Name: Freddie fforde
Year: Graduated June 2012!
Degree: Modern History
Hometown: London
Freddie fforde is the 2012-2013 St Andrews Student Assocition President. Get to know our new leader through his answers to some serious and not so serious interview questions.
Can you give a brief overview of your duties as President?
All of a sudden, everybody seems to think I know the answers to everything! The main goal then is to understand what students need and make sure that this message is getting through to the university to make life better for us students. Why else are we here?
What are your main goals for your Presidency?
I’d like to raise the profile of the Association, all of the work that students put in and to give everybody the chance to involve themselves in the 600th anniversary of our institution. Most important in that challenge is demonstrating how this heritage can be relevant to our future, as well as it being an opportunity for some fun!
What have you already accomplished this summer?
Successfully mastering the office cafetière.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced to date?
Tackling the office cafetière.
How did you decide to run for President?
I think the idea has always been in the back of my mind from when I joined. When I began to consider it seriously, the first thing was to convene some close friends and see if I could convince them this was the right thing to do. With their endorsement, it was full steam ahead.
What is the best perk of the job?
Featuring on Her Campus
What is the biggest Downside of the job?
Getting genuinely excited about Twitter. I’m losing a lot of friends. Of course it’s necessary!
Have you had any embarrassing moments so far?
Have you met me? If I had to pick one, it would be the trashing on the golf course by the Athletic Union. Hopes ran so high.
What are your favorite things about St Andrews? (The town and the UNIVERSITY)
For all of my personal interest in the history that tells us so much about the uniqueness of this obscure and beautiful student town, it has to be that these are traditions kept up by students for students, imposed by no-one. The pastoral importance of academic families was such an important stepping stone for me to grow in to university life, never being far from people who took pride in helping me along.
What societies were you involved in as an undergrad? Are you still involved?
There were quite a few interests I had and events that I worked with. My biggest regret has always been having to pull out of the Men’s Football club due to all of my other commitments but on the flipside, it gave me time to work on theatre. That’s an experience that I wouldn’t exchange for anything.
What do you do when you aren’t working?
I absolutely love playing Sunday League football. My main hobby here is probably amateur research on the history of the university and town, and collecting old university memorabilia. Is that weird?
What is your favorite day trip around St Andrews?
Cathedral. Just, so massive and intense and yet, not even there at all.
Favorite place to study?
King James Library
Favorite place to eat?
Old Union Café. You’ll find me in there for breakfast a lot.
Favorite pub?
I hear the Main Bar at the Union is pretty good!
Favorite Building?
That is a tough one. The beating heart of the university and my ‘home’ would have to be St Salvator’s Chapel. I think that the best design in town is St Salvator’s Hall, which has to balance being in between 15th and 19th century buildings. Over all though, it has to be the Philosophy department, with its absurd symmetrical towers, entrances and staircases.
What are you plans for after your term comes to an end?
I’m moving out to San Francisco, but only once I’ve stayed around to see as much of the Academic Celebration in September 2013 as I’m allowed to.
Check out my what I’m doing on my website at www.yourpres.net