Back In this video Jay Brown, Student President, QMU, welcomes new students to QMU. Jay talks about his experience of being a neurodivergent student at QMU, and the supports that are available and what might help new students joining.
Video is here: Jay – Autism and Uni | QMU
Hi, I’m Jay Brown, and I’m the current Student Union President for Academic Life here at Queen Margaret University.
I’m so pleased to be teaming up with the University’s Autism and Uni team to highlight the support we have available for our neurodivergent and autistic students.
As a former neurodivergent student myself, I know first-hand how overwhelming it can be to step into studying higher education, and QMU was such a big help for me in settling in and adapting so that I could fully both navigate and enjoy my time studying here.
From having my own unique individual learning plan that protects my unique learning needs, to the Student Support services and the Disability services here, I was able to make it to the end of my degree and be elected a Student President for two years.
One of my biggest concerns with coming to university as a neurodivergent student was how I connected with other students and how I was able to put myself out there and meet other students. The Students’ Union, through its many sports and societies and its welcome events right off the bat in September, really allowed me the opportunity to branch out and meet students who shared similar interests with me and had a lot in common.
The Students’ Union in particular — we are an independent organisation dedicated to representing students and enhancing the student experience. Now, we are an independent organisation, but we do work closely in partnership with the University to ensure that all students feel as though they are part of our community on campus. Mutually, in partnership, we value inclusivity, accessibility, and an overall positive student experience and community environment here at Queen Margaret University.
Every student, regardless of what walk of life they come from, regardless of their background or their own experiences, is automatically a member of our community and we want to ensure that all students feel as such.
I really hope that all autistic and neurodivergent students joining us here at Queen Margaret University feel comfortable, feel part of that community, and are able to access all the support we have on hand.
We really look forward to welcoming you here and can’t wait to have you as part of our community!