Through its annual Student Awards, Edinburgh University Students’ Association celebrates the passionate members of our community who go above and beyond.
Awards honour the outstanding achievements, hard work, dedication, and leadership shown by our student body. They celebrate the passionate individuals and groups who dedicate their time to a cause, stand up for others, foster supportive student communities, overcome personal challenges, and much more.
No achievement is too big or too small to be celebrated. It’s sometimes the smallest acts of inclusion, creativity, and determination that make the biggest difference to others. In this series of profiles, we find out more about some of the individual winners and explore the extraordinary impact for which they have been recognised.
Connections
Elie Glaser received the Student Award for Outstanding Leadership for her role as President of the Jewish Society – working to help students feel included, combatting antisemitism, and building connections with different communities at the University and beyond.
Elie, from Leeds, combined presidency of JSoc with Year 2 of her MA (Hons) German and Politics degree in the School of Literatures, Languages, and Cultures. It’s a commitment she says she relished: “Even before coming to University, I knew I wanted to be very involved in the JSoc.
“My first event was the Welcome Week Bagel Lunch, where I met so many friends who I’m still close with today. I remember that was the first time I properly felt at home at the University. For me, the most significant parts about my role in JSoc have been that I was able to make such deep connections with so many different people, and that I could help support new students with that sense of community and belonging.”
Summing up the leadership style for which she received the award, Elie explained: “I find it very easy to connect and make meaningful friendships with all different types of people – I always try to make everyone feel welcome and supported.
“It was very important to me that all JSoc members knew that I was there for them if they ever needed support or a listening ear – whether that was a phone call, meeting for a coffee, or coming round for dinner.”
Community
The University’s Jewish Society is Scotland’s fastest-growing Jewish community and runs a wide variety of social, cultural, religious and educational events for members. Elie has taken pains to keep a sense of belonging at the forefront of her efforts.
“I am very proud to have introduced some new initiatives to the Jewish Society this year like the ‘family’ structure in which students who are new to the society, usually Freshers, are put into a smaller group of society members including ‘parents’ in higher years. It’s a structure that’s used widely across many different societies and is great for supporting students on a more personal level.
“It also allows students who are not comfortable in a very big, noisy environment to enjoy smaller events. We try to host family style Friday Night Dinners – a staple of Jewish culture – as often as we can, then come together for larger Friday Night Dinners of around 200 students a few times a semester.”
Elie was also responsible for introducing intramural sports to the Society’s activities, providing common ground with the wider University community.
“I had the idea to create society sports teams this year, so we now have Edinburgh JSoc football and netball teams that play in the University social league. I love that this attracts a wider demographic of students to our activities and is a really fun way of meeting other societies.”
Representation
Elie’s role included student representation, which saw her reach out across the University and beyond.
Working with the Edinburgh Interfaith Association, the German Consulate, and the Berlin Institute of Jewish Studies, Elie and JSoc collaborated on ‘Polenaktion 1938’. This two-week long Holocaust Memorial Exhibition, hosted in the University Chaplaincy, was manned by more than 60 JSoc volunteers and attracted visitors of all ages from across the country.
“The role of President included representing the Jewish student community to the University and politicians. I worked a lot with the First Ministers and many MPs and MSPs on inclusiveness and combatting antisemitism, which was really meaningful to me,” Elie said.
“One of my proudest achievements with JSoc is building these connections between different communities, especially by working together with the amazing Edinburgh Interfaith Association. I hope that the bridges and friendships we’ve built between people of all different backgrounds and beliefs will continue for the rest of our lives.”
Honoured
Reflecting on her award for Outstanding Leadership, Elie said she intends to take the qualities for which she was commended forward into her career.
“My long-term aim after leaving University is to have a fulfilling career where I can help people and make a difference. I’m most interested in the fields of diplomacy and human rights, but I’m really open to whatever comes my way!
“I feel so honoured to have received this award and so grateful for all the incredible people who supported me.
“As students, we’re so lucky to have the time and resources to immerse ourselves in what’s important to us. I would definitely recommend to all incoming students that the best way to make your time at university fulfilling is to focus on what you’re passionate about, whether that’s a life-long interest or something new you discover.”
Meet the award winners helping improve the lives of others.
Image credits: All Elie Glaser, except Student Awards banners and winners group shot – both Edinburgh University Students’ Association.
