Shaquita Corry

Shaquita is the 2022/23 Liverpool John Moores Students’ Union (JMSU) Vice President for Education and an International Relations and Politics graduate.

She was elected to her post in March 2022 and is working on decolonising the curriculum, reducing hidden course costs and supporting students through the cost of living crisis. She’s also working with Academic Registry to create better transparency with academic policy and processes for students.

Shaquita features in our ‘Humans of LJMU’ series in collaboration with the ‘Humans of Liverpool’ social media account, sharing the stories of the people who make our city, communities and university the vibrant, inclusive place it is in celebration of our bicentenary year.

In her interview she reflects on her hopes for further study and helping others in the future, as well as pursing a political career. She also shares the challenges she faced during her final year of study when her mum passed away and how that’s impacted her relationship with her home city of Liverpool.

Shaquita’s ‘Humans of LJMU’ interview

“I’ve always loved politics. I studied my undergrad in International Relations and Politics and I’m currently the Vice President for Education at the Student’s Union. I’m really passionate about diversity in education and about working to decolonise the curriculum from its Western facing views and the impact that will have on international students with different heritages.

“I think it’s so important to have people in politics that have come from a similar place to yourself, who have been through the education system when uni wasn’t free and understand what young people are going through. At the moment I’m really loving Zara Sultana. I feel like she’s the new wave of the Labour Party and the voice of young people. It’s fantastic to see politicians like her and Nadia Whittome being emotional and vulnerable, unafraid to be loud and swear. The new young politicians are just so honest and not afraid of being belittled; it’s making my generation more engaged by seeing that. That’s something that I want to do myself, I want to be a voice for young people in politics. I want to keep learning, go into a master’s and then a PhD after that. I want to build my knowledge and influence to a point where I can truly help people in a real way.

“My mum passed away three years ago, as I was entering my third year of university. During that third year I felt like I didn’t want to be in the city anymore, because I felt like that part of my scouse identity was gone. There are good memories, but they can be quite painful. There are places I go to where it makes me really sad because I think about the times I had there with my mum. Now that I’ve finished my time as a student here, I’m asking myself, do I want to move somewhere else and start a new life, have a fresh start, or stay here, but it doesn’t feel the same as it did before. A lot of my friends have graduated and left Liverpool, my family is gone. So, I sometimes just think, what is left for me here now? It’s a unique city and I’m so proud to be from here, but I’d like to see somewhere else. I want it to be a special place again, maybe moving away and coming back would make it that.”