One of the key purposes of the Students' Council is to ensure students have a high-quality education. This means ensuring that all students are represented by effective and passionate course reps, and by campaigning on issues brought to the Student Council by those course reps who really want to effect change.

Elected!

Newly elected Student Governor and Student Council President, Sarah Cassidy enrolled on a National Diploma in Business. Sarah explains how she made the decision to enrol on a Business Studies course at NRC and the experience she has had.

Before attending NRC, I was a pupil at the Rainey Endowed grammar school in Magherafelt. While I was a pupil at the Rainey Endowed, I studied business studies at GCSE level. I really enjoyed doing the course and I was already decided upon going to college rather than staying on at school. However I was undecided in relation to which course I was going to do. It was a mix between business studies and performing arts. I decided upon business studies as I feel it could challenge me more, and I enjoy the challenge with the subject.

While doing the course, I have become a more vocal student and it is now easier for me to work within a team, as in school I was only ever in a team every once in a while, whereas now within NRC I am in a team almost every week.

I would like to go on to teach business studies at a secondary level, after my second year of my national diploma but I am still undecided whether I will attend university or stay with NRC to do the HND in business.

Alongside my studies I was on the student council and was elected to be a deputy president. Eventually the time had come to decide upon a new president so I put myself forward for the position and submitted a manifesto to Stephen McCartney, the Student Support Manager. A short time later Stephen had got back to me and said that I had been appointed.

Student Council President, Sarah Cassidy
Sarah Cassidy is the newly elected Student Governor and Student Council President

When I first attended NRC I thought I wasn’t going to enjoy it, but its completely different to what you think its going to be. The students are friendly, and you can just end up having a random conversation with them even if you have never met them before. When you’re stuck in a class with people you have never known before for a year, you start to get close to them. I’ve become great friends with people I never would have had the chance to meet had it not have been for NRC. The tutors and lecturers are great; they are extremely helpful if you need it. You honestly couldn’t ask for a better college.