Sports Union President
Connie Chen
Hi Wildcats! I'm Connie, your Sports Union President for 2026/27.
I'm here to listen to your experiences, represent the student voice and work with students and staff to make sport at Edinburgh as welcoming, accessible and supportive as possible.
I joined Athletics in my first year as a sprinter, before going on to learn javelin and pole vault through the club. Alongside Athletics, I enjoy weightlifting and volleyball. A fun fact about me is that I was a ballet dancer for 15 years before making the jump into weightlifting! I previously served as your Media Officer and Creative Content Assistant in 2025/26, where I developed my passion for sports photography and videography. I also run my own freelance sports media business. I'm a recent graduate in Sociology and Psychology, and I'm excited to bring my experience both on and off the field to my role as Sports Union President.
Sport at Edinburgh is where I found my sense of belonging during my time away from home. It gave me teammates and friends who supported me every step of the way, and I want to make sure that more students have the opportunity to expeirence that same sense of community.
My aims for 2026/27
Increasing participation and creating a more inclusive sporting community: Create a welcoming and accessible sporting environment for students from all backgrounds and at every stage of university life including mature, postgraduate, commuting and international students.
As an international student from China and Singapore, I understand some of the barriers that can come with finding your community in a new environment. I want to make sure that students know that sport at Edinburgh is for everyone, regardless of their background, experience or ability.
Supporting performance and celebrating achievement: Contribute to the development of the Performance Development Programme, helping to ensure that elite athletes have the support they need to perform at their best. At the same time, ensuring that all achievements are recognised across our clubs. Through the support from our Media Officer Ben, I want to highlight the sporting, volunteering and community achievements of our students throughout the year.
Whether you are at the highest level, represent your club in BUCS competition, volunteer behind the scenes, or simply contribute to your club community, your work matters. I want students to feel that their achievements are seen and celebrated by the Sports Union.
Strengthening the Sports Union as a place of support and advice: Together with the EUSU staff team, we have introduced a revised Club Development framework to streamline club documentation and handover processes, making it easier for committees to navigate their responsibilities. I also want to increase engagement from Executive Committee with the clubs through regular one-to-one contact and stronger relationships with committee members.
Ultimately, I want EUSU to be a place that clubs can turn to for advice, guidance and support. With around 70 sports clubs and more than 200 intramural teams across the University, there is a huge and diverse community for us to support - and I want to make sure every club feels heard and represented.
Come and say hello!
My office hour is Monday 16:00-17:30. You're more than welcome to drop in with questions, ideas, concerns or simply for a chat about sport and the opportunities available through EUSU.
I'm looking forward to meeting more of you and working together to make sport at Edinburgh an even stronger community.
See you around Wildcats!