Authenticity at work interviews

I started within students' unions when I was elected as Vice President Activities and Employability at London South Bank SU after I graduated.

I have been fortunate to work at a range of students' unions including Brighton, Warwick and Newman. I am currently the Student Voice Manager at UoNSU.

I also run a monthly webinar series with Unitu around student voice and student engagement. I have recently completed my MA in Student Engagement in Higher Education and published articles for Wonkhe around student engagement.

Areas of interest:

• Trans and non-binary
• Neurodivergency
• Disability (generally)

With a commitment towards fostering meaningful equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, I have had the fortune to work in a number of impactful roles.

After graduating with an International Relations BA from the University of Nottingham Malaysia, I began as a Protection Assistant with the UNHCR in Malaysia, where I provided support and counselling to asylum-seekers and refugees, in addition to fostering inclusivity as a member of the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Working Group.

Moving to the UK, I joined the University of Nottingham as a senior administrator in the Assessments Team, while helping to promote EDI efforts within the RAA Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Working Group.

Currently, as a residential experience officer, I co-ordinate events, offer pastoral care, and help amplify LGBTQIA+ voices as one of the Co-Chairs of the University's LGBTQIA+ Staff Network. By working in tandem with the community, as well as applying my lived experiences as a trans woman from Southeast Asia, I aim to create a university where our LGBTQIA+ community can thrive.

Areas of interest:

• Transgender inclusion in the workplace
• Immigrant, refugee and asylum seeker-specific needs and support
• Embedding care and wellbeing into the workplace
• Building and preserving an inclusive culture at work

I am Meredith Coney, Head of Education and Student Experience in the Faculty of Engineering, leading a team that supports the student journey from admissions to graduate employment. I joined the University of Nottingham in December 2023 after 17 years at Loughborough University.

I studied a BA and MSc in Archaeology at the University of Leicester, while studying I had a part-time job in the Distance Learning unit of my department and enjoyed supporting people from all over the world to undertake their studies.

When I graduated, I didn't have a clear plan on what I wanted to do, but loved working at the University and applied for a temporary role at Loughborough University while  I worked out what I wanted to do. A temporary role quickly became the start of a career in higher education management, not a field I had ever considered before but which I love!

Areas of interest:

I am passionate about equity, diversity and inclusion, in making our university accessible to all, to ensure that our students all feel like they can make the most of their university time and go on to a successful career they are passionate about.