Forth Valley Student Association (FVSA) have announced their new part-time sabbatical officer roles of President and Vice President for 2025/26.
A total of 163 votes were cast by students in the elections and Matthew Marshall (16) has been elected as President and Monika Smith (47) has been elected as Vice President. Returning Officer Stephen Jarvie – who is the College’s Corporate Governance and Planning Officer – congratulated the winning students, as well as the FVSA, and FVC staff members, who helped to organise the election.
Also in the running were students Matthew Crossan and Mamound Ramadan who both campaigned well during the election, but narrowly missed out. The new officers take over from out-going Student President Elena Strachan and Vice President Kirsten Kennedy, whose terms end later this month.
New Student President Matthew from Bannockburn, who has just completed a NC Creative Industries course and is set to start his BA Art and Design in August, said: “It is a great feeling of accomplishment to have been elected President of the Forth Valley Student Association.
“I am very excited about my new role and would like to thank everyone who voted for me and for my lecturers who supported me. I can’t wait to work with Monika and the FVSA Team in the year to come. I am also looking forward to meeting as many students as possible and working on their behalf next term.”
Vice President Monika, from Larbert, who has just completed a NQ Early Learning and Childcare course and is set to begin a Level 6 course in the same subject area in August, said: “I am speechless, but I am looking forward to the challenge. I can’t wait to collaborate with Matthew and the Student Association and I hope to do as much as I can for the student body as is possible. Thanks to everyone who voted for me and to my lecturers who encouraged and supported me in the election.”
Kenny MacInnes, Principal of Forth Valley College, said: "I would like to congratulate Matthew and Monika on the election to President and Vice President respectively of the Forth Valley Student Association. I am really looking forward to working with them in the coming academic year and I am confident they will do a great job of representing the College's student body in the weeks and months ahead.
"I would also like to take this opportunity pay tribute to out-going President Elena Strachan and Vice President Kirsten Kennedy who are close to completing their tenures with the FVSA. I would like to thank them for all their hard work and I wish them well in all that they go on to do in their careers."
Rob McDermott, FVC's Head of Learning and Quality, said: "Congratulations to new President Matthew and Vice President Monika on securing their new roles, I can't wait to work closely with them over the next year. The FVSA elections are always an exciting time of the year as we welcome a new President and Vice President, especially this year as we move on from our first Tertiary Enhancement Quality Review and the actions that this will bring.
“Partnership working is a key aspect of this and I am confident that both Matthew and Monika will rise to the challenge and build on the legacy that their predecessors, Kirsten and Elena have left. I wish both Kirsten and Elena every success in their future endeavours.”
The new Student President and Vice President will work together in part-time roles alongside their studies, to represent the voice of students across Forth Valley College during the 2025-26 academic term. They are expected to take up post from July 2025.
Kasia Slapek, FVSA Student Engagement Co-ordinator, said: “This year’s Sabbatical election was full of energy, friendly competition, and lots of support from everyone involved. Both candidates worked hard to understand what students really need and created thoughtful plans to help make things better. Their dedication and efforts during the campaign showed how much they care about making a difference.
“We’re excited to welcome Matthew and Monika to the FVSA team – we can’t wait to see what you’ll achieve!
“A huge thank you to our former Vice President Kirsten Kennedy. Her hard work, passion, and dedication have truly made a difference. Kirsten has been a strong voice for students, always standing up for what matters most. Through her efforts, Kirsten left a lasting legacy that will continue to inspire future student leaders.
"We’re so grateful for everything you’ve done – you’ve represented Student Voice brilliantly, and your impact won’t be forgotten. Wishing you all the best in your next chapter!"
Lisa Baxter, FVC’s Student Association and University Partnership Manager, said: “We are delighted to welcome Matthew as our new Student President and Monika as our new Vice President, many congratulations to them both. Elena Strachan and Kirsten Kennedy our out-going officers, made their marks during their terms in office, and we wish them all the very best with their next steps.
“Many thanks to everyone who enquired about the two posts, to those who helped to promote and deliver the elections, as well as to all students who voted.
“If you’ll be studying at FVC in session 2025/26, you might wish to consider running for Student President or Vice President next time! That being said, you don’t need to be Student President to make a difference - we’ll be promoting volunteering opportunities throughout the year, and we hope to hear from any student who would like to get involved in the work of the FVSA.”
For more information visit https://www.fvsa.co.uk/
