Name; college; year; subject?

Sammy McDonald, St. John’s, 3rd Year, History

What’s one thing you’ve changed your mind about recently?

Politically, the storms of 2024 I’m sure have changed a lot of our minds about many things we hold dear and things we assumed to be true. Whilst I’ll never change my mind on my convictions, I hope this year to be more open to listening to other perspectives and getting myself beyond a left-liberal bubble in my news consumption – much of the ability of the political left to survive depends on it.

It’s clear that you have a lot of experience with public speaking. What advice would you give to someone who would like to develop this skill, but lacks confidence?

Have courage in yourself. The most remarkable feature of the Union is that all members, regardless of background, can be heard and all enjoy this right equally. I see a lack of confidence in people who are told, implicitly and explicitly throughout their life, that they somehow have less of a right to be heard and to be an active citizen than others because of their background or beliefs. The Union at its heart is a liberal experiment, founded in an idealistic wave of backlash to post-Napoleon censorship. I know so many people who have been so reticent in giving a speech, but delivered amazing, heartfelt and passionate addresses, far more so than people for whom it comes easily. Have confidence in yourself and give it a go. I promise you; you won’t regret it.

“The Union at its heart is a liberal experiment”

What are your top three memories of the Union throughout your time here?

My first debate on Energy Nationalisation is certainly one – it was a terrifying experience on Week Three, but very fun! It went viral on TikTok, which was a bizarre way to start my university life. Speaking alongside Nathan Law and Rahima Mahmut in my second year, who described how many of her relatives were victims of ethnic cleansing by the CCP, was also an experience that will stay with me forever. Third would be the event with Sam Altman in Autumn 2023. It was such a fantastic opportunity to get to hear him grilled with tough and intelligent questions about the staggering ethical and societal concerns about his work.

If your presidency could only achieve one thing, what would you like it to be?

My number one hope is to make sure Union elections are robustly competitive, and the culture is more open, less insular and less factional than when I first entered, that everyone feels like they can run for office in the Union regardless of friendships. It is already unimaginably better than when I first got involved in the internal politics two years ago and much of that has to do with the hard work of successive presidents, but there is more work to be done. To that end, if you’re thinking about running, I thoroughly encourage you to. The Union needs as many fresh and unconventional voices from a diversity and range of backgrounds to truly live up to its ideals. Free speech cannot exist without all voices being involved in the shaping of events.

What’s next for you?

I have applied for a master’s to study Anglo-German relations in the run up to the First World War here, but yet to hear anything yet! Beyond that, still very much undecided.

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