The role of a Financial Secretary in any student association is a demanding one. It’s a position that requires a careful balance of managing funds, maintaining transparency, and ensuring the association’s financial stability. For UIMSA, this past tenure has been no exception.
As the tenure winds down, the UIMSA Press had a conversation with UIMSA’s Financial Secretary, Miss Osaretin Vanessa Ehiorobo, to reflect on her journey. Recall that the UIMSA elections held on the 20th of April, 2024, saw the inauguration of this present tenure with two executive seats left vacant, that of the Financial Secretary being inclusive. Eventually, on the 11th of May, 2024, the UIMSA senate swore in Miss Vanessa Ehiorobo as Financial Secretary during the second ordinary meeting for that tenure. From celebrating her achievements to understanding the hurdles she faced, this interview provides a glimpse into the quality of work she has done, so far, in managing UIMSA’s finances.
Interviewer: Looking back at your manifesto, which goals do you feel most proud of achieving, and why?
Fin-Sec: Part of my duties as Financial Secretary includes improving the association’s fund pool through various means such as our ventures, improvement in dues, and sponsorships. So far, I’m most pleased with the turnout in dues payments for the tenure from UIMSAites. I am inclined to believe that this is somewhat due to the initiative of ensuring that outstanding packages for about 45 UIMSAites from the previous tenure were made available, thus increasing trust and enthusiasm to commit to dues payment.
Interviewer: Can you walk us through some of the strategies or projects you spearheaded that made the biggest difference in UIMSA’s finances?
Fin-Sec: The UIMSA Merchandise Project, which was originally meant to launch during the last tenure, is one of the biggest projects under my purview. It made a significant difference in our finances. Both UIMSAites and Alumni were very welcoming to the idea of owning merchandise, making it a very successful project. Together with the efforts of the Treasurer, we rolled out two batches. From the photo shoot to publicity, website setup, organizing orders, and eventually delivery, it was a huge project with multiple steps and peculiarities. I’m just glad that it all worked out in the end.
Interviewer: What was the toughest financial hurdle this year, and how did you overcome it?
Fin-Sec: The toughest hurdle I faced was securing sponsorships throughout the tenure. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to secure funding from non-alumni bodies, but I hope to keep intensifying efforts in this regard, especially for the Health Week.
Interviewer: Keeping transparency in financial matters can be tricky—how did you make sure members felt informed and involved?
Fin-Sec: Transparency in our finances is usually maintained through delivering the quarterly financial reports to the UIMSA Senate. Due to multiple recent unforeseen circumstances, we’re yet to have this meeting.
Interviewer: Did you ever find it challenging to communicate financial updates effectively to UIMSA members? How did you tackle those communication gaps?
Fin-Sec: Most of the financial updates with association members were about dues, dues deadlines, and payment processes, as there were some hitches here and there. However, those issues have now been sorted.
Interviewer: If you had to compare the financial state of UIMSA at the beginning and end of your tenure, what would that comparison look like?
Fin-Sec: The tenure has gone through many financial ups and downs, no thanks to the difficult economy. However, I would still maintain that through the various donations and business ventures, the tenure is definitely better than it started.
Interviewer: What kind of feedback have you received from members about your work, and how did it shape your approach?
Fin-Sec: For the projects and events under my purview, such as the fundraising workshop and merchandise sales, I ensured to roll out feedback forms. I believe that service is a two-way street, and improvement is impossible without feedback. The feedback has been essential in helping me keep myself in check and ensuring improvements for future work.
Interviewer: Were there any unexpected expenses or crises? How did you deal with them without affecting the association’s plans?
Fin-Sec: I wouldn’t call them crises. However, inflation often led to requests for budget expansion from the Senate. Additionally, unplanned occasions occasionally arose that required attention. In such situations, we appealed for donations, and thankfully, our donors came through.
Interviewer: What advice would you give to the next Financial Secretary to help them hit the ground running and make a positive impact?
Fin-Sec: There’s a lot I would want to say because the workload is quite intimidating, and I should probably start keeping a note before the time comes. But to keep it brief: diligence, the yearning for improvement, and boldness.
– Being diligent will ensure that you know your onions, keep records well, and pay attention to details. This will greatly ease the stress of financial reports.
– Don’t be afraid to do the right thing, as long as it’s in line with the constitution.
– With the way the country is going, being bold is essential to securing funds from already frustrated donors.
Hopefully, these tips should carry the next person some distance.
The Financial Secretary’s tenure has been marked by innovation and strategic leadership. Her accomplishments, including successful merchandise initiatives, have significantly enhanced UIMSA’s financial stability.
Sunday Precious Nnamdi
