My dear engineering friends,

When they first announced the new CGCU President earlier in March this year, I clearly remembered how Lotanna Agu single-handedly hoisted me into the air. Above the crowd cheering for me, I shouted one of my most memorable campaign slogans out loud “You can count on me!” Like many of my good friends, Lotanna was counting on me to usher in an unprecedented year ahead for the CGCU even as I counted on all of them for their utmost support and vote to open up a door for me to do so.

Some say that the fire within the CGCU had died out over the past decade, but I assure them that there will always be a few of us whom its members can count on to keep the flame going. It is with no greater joy that my 2013⁄2014 committee and I have been granted this opportunity to enrich the university experience of our fellow engineering students this year, to dedicate ourselves to the revival of the CGCU brand name and spirit amongst all of you.

Dick Costolo, the CEO of Twitter, said: “Believe that if you make courageous choices and bet on yourself and put yourself out there, that you will have an impact as a result of what you do. And you don’t need to know now what that would be or how will it happen because no one ever does.”

We’ve made bold choices to revise our publicity themes and methods, overhaul our office, revamp our website and restore our highly-coveted events and traditions, not knowing what the outcome will be. All these came with tireless hours over the summer holidays and sacrifices alongside our already hectic academic schedule (it’s Imperial after all).

What have we achieved so far? For a start, I hope you find that you’re receiving much fewer emails as before (and certainly of better design and quality) and seeing more of your student reps publicizing our fantastic events to you in person. Our CGCU office is now a more desirable place for you to come visit us with your feedback (we are your student voice to the college!). James and Juliet, our academic affairs and welfare officers in particular, have so generously set aside their lunchtimes on Tuesdays and Fridays to receive you on those matters.

Finally, we saw over-the-top attendance and reception for our CGCU Welcome Dinner which ended off with a roaring Boomalaka cheer.

Yet this is just but the beginning of a new chapter. Take heart, for the best is yet to come. Bringing you back to my election results day, the relationship between Lotanna and me is like the CGCU and its committee. For as much as the committee can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and dedication of all its members upon which this union relies.

There are many more wonderful events on its way, including the Dinner with Industry, Alumni Careers Evening and the Club Night to celebrate the end of a momentous term! The ball is now in your court to get involved in all of them and more than that, spread the C&G identity to your fellow peers. We’re counting on you to take our union to greater heights!

Sincerely Yours, Lejon