Duncan Calvert, a student of Portugese and Spanish here at the SMLC, was recently elected as president of the Students' Representative Council. Duncan has kindly prepared a letter for us detailing how skills gained while studying language and culture have transfered into his success in student politics.  

 

[This March] I was delighted to be elected to be President of the Students' Representative Council, the largest of UofG's student unions and the organisation which supports Class Reps. It was a tough campaign, including two long days of handing out flyers on library hill, coordinating with various clubs and societies, and participating in hustings, but in the end, I won in the SRC President election with the highest turnout since 2017. 

There exists a major misconception that you have to be a Politics student or a good debater in order to run for a position like student union President. I would argue that having been a Modern Languages student, I was more than well prepared to run for President. Skills I have developed through studying languages such as public speaking and effective communication really served me well, as well as my experience in working with staff as SMLC School Rep on Council.

When I first started studying at Glasgow away back in 2020 during the pandemic, I would never have been able to even imagine running for a position so visible and front-facing. Studying in the SMLC has given me so much confidence and faith in myself that I doubt I would have if I had chosen a different degree. Every lecturer and tutor I have had over my studies has been so supportive. I would not be in this position without having had their guidance. 

Boa continuação,

Duncan Calvert

First published: 5 August 2025

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A picture of Duncan Calvert