Isadora Barbosa Fernandes, an international student from Brazil, is running for VP of Communities. She is involved with several sport societies and loves to stay active.
Currently, Isadora is studying a Masters degree in public policy after getting an undergraduate degree in international politics.
Here’s why she thinks she should be the next VP of Communications in Stirling’s Students’ Union.
Q. Why are you running for this position?
A. “I did a lot for the Movember campaign the last two years. And then for the 2025 campaign, I saw that a lot of the societies put in work and tried to be a part of it as well. We [sports clubs] had the Movember Ceilidh and everyone was there, and everyone was partying together. And I [thought]; we should have this more in Stirling. I feel like societies and sports clubs have so much in common, and we don’t even realise.
“So, my initial idea was because I wanted to build a bridge between the sports clubs and the societies. I think that would be really nice for the university as a whole. It would bring us together even more.
“Because I ended up working in the societies during Movember, I got a little bit more in touch with them and I realised that the societies are doing so much for our campus as well as for the community in general, local community and even globally.
I just think it’s amazing the work that the societies are doing, and it’s not advertised as much as the sports clubs. I think that the societies are achieving so much and they don’t really get the spotlight they deserve.
“So, when I bring the societies and the clubs a little bit closer and show what the societies are doing and then hopefully get the sports clubs to also support the societies the same way the societies support the sports clubs at times. I think that would be nice. And then obviously there are other issues that I want to work on around the university.”
Q. What would be the first thing you want to do in the Union, if elected?
A. “The first thing that I would prioritise would be community inequality. I think by targeting that, you can also target the well-being of the students and the mental health.
“Mental health is a big part of my campaign. It’s one of the things that I want to focus on for sure, because when I first came here, in my first year as an international student, I felt quite isolated and I really struggled with mental health in my first year. I think that a lot of students struggle with it and they are, I wouldn’t say scared, but they don’t really know, I didn’t know, for example, the resources that we had at the uni to help me with that.
“So, I want to make them more accessible.”
Q. What are your long-term goals for the position?
A. “My three priorities are well-being, community and equality, and then cost of living. Something else that I want to target is also transport. It’s definitely something that I want to look at because obviously the UL is so unreliable at times. And although we have the cycling lanes, they’re not really used as much as they should [be].
“I think societies deserve the same spotlight and like smaller communities and all of that. Even talking about events for different cultures – we have such a big international society in Stirling. For example, I know [that] there would be stuff for Ramadan and the Chinese New Year. Even at the Sports Union, they’re doing a dance class because Brazil is having carnival this weekend. So, I think that’s really nice.
“Then, [the] cost of living, seeing about accommodation prices. Obviously, I know that a lot of students struggle with finances and finding jobs, or balancing the life of having a part-time job and working on their degree as well.”
Q. What did the current person in this position do well?
A. “I think Ellie did an amazing job of the gender-based violence. She did an amazing job with that, [and] with advocating for the Erase the Grey campaign to be removed because it was giving the wrong impression.
“And the Reclaim the Night walk. I think that was really nice. And again, it brought the community together. A lot of sports clubs participated in that. I would obviously like to keep working on that. I would love to give support to that as well and keep working on that. I think it’s a very important message for sure.
Q. What in the university inspired you to run for this position?
A. “It was definitely seeing the work that the societies and the sports clubs did together during the Movember campaign.
“I had such a great experience in Stirling that I want to give it back to the community as well. I want international students to feel as comfortable as I felt.
“I fell in love with Scotland. I absolutely adore Scotland. I walk around campus and every single time I’m mesmerised by looking back and seeing Dumyat or seeing the Wallace Monument. I just feel like we should really take pride in that.
“I just want to give back to something that gave so much to me.”
Q. What makes you right for this position?
A. “Well, I think I’m a very approachable person and very friendly. So, hopefully anyone will feel comfortable [coming] up to me and bring up any issues that they’re finding at the uni that I can look into and work with the Union on.
“I’m very proactive. I studied politics, I think that set me into the right foot to work in this type of position as well. I was in leadership roles before within like sports teams, I was captain for the basketball club last year.
“The Movember stuff I did, like the organisational aspect of that, the communication aspect of that.
“I think that those skills built me up and made me right for this role. I think it’s really important that I’m involved within the campus and what’s going on, and I take pride [in being] a Stirling University student. I’m just quite an approachable person and I don’t mind putting my face out there and fighting for what is right.
Isadora’s manifesto can be found here.
Featured Image Credit: Stirling Students’ Union/ Isadora Barbosa Fernandes
Fourth year student journalist studying Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Journalism Studies.
Words at Brig, The Daily Evergreen, Alloa Advertiser, Discovery Music Scotland, and The Mourning Paper.
