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Kings Students Jan 2019-389 ;

Finding my voice, building connections and shaping the student experience at King’s

King’s 100 is a unique opportunity for a diverse group of 100 students, reflective of the King’s community, to co-create student experience projects and initiatives.

This paid position enables students to work directly with the university, gain valuable professional skills and shape the King’s experience for themselves, and future generations.

Having heard fantastic things about the King’s 100 project from friends, I decided to apply to the 2020/2021 cohort when I was in my second year of studying International Relations. Although the application is not daunting at all, the prospect of being part of a group of 100 students in which I would have to regularly speak up and offer my opinion in front of other students, members of staff and academics worried me.

The thought of asking a question at the end of a lecture of a similar size scared me, and these thoughts soon started creeping up when I applied to King’s 100. Whilst these thoughts stuck with me throughout the application process, I told myself that everybody else in the group would probably feel the same, and so I went for it. 

While my worries were certainly valid, they never materialised. In fact, being part of a diverse group of students from all different backgrounds and degrees proved to be one of the most exciting and valuable experiences I had as an undergraduate student. King’s 100 allowed me to not only learn more about how we can tackle crucial issues such as greater access to mental health provision at King’s, but also about myself. 

King’s 100 made me aware of the power our student body has in changing the way things are done at our university and the lasting impact student contributions can have.– Sebastian

The meetings happen in a very relaxed atmosphere and the King’s 100 staff do a wonderful job at creating a friendly and welcoming environment for everyone’s voice to be heard. And so, to my surprise, I immediately felt comfortable in expressing my views and ideas and my confidence to do so grew steadily. Discussing and debating different ideas with members of staff and other students made me aware of the importance of listening to different opinions and reaching compromises. 

As a result, King’s 100 provided me with a space where I was able to enhance my communication and interpersonal skills. Moreover, the project significantly improved my leadership skills by giving me opportunities to lead group discussions. Most importantly, the project made me aware of the power our student body has in changing the way things are done at our university and the lasting impact student contributions can have.

Kings Students Jan 2019-85

To give you an example, the things we talk about during our meetings are turned into reports with action points, for instance on how our university can become carbon-neutral and play a role in fighting climate change. These reports are then made available for everyone at King’s to consult.

You will gain invaluable skills that will help you in your personal and professional development.– Sebastian

My experience with King’s 100 was phenomenal. If you’re interested in an opportunity that allows you to actively contribute to shaping student life and policies at King’s, go for it! While it can be scary to speak up in a room full of people, you will very quickly forget about this feeling and instead form part of a diverse and friendly group of students dedicated to making a change. You will also gain invaluable skills that will help you in your personal and professional development by listening to and learning from others.