievements of societies and their members. So many societies do incredible work behind the scenes, and it felt important to create something that highlighted their success and impact across the university.

A standout moment in building community was helping bring Man Met Got Talent to life alongside the other officers and the events team. It was inspiring to see students showcase their creativity and confidence on stage, while the wider community came together to support and celebrate one another.

Representation and wider impact

Beyond societies, I also had the opportunity to be involved in important conversations around the awarding gap, taking part in meetings and discussions focused on how we can better support students and create a more inclusive university experience for everyone.

I was also proud to represent students beyond the university by attending Parliament for APPG discussions surrounding student loans and international students’ renters’ rights. Being able to contribute to these conversations and advocate for issues affecting students on a national level was a huge privilege and something I’ll always value from this role.

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Thank you 💛

Most importantly, I want to thank every student, committee member, and society that I’ve had the chance to work with over the last two years. Your passion, creativity, and commitment are what make the societies community so special.

I’m excited to see what’s next for societies at Manchester Met, and I know the future is incredibly bright.

Thank you for making these two years unforgettable.

With love,

Vanessa