Our second campus celebrity of the week is FXU VP Welfare candidate, Catherine Thornhill.
Catherine, a 3rd year history student from London, says that “Cornwall feels like home,” and that she wants all students who come to uni here to feel the same way. The fact that many students face problems that may prevent this is why Catherine believes welfare is so important.
Catherine, whose parents own a coffeehouse-come-folk club in London, believes that the best way to cope with difficulties in life is by doing something meaningful – making a difference, no matter how small. Living by the motto “Be the change you want to see in the world,” running for FXU VP Welfare is her own culmination of that; alongside her volunteer roles at the Penryn and Falmouth Foodbank and previous role at the Samaritans. Catherine is also the Cornwall editor of the Streatham history society journal, The Historian.
Catherine describes herself as a “staunch feminist,” and, despite the fact that she has recently been reminded that the patriarchal concept of being kind, friendly and approachable implying weakness is still alive, she has maintained this personna throughout her campaign.
Her unique style is a result of her fashion icons: her mother and aunty. Their hand-me-downs make up most of Catherine’s wardrobe; however, they have not only influenced Catherine’s fashion sense, but also the kind of woman she wishes to become – “strong, independent, compassionate, and beautiful inside and out.”
If she were elected FXU VP Welfare, Catherine wishes to make a number of changes, including the transformation of the path between campus and Asda; improving the awareness of and assistance with finances and budgeting; as well as a number of improvements in the areas of mental health, sexual health, victim support, and housing issues. To read her full manifesto, and ask any questions you may have, visit Cat’s facebook page.
Don’t forget that you have until Friday to vote in the FXU elections!