In July of 2023, two young Trini university students made the nine-hour trip, first from Trinidad to Amsterdam and then to Italy, for the Student Leader Global Summit hosted by the International Association of Student Affairs and Services (IASAS) in Rome. For both Fana Wiggins and Khadija Khan, it was their first time visiting Europe, and the experience had a lasting impact.
“It was really a life-changing experience,” says Khadija, who had never been on such a lengthy plane ride before.
Alongside 38 other Student Leaders from all over the globe, the two UWI students (and members of The UWI St Augustine Guild of Students) had a unique opportunity to hold discussions and work together in groups tackling one of the most critical issues of our time: sustainability, and the role of universities in creating a more sustainable future.
“I was able to connect with IASAS understanding the global work they do in student services, and insisted that our Guild members apply,” says Amanda Best-Noel, Manager of the Guild Administrative Office. “The Student Leader Summit brings together 40 student leaders globally, and I am delighted that our students were first-time selectors. We went through the application coaching process, fundraising and trip preparation together.”
For Ms Best-Noel, who works with student leaders to help provide Guild members with advice and support to develop and execute projects during their time at The UWI, this was an opportunity to create space for the two students to develop their own leadership skills.
Fana, the former Guild Representative for the Faculty of Engineering, and Khadija, the former Representative for the Faculty of Social Sciences, have both been interested in issues surrounding community development and outreach from a young age. As Guild reps, they were able to get the experience of advocating for the students in their faculties, and helping to maintain lines of communication between students and staff for a more streamlined education experience.
These skills served them well at the IASAS Summit, where they were charged with creating projects alongside their fellow student leaders to be presented to experts and professionals, with the goal of contributing to the organisation’s 2030 agenda goals to build a “fairer and more peaceful existence”.
“I always had an interest in understanding how different groups in different cultural and geographical locations perceived things when it comes to global issues,” says Fana.
This interest came in handy when analysing different schools of thought and ways to come up with sustainable solutions. “A part of the training was us identifying an issue and coming up with a solution or analysing the problem”, taking into consideration the context of each student’s home territories as well, she explains.
As each group presented on their selected topic on helping a community with its relevant issues, many valuable conversations were had.
“We talked about water sanitation, and period poverty, and gender equality,” says Khadija, whose group focused on the issue of reproductive and menstrual education.
Her hope is that she will be able to bring those ideas back to The UWI and work with organisations on campus already putting together plans for free “period banks”, where menstruating persons would be able to have access to period products more readily on campus.
Coming out of the summit, the students were buzzing with ideas on how to implement these solutions locally, as well as what they had learned about the culturally diverse global community that they had shared this process alongside.
As both students look towards completing their third year at The UWI, they are hopeful that sharing their positive experience at the summit encourages younger students to apply for these types of events and to get more involved with outreach projects that can improve the world around them.
“I really encourage other students to go out for these experiences and apply,” says Khadija. “Even if you think you might not get through, you probably will... You’d be surprised how they accept you with open arms, because they see you as an intellectual just like everyone else.”
While the process of applying, and getting to the summit was not easy, and there were financial costs and work involved, the students feel that the experience made their hard work worth it.
“Certainly, the benefits of these experiences outweigh the challenges,” says Ms Best-Noel. “The Guild Administrative Office is available to support students interested in leadership development.”
Fana states “the growth you experience from being a part of these opportunities, the network you are able to build, the exchange of knowledge with these other students—that’s something I want to pass on and encourage other students to be a part of.”
As for Ms Best-Noel, her advice to students looking to apply for similar events or getting involved in outreach projects is, “go for it!”
