Page 46 - Future Leaders 2018-2019

Profiles

The Top 10 10 9

TONI FOLA-ALADE, 21 AMARA BARRETT-WILLETT, 21

School: University of Cambridge School: University of York
Course: Human, Social & Political Sciences (BA) Course: Social and Political Sciences (BA)
Year: First Year: Graduated
Grade average: 2:1 Grade: 2:1
Being ACS president is not a unique role among the students Amara is the perfect example of what a Future Leader
who feature in this magazine, as it’s a position that requires embodies. When she successfully ran for the editorship of
and showcases strong leadership skills. However, Toni’s her university’s student newspaper York Vision in the autumn
experiences in the role definitely ensure he stands out from of 2017, her excitement quickly turned to dismay at the stark
the crowd and puts him in our Top 10 this year. discovery that the paper was in serious debt and barely had
Prior to starting university just last year – and while still at any staff, following a strained relationship with the previous
secondary school – he noticed that there were some notable editor. In fact, the £4,500 worth of debt was enough to
failings in the way the school handled issues surrounding halt print production of the paper altogether. At this point,
diversity. Toni chose to respond in a way that would move not many would have blamed her for abandoning the role
things forward positively, by taking a concept traditionally there and then, in a situation seemingly out of her hands.
reserved for a university setting – an African Caribbean Instead, Amara moved quickly to assemble a new team of
Society – and implementing it into his school at Harrow. first-year reporters who, being new to the uni, were hungry
Toni and two friends decided to launch the society in and hardworking. She also decided to move the newspaper
year 11, offering debates, cultural events and services such online, where she offered bespoke advertising arrangements
as tutoring to the local community. He and his team also with local businesses starting low to entice them in. She
worked on addressing and tackling issues with the treatment made use of additional revenue builders, such as Google
of black students at the school. Adsense, to bring in some money.
“There was a policy the school wanted to introduce to ban Her quick and astute thinking paid off and in just two
dreadlocked hairstyles,” he says. “They said that it was months, the publication had pulled in £2000 worth of ad
deemed ‘untidy and unkempt’”. I made recommendations revenue, while the stories generated by the new reporters
to the school, as well as consistently liaising with them to had improved the content enough to take the views up from
rectify situations like this and others.” an average of 5000 hits a day across the website, to some
This was obviously great training for his role as ACS stories receiving triple that amount in a matter of hours.
president at Cambridge, which he took on during his first Further testament to the strength of the new content was
year – again, not the norm. In this role, he is responsible for when national newspapers such as The Guardian and The
overseeing projects and initiatives that positively affect the Daily Telegraph started calling to use some of them. One
education of the group’s 250 members. He has also used story about the university hockey team wearing swastika
his experience working with established organisations to t-shirts made it into the Daily Mail, The Sun and The
improve their diversity efforts. Independent. Online, the story had 50,000 hits in just three
Toni is currently undertaking consultation work for corporate hours.
companies such as Goldman Sachs in a bid to add to their The overhaul has been a huge success and the student
diversity agendas. newspaper went back into print in March 2018 and has
He is also currently planning the launch of Cambridge’s first continued to thrive.
Africa conference. During her second year, Amara became the first ever BAME
officer for her college, Langwith. In this role she ran student
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? mixers across the university’s various colleges in a bid to
With my own private equity venture capital fund, to be create a more cohesive community.
involved in building a school that gives black boys the best
education opportunities possible and to be in a position to Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
run for my first government position in Nigeria. As a presenter, using my platform to talk about
marginalised people.

TH
44 FUTURE LEADERS 10 ANNIVERSARY EDITION