Candidate Question Time: Kyle Blain

Kyle Blain wants you all the join the BlainPlane and get behind his campaign for DoSDA- and why wouldn’t you want to support someone who when asked what animal he’d most like to be responded with Alpaca “because they’re like fancy sheep”?

Kyle is hugely enthusiastic about his campaign, stating that “student activities have been a huge part of my time in St Andrews, but there are changes that need to happen, and I know what they are.”

He focuses his campaign on three main points- opportunity, efficiency and acknowledgement. What he is most determined to do is make sure that “students remain the priority of the redeveloped union”

“I’m looking to forge links between the AU and the student’s association- we are looking at the opportunities that such a relationship would offer. Sports do a lot of fundraising, seeing student activities as one overarching idea would mean this can be seen as part of the main student charitable effort.”

Kyle also wishes to take another look at what we can do for employability. “The employability conference may have been cancelled, but it’s not buried yet, I’m going to see what I can do to help create an employability conference again. If that’s not what students want, we’ll find something else which will work better.”

“I realise that so many students don’t just want graduate jobs- they maybe want to teach or go into entertainment, and they need equal support.”

In terms of efficiency, Kyle not only wants to make better use of the Union website, but also of University spaces. “I want to fix the Byre- there have been teething problems, but I want to make sure they remain that way and they don’t become long term issues.”

Mr Blain also hopes to make sure that student dedication is better recognised. “There are 100s of students who go above and beyond for student activities, and I want to see them recognised fully.”

Kyle sees himself as someone who already has the connections to make the role successful. “I’ve got a working relationship with the students association as charities convener and the university as a body- I’ve already spoken to CAPOD about professional development.”

As for the man behind the campaign, when asked what his favourite Disney film was, Kyle said “The Lion King- Pat Mathewson likes it and he’s done alright- I guess we can share it.”

Above all, what he wants you to know is that “I will look after the student activities- it will be my baby for a year.”