With excitement about the new year commencing, and some major changes coming the College's way, our Student Leadership Team is keen to be proactive on action plans to make 2026 bigger and better! Our ADSS team, including Harriet, has their eyes firmly set on creating a culture that ensures another fantastic year for all Residents and Associate Members.

We sat down with her recently to discuss what her priorities were for the College in 2026

What do you see as key priorities for 2026?

In 2026, I would love to help improve engagement in our college. I understand the anxiety of putting yourself forward, or the struggle of not feeling motivated to do something. But likewise, I have felt the benefit of the connection and enjoyment from pushing your comfort zones and showing up, even when you don’t feel like it.

Wholly engaging in the college community can feel a bit like going for a run: you never really want to start but you're always glad you went afterwards. I have never regretted showing up to watch a sporting match or cultural event, and this year I would really love to help support a culture where engagement is the automatic - not the addition.

Why did you run for this leadership position?

As a residential leader in 2025,  I had the opportunity to be involved in the Student Leadership Team. This experience sparked a passion for advocacy and problem-solving within the King’s community. It gave me the desire to run for ADSS to gain more scope to be able to continue to tackle issues and help improve our college.

What do you think are the qualities of a great leader?

In my opinion, the hallmarks of a great leader are integrity and discretion.

Our Student Leadership Team - across its different branches - brings to the table a diverse range of attitudes and beliefs. While this multiplicity is what brings us strength as a group, it can also lead to divided stances. As a leader, you must not be afraid to hold firm in your beliefs against opposing ideas and be able to back yourself when make hard decisions. It is a simple fact that you can’t make everyone happy, but the alternative state of indecision will leave no one happy.

Likewise, you must be able to exercise discretion; to understand when to concede your stance and pick the battles really worth fighting. Just because someone is promoting a different idea does not mean it is antithetical to yours. It is important as a leader to recognise when accepting alternate pathways will still achieve common goals, just as much as it's important to have integrity towards your own opinions.

What does legacy mean to you?

To an old collegian walking through the gates, the community at our college might seem vastly different; I’m sure I’d feel the same if I went back in time as little as six years. But looking deeper, what you would find is that despite how this place might change outwardly, the core values remain alike. That is what legacy means to me: a continued tradition of attitudes and beliefs that are ready to be adapted and reshaped by new generations.

In my actions as a leader, I hope to honour the values passed down to me, so that they can be learned and continued by new cohorts of Kingsmen and Women in a way that represents them best.