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Hi, I’m Sameeha Gaur :)

The Leeds Women in Leadership Society has been one of the most meaningful parts of my university experience. Over the last two years, LWIL has helped me grow in confidence, leadership and community. I’ve met inspiring women, built long-lasting connections and found a space where everyone is encouraged to step into their potential. I want every member to feel that same sense of support, belonging and empowerment. 💌

I’ve been actively involved in LWIL through a range of opportunities, including the London office visit to Macquarie, volunteering at the Empower Conference, the Deloitte Insight Day and many more events that have given me a strong understanding of how the society operates and what members value most. These experiences have shaped my passion for mentoring, development and creating accessible opportunities for everyone. 🌟

I’m now excited to run for Mentoring Director 26/27, a role that aligns perfectly with my commitment to supporting others and building a community where women uplift each other. 🫶🏻

As Mentoring Director 26/27, my proposals are:

💌 Strengthen and expand the mentoring scheme
I want to create a more structured, personalised and supportive mentoring programme that helps members feel guided and confident throughout their journey.
💌 Increase mentor diversity
I aim to bring in mentors from a wide range of industries including consulting, finance, law, marketing, technology, STEM and more, so members can explore paths that genuinely reflect their interests.
💌 Provide more opportunities for personal and professional growth
I want to introduce more workshops, informal check-ins and development-focused sessions to help members build skills that matter both personally and professionally.
💌 Build a stronger sense of community
My goal is to create an environment where every member feels valued, heard and encouraged. Mentoring should be a space where we learn from each other and grow together.
💌 Use my LWIL experience to elevate the scheme
Having attended major LWIL events and volunteered at the Empower Conference, I understand the society’s culture and values. I will use this experience to enhance the mentoring scheme and ensure it remains a core part of LWIL.


Vote for me, Sameeha Gaur for Mentoring Director 26/27 🌼
Let’s build a mentoring community where every woman feels supported, empowered and ready to lead. 💕

Hi! I’m Saffah, a driven first year student who would love to be your mentoring director for the Women in Leadership Society. I believe that mentoring is a powerful tool in any situation, but for first year students starting university, it is an unmissable opportunity. I understand that coming into a huge city like Leeds can be a daunting experience, especially for those wanting to succeed in top companies. Having started my own corporate society and networking with a multitude of successful women, I know how competitive the university and graduate worlds can be. Therefore, I know this scheme will ensure that mentees feel confident in taking on new challenges in university by pairing them thoughtfully with mentors who will help them effortlessly fly through first year. I want to prioritize uniqueness and individuality as a tool for standing out instead of blending in and mentees to understand that university is about exploring who you truly are whilst simultaneously building networks and gaining experience that will lead to success in the working world.

Apart from my genuine interest in helping students have a successful first year, I also have first-hand experience of being a mentor and this means I know the benefits of the scheme. Furthermore, I have real life experience of being a woman in leadership meaning I have developed an abundance of skills including, clear communication across multidisciplinary teams, thoughtful and detailed organisation skills and being a responsive contact who genuinely listens to queries and worries. All my skills are directly transferable to this role, and I aim to carry it out with precision and care.

Why my manifesto will be successful:
1. Being a reliable contact means no mentee or mentor is left feeling unsure, uncomfortable or overworked. I will respond to any worries with haste to ensure the scheme works to everyone’s advantage
2. The halfway and end point survey is the perfect way to keep track of how mentees and mentors are responding to the scheme. Mentees can report if they are adhering to their goals and getting the most out of it and mentors can report how they think mentees are coping. If I feel any parties are unsatisfied, I will manage this to the best of my ability.
3. Curating a resource bank will be that extra perk of the scheme and will mean first years are equipped with the resources they may need to advance in their educational and career journeys. This will be specially customized for specific sectors including law, finance, healthcare, politics and creative arts.
4. Encouraging mentees to create a list of goals prior to the scheme will not only allow me to filter applications but also assists mentors in their roles by giving them a clear idea of the mentee’s aspirations.
5. Finally, having mixers that are catered for everyone will ensure no one feels unwelcomed to the scheme purely based on fear of these events. I believe it is essential that these events are a friendly environment for everyone as they are a crucial part of the scheme.

I would love to have your vote, and I hope everyone can see that I am the right person for this role because of my experience and whole-hearted desire for WILS members to always feel supported and comfortable during this process 💛.

Hi everyone! I’m Halima and I’m running to be your next Mentoring Scheme Coordinator 💜

As a first-year student, I’ve experienced first-hand how impactful the WILS mentoring scheme can be when it’s done well. I was lucky to meet my mentor through a WILS office visit to BNY and that connection became one of the most valuable parts of my first year.

Through the scheme, I gained support with my CV, applications, interview preparation and assessment centres. More importantly, I gained confidence, clarity and the reassurance that I was heading in the right direction. That guidance played a real role in helping me secure an Aon Investment Consulting internship in my first year.

Because of this, I understand what makes mentoring truly effective and where we can take it even further.

💡 What I want to improve

I want to make the mentoring scheme not just supportive but structured, practical and outcome-focused:

🎯 Introduce clear goal-setting from the very first session so every mentoring pair has direction.
🧭 Provide a simple meeting guide (CVs, applications, confidence, networking, interviews) to make sessions more productive.
💼 Strengthen focus on real career outcomes - spring weeks, internships and assessment centres.
🤝 Improve mentor-mentee matching based on interests, goals and career aspirations.
📊 Add more mid-scheme check-ins to ensure everyone stays engaged and supported.

🌐 Expanding opportunities

I’ll use my network of 6000+ LinkedIn connections to help increase visibility of opportunities, mentors and events.
Work to expand the range of mentors and industries, giving mentees more choice and relevance.
Build stronger links with careers services and external organisations.

🎉 Building a stronger community

Organise more mentoring socials, mixers and informal coffee chats.
Create a scheme that feels not only useful but also welcoming, engaging and supportive.
Encourage collaboration and connection beyond just one-to-one meetings.

💜 Why me?

I’m not just someone applying for this role - I’m someone who has benefited from this scheme directly and understands its impact.

Alongside this, my experiences as an incoming Aon intern, a PwC Spring Week participant, a Financial Analyst at Leeds Finsight and a teacher/tutor supporting students academically and personally have all strengthened my ability to support, guide and communicate effectively with others.

✨ Final note

I want every mentee to leave this scheme feeling more confident, more prepared and closer to their goals.

If you’re looking for a Mentoring Scheme Coordinator who will bring structure, opportunities and real impact, I would truly appreciate your vote 💜