Back 24.09.2024 Campus life

Empowering student voices: a new era of representation at BHMS

At BHMS (Business & Hotel Management School), a new chapter in student leadership is unfolding, driven by a passion for change and a desire to amplify student voices. With the recent appointment of Student Governance President Gael Leon (from Ecuador) and Vice President Alexa Hirschbock (from Hungary), BHMS is prioritising student concerns like never before. We had the opportunity to interview the newly appointed leaders to understand their vision for the future of BHMS.

Students can now share their opinions, express concerns, and suggest improvements through us, and we’ll make sure those messages reach the right people.

A new role with a clear purpose

The roles of President and Vice President are newly created positions at BHMS, and their main goal is to act as mediators between students and the school’s administration.

"We’re here to be the voice for the students," explains the newly elected President, Gael Leon.

Until now, students at BHMS didn’t have a formal way to express their concerns or offer feedback. This often led to unaddressed issues or missed opportunities for improvement. But now, with a dedicated student leadership team, things are set to change.

"Students can now share their opinions, express concerns, and suggest improvements through us, and we’ll make sure those messages reach the right people," explains the Vice President, Alexa Hirschbock, reinforcing their commitment to creating an open, welcoming environment for student feedback.

We want to make it as easy and personal as possible for students to reach out to us, whether it's through surveys or direct communication.

How students can get involved

One of the first initiatives on their agenda is the introduction of a survey system. This will allow students to submit feedback anonymously, ensuring they feel comfortable and safe in voicing their opinions. "We want to make it as easy and personal as possible for students to reach out to us, whether it's through surveys or direct communication," Gael explains.

The surveys will be designed to gather meaningful, actionable feedback on all aspects of student life, from academics to campus facilities. By incorporating open-ended questions, the student leadership team hopes to encourage thoughtful, detailed responses, avoiding the trap of quick, meaningless answers that come with traditional rating systems.

"We’ve seen it before with other surveys—people just check ‘5’ throughout the survey to get it over with," they note. "We want to avoid that by making the questions more engaging, so students are encouraged to share their real thoughts."

We’ve already heard a lot of great suggestions from students, like adding sports activities and improving the student lounge. These changes may take time, especially if they involve budgeting, but we’re committed to making them happen.

Working together for a better campus

But the leadership team isn’t working alone. They will work together with student representatives from each year group, as well as ambassadors focusing on key areas like social media, sustainability, and academics. This group of students forming the Student Governance will help bring even more diverse perspectives to the table. After the term break, the team plans to meet with these reps and begin outlining their first set of initiatives.

Sustainability is one of the key areas both leaders are excited about, with plans to integrate more eco-friendly practices and possibly participate in sustainability competitions. Additionally, they have discussed expanding sports activities and extracurricular events, aiming to make campus life more dynamic and inclusive.

"We’ve already heard a lot of great suggestions from students, like adding sports activities and improving the student lounge," the Vice President mentions. "These changes may take time, especially if they involve budgeting, but we’re committed to making them happen."

One of the best parts of being at an international school is the opportunity to learn from different cultures, and we want to encourage that.

Building a stronger community

Both leaders are passionate about creating a more connected and cohesive student community. They believe one of the biggest challenges at BHMS is that students from different cultural backgrounds often stick with people from their own nationality.

"It’s understandable, but we’d love to see more interaction between students of different nationalities," says Gael. Events like excursions, parties, and multicultural activities are at the top of their list of priorities, with the goal of fostering deeper connections across cultures. “One of the best parts of being at an international school is the opportunity to learn from different cultures, and we want to encourage that.”

They hope that through increased activities and better communication, students will feel more comfortable stepping out of their social comfort zones and engaging with the broader campus community.

Challenges and opportunities

Leading a diverse, multicultural student body comes with unique challenges, especially when it comes to communication. "In some cultures, giving direct feedback directly can be difficult," Alexa points out. “We need to find ways to make everyone comfortable sharing their thoughts, no matter where they’re from.”

This is why their plan to offer anonymous surveys is so important. By ensuring that students' voices are heard in a way that respects cultural sensitivities, they hope to get honest feedback and foster a culture of trust.

What are they most excited about? The ability to make real, lasting changes. "When students have problems, they often don’t feel comfortable going directly to the academic office," they explain. "We’re here to bridge that gap and make sure their concerns are addressed."

Looking ahead

By the time their term ends, both leaders hope to look back on a campus that is not only more engaging and enjoyable but also more representative of its students’ needs. "We want to have more events, more excursions, and overall make our campus a more comfortable place to live," they agree.

With their term just beginning, there’s still much work to be done, but their optimism is contagious. "We’re the first ones in this role, so we’re figuring it out as we go," Alexa notes. “But we’re excited to see where this takes us and how we can make a positive impact.”

At the core of their vision is the belief that BHMS can become a place where every student feels heard, valued, and connected. With the right tools, an open dialogue, and a lot of teamwork, this new era of student leadership is ready to take on the challenge.