The Student Publication Association (SPA) was formed in 2012 by David Gilani, a sabbatical officer at the University of Southampton, who also served as the association’s first Chair.
Two years later, in 2014, we took on board our first team of regional officers, to support members on a local level, and ensure they were able to access a greater level of backing for regional awards and recognition.
In 2015, we expanded to become an international organisation, after members voted unanimously at that year’s annual general meeting to expand to the Republic of Ireland. We welcomed our first Irish publication later that year.
In 2020, we registered as a charity in England and Wales and held our first ever online national conference, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It proved to be our biggest and cheapest ever. 450 people registered for tickets, and for the first time, we were able to offer it completely free of charge to all attendees.
Having grown to an organisation now representing over 175 student publications, the SPA continues to provide support, training and recognition to student publications, and works with partners such as PA Media, Newsworks, City University of London, Bloomberg and the Association of British Science Writers.
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Previous committee members
David Gilani, University of Southampton, 2012 – 2013
Chris Williams, Cardiff University, 2013 – 2014
Sophie Hannah Davis, Nottingham Trent University, 2014 – 2015
Jem Collins, University of Kent, 2015 – 2016
Dan Seamarks, University of Westminster, 2016 – 2017
Dan Falvey, University of East Anglia, 2017 – 2018
Conor Matchett, University of Edinburgh, 2018 – 2019
Owain Evans, University of Exeter, 2019 – 2020
Ben Warner, University of Sheffield, 2020 – 2021
Charlotte Colombo, University of Southampton, 2021
Chay Quinn, University of York, 2021
Ruby Punt, SOAS, 2022
Marino Unger-Verna, King’s College London, 2022 – 2023
Matt Ward-Perkins, University of York, 2023 – 2024
Daniel Chesterton, University of Portsmouth, 2013 – 2014
Aubrey Allegretti, University of Sussex, 2014 – 2016
Dan Falvey, University of East Anglia, 2016 – 2017
James Chesson, University of East Anglia, 2017 – 2018
Xavier Voigt-Hill, University of Southampton, 2018 – 2019
Position abolished in 2019, revived as a Project Officer in 2020
Fiachra Johnston, University College Dublin, 2020-2021
Talia Andrea, King’s College London, 2022 – 2023
Steph Powell, Southampton Solent, 2013 – 2014
Kerry Sclater, University of Southampton, 2014 – 2015
Megan Downing, University of Southampton, 2015 – 2016
Fraser Whieldon, University of Kent, 2016 – 2017
Jessica Frank-Keyes, University of East Anglia, 2017 – 2018
Sarah Redman, University of Exeter, 2018 – 2019
Mila Georgieva, University of Dundee, 2019 – 2020
Ben Warner, University of Sheffield, 2020
Imy Brighty-Potts, University of Southampton, 2020 – 2021
Matilda Head, University of Cambridge, 2021
Fiachra Johnston, University College Dublin, 2021
Marino Unger-Verna, King’s College London, 2022 – 2023
Ben Warner, University of Sheffield, 2022 – 2023
Justine Noble, City University London, 2023 – 2024
Hannah Bracegirdle, De Montford University, 2013 – 2014
Philippa Skett, Imperial College London, 2014 – 2015
Brad Johnson, Hertfordshire University, 2015 – 2016
Hannah Mylrea, University of Southampton, 2016 – 2017
Megan Baynes, University of East Anglia, 2017 – 2018
David White, University of Dundee, 2018 – 2019
Chay Quinn, University of York, 2019 – 2021
Katie Evans, University of Southampton, 2021
Ruby Punt, SOAS, 2021
Matt Ward-Perkins, University of York, 2022 – 2023
Jess Walmsley, University of Manchester, 2023 – 2024
Annissa Warsame, University of Exeter, 2019 – 2020
Uditi Singh, University of Sheffield, 2020 – 2021
Shannon McDonagh, University of East Anglia, 2021
Uditi Singh, University of Sheffield, 2022-2023
Rory Buccheri, University of Aberdeen, 2023-2024
Natasha Sawires, De Montford University, 2013 – 2014
Elliot Davies, St Andrews, 2014 – 2015
Jon May, Swansea University, 2015 – 2016
Gemma Shields, University of Aberdeen, 2016 – 2017
Conor Matchett, University of Edinburgh, 2017 – 2018
Owain Evans, University of Exeter, 2018 – 2019
Edd Church, University of Exeter, 2019 – 2020
Charlotte Colombo, University of Southampton, 2020 – 2021
Bethany Dawson, University of Surrey, 2021
Tabitha Lambie, Lancaster University, 2022 -2023
Ella Robinson, University of Manchester 2023 -2024
Previous SPA officers
Megan Downing, University of Southampton 2014 – 2015
Hannah Mylrea, University of Southampton 2015 – 2016
Tommy Parker, University of Bath, 2016 – 2017
Owain Evans, University of Exeter 2017 – 2018
Edd Church, University of Exeter, 2018 – 2019
Aaron Loose, University of Exeter, 2019 – 2020
George Brown, University of Exeter, 2020-2021
Lars Mucklejohn, City University of London, 2021-2022
Milan Perera, University of Bristol, 2023-2024
Jem Collins, University of Kent, 2014 – 2015
Sean Howlett, University of Hertfordshire, 2015
Fraser Whieldon, University of Kent, 2015 – 2016
Rowena Field-Carter, University of Essex, 2016-2017
Owain Evans, University of Exeter 2017 – 2018
Carly May-Kavanagh, University of Southampton, 2018 – 2019
Jessica Hubbard, University of Sussex, 2019 – 2020
Shan McDonagh, University of East Anglia, 2020-2021
Anvee Bhutani, University of Oxford, 2021-2022
Isabella Ankerson, University of Exeter, 2023-2024
Marion Legrand, University of East London, 2014 – 2015
Zaki Dogliani, University of Bristol, 2015 – 2017
Abbie Cheeseman, Royal Holloway, University of London, 2017 – 2018
George Cook, City University of London, 2018 – 2019
Natalie Rose, University of Middlesex, 2019 – 2020
Chris Matthews, University of East Anglia, 2020-2021
Katrina Chilver, De Montford, 2014 – 2015
Sian Elvin, Warwick University, 2015 – 2016
Katie Wilson, Nottingham Trent, 2016 – 2017
Ben Baruch, University of Nottingham, 2017 – 2018
Eleanor Gray, University of Nottingham 2018 – 2019
Jack Harvey, University of Coventry, 2019 – 2020
Francisca Quádrio, De Monfort University, 2020-2021
Jon May, University of Sheffield, 2014 – 2015
Chloe Coleman, University of Sheffield, 2015
Joss Woodend, University of Sheffield, 2016
James Dix, Northumbria University, 2016 – 2017
Jessica Murray, University of Sheffield, 2018 – 2019
Grace Dean, Newcastle University, 2019 – 2020
Tom Moorcroft, Newcastle University, 2020-2021
Matt Ward-Perkins, University of York, 2021-2022
Joe McFadden, University of Manchester, 2023-2024
Racheal Miller, St Andrews University, 2014 – 2016
Conor Matchett, University of Edinburgh, 2016 – 2017
Polly Smythe, University of Edinburgh, 2017 – 2018
Mila Georgieva, University of Dundee, 2018 – 2019
Alexander Arnaudov, University of Dundee, 2019 – 2020
Maurice Alexander, University of Aberdeen, 2020-2021
Jordan Hunter, University of Glasgow, 2021-2022
Tom Eden, Cardiff University, 2014 – 2015
Hannah Butler, Cardiff University, 2017 – 2018
Maria Mellor, Cardiff University, 2018 – 2019
Chloe Edwards, Cardiff University, 2019
Jack Robert Stacey, Cardiff University, 2021-2022
Lowri Lewis, Cardiff University, 2023-2024
Kylie Noble, Queens University Belfast, 2014 – 2015
Niamh McGovern, Queens University Belfast, 2015 – 2017
Robert O’Sullivan, University College Cork, 2017 – 2018
Dylan O’Neill, Dublin City University, 2018 – 2019
Sam Cox, Trinity College Dublin, 2019
Matthew Moynihan, University College Cork, 2020
Dan Webb, University College Cork, 2020-2021
Jack Walsh, University College Cork, 2023-2024
Emily Townsend, University of Essex, 2015 – 2016
Bridie Pearson-Jones, University of Southampton, 2016 – 2017
Lucy Skoulding, University of Warwick, 2018 – 2019
Position abolished 2019
Michael O’Connell Davidson, Cardiff University, 2015 – 2016
Jack May, Cambridge University, 2016 – 2017
Position abolished 2017-2019
Katie Jenkins, University of Exeter, 2019 – 2020
Roo Pitt, University of East Anglia, 2021
Caoilfhinn Hegarty, University College Dublin, 2021-2022
Tabitha Lambie, Lancaster University , 2023-2024
Tabitha Boyton, Northeastern University London, 2023-2024
Fiona Grew, University of Edinburgh, 2016 – 2017
Position abolished in 2017
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Life members:
David Gilani, University of Southampton (2013)
David Gilani was voted as a life member by members at the AGM in 2013 for his work setting up the organisation.
Jem Collins, University of Kent (2016)
Jem Collins was voted as a life member by her peers in 2016 for her exceptional work in expanding the organisation as chair. She remains a trustee of the organisation.
Aubrey Allegretti, University of Sussex (2016)
Aubrey was voted a life member by his peers in 2016 for his two years service as digital media and his dedication and commitment to the organisation. He remains a trustee.
Bridie Pearson-Jones, University of Southampton (2016)
Bridie Pearson-Jones was voted as a life member by her peers in 2016 for her work in student media.
Ben Jackson, City University (2016)
Ben Jackson was awarded life membership in 2016 for his work in student media, where he saved LondonStudent from the brink of extinction. All outstanding commitment winners are awarded lifetime membership.
Elliot Davies, St Andrew’s (2017)
Elliot wrote the first constitution of the SPA and was awarded lifetime membership for his continued commitment to the organisation.
Sophie Davis, Nottingham Trent (2017)
Sophie stepped up to host the second SPA conference after all of the elected committee disapeared. She was voted a life member in 2017 in recognition of her efforts.
Abbie Llewelyn, University of York (2017)
Abbie was awarded life membership in 2017 for her work in student media, where she successfully crowdfunded to save her paper, York Vision. All outstanding commitment winners are awarded lifetime membership.
Billy Dowling-Reid, Queen Margaret University (2018)
Billy was voted a lifetime member at the AGM in recognition of his work setting up Mediargh, the first media and journalism job website to refuse to list unpaid internships. Following his death from cancer, the Outstanding Commitment Award was renamed after him.
Bill Coles (2018)
Fintan Hogan, Kings College London (2024)
Fintan was awarded life membership in 2024 for his work on ROAR, including the creation of one of the country's first student newspaper apps. All outstanding commitment winners are awarded lifetime membership.
Molly Cantwell, University of Limerick (2024)
Molly was unanimously voted a lifetime member at the AGM in recognition of her work following the tragic death of the paper's editor-in-chief Joe Drennan. As well as leading the paper and supporting the team, she also covered the court case following his death.
Owain Evans, University of Exeter (2024)
Owain was unanimously voted a lifetime member at the AGM for his work leading the SPA through the Covid-19 pandemic and registering the SPA as a charity, as well as his continued independent support.