Community Exe Student Leaders
If you obtain a place on Community Exe, you will be inspired and motivated by our Community Exe Student Leaders - they will share their lived experiences and advice throughout the programme and its events.
Introducing Chaitanya
Introducing Toby
Matthew - Law LLB
Hi! I am Matthew, and I am one of your Community Exe Student Leaders, primarily working with the Young Leaders strand. I am a current Law LLB student here at the University of Exeter, and aspiring barrister! It has been great to meet so many of you participants at our award days, but for those of you who haven’t, here is a rundown of myself!
To start off, I am from Weymouth, in Dorset, which is only around 60 miles (1.5 hour) drive away! It’s most famous for its beaches, historic harbour, Georgian Esplanade, and being within the Jurassic Coast – a UNESCO World Heritage Area. Part of this is why we hosted the Sailing Events in the 2012 Olympics. Before I came to Exeter, I studied at The Thomas Hardye School in Dorchester. My GCSEs consisted of Biology, Business, Chemistry, English Language and Literature, History, Health and Social Care, Maths, Theology and Ethics, Spanish, and Physics. In my A-Levels, I studied Law, Economics and Politics, and here I realised that Law was what I was passionate about, as it was by far my most interesting subject – with my interest stemming from studying tort law and human rights law. In this time, I also was part of Exeter’s 16th Cohort of Pathways to Law students, which opened opportunities for myself relating to studying law and law in practice.
Read the rest of Matthew's Profile here.
Chaitanya - BSc Business and Management
I grew up in India, which has been a huge part of who I am. Growing up there gave me a strong sense of responsibility and community—values that I truly hope to bring to the Community Exe Student Leader program. The culture, the experiences, and the people have all shaped my perspective on working collaboratively and making a positive impact on those around me.
For my A-levels, I studied Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. I worked really hard for these qualifications, and I'm proud to say I achieved some great grades. These subjects gave me a solid foundation in scientific thinking and problem-solving, even though my path eventually led me toward business rather than science. I'm currently in my final year studying BSc Business Management with Industrial Experience at the University of Exeter.
The decision to shift from science to business came at a pivotal moment in my life. I became fascinated by how businesses actually operate in the world—how big companies make critical decisions, what drives strategy, and how different functions work together.
Read the rest of Chaitanya's Profile here.
Kaylan - BSc Mathematics and Data Science
My name is Kaylan, and I’m from London. I am currently studying Mathematics and Data Science at Exeter, a course I chose because I enjoyed maths (but not enough to pursue a straight mathematics degree) and wanted to incorporate the practical skills I could learn through data science. At school, I studied Maths, Further Maths, and History and realised that I enjoyed analytical thinking and logical challenges (whilst still really enjoying history). This interest developed into a wider curiosity about data, statistics and how numbers can be used to support decision-making, especially in the worlds of sports and finance.
I decided to study Mathematics and Data Science because it combines strong mathematical foundations with practical, real-world applications. The course enables me to develop skills in areas such as data analysis, programming, and statistical modelling, which will hopefully be valuable for my future career. I am hoping to enter the world of finance and trading after university.
Read the rest of Kaylan's Profile here.
Conor - BMBS Medicine
Hi everyone I’m Conor, one of the student leaders on the community EXE programme for 2025/26! I’d like to take a little bit of time to introduce myself so you can all get a bit of background info about me! I am currently a 4th year Medical student living and studying here at the University of Exeter. I spent my first year in Exeter itself, living in student accommodation at Rowancroft on the east side of the city. I then moved to Cornwall for two years throughout my second and third years of studying, and have come back to Exeter for my fourth an fifth years.
I am originally from Worcestershire in the West Midlands, and university was my first experience of living away from home, as it is for many people. For my GCSEs that I completed in 2019, I studied triple science, music and geography as my three options. This lead me on to study biology, chemistry and english literature for A-levels, and that lead me down the path to where I am now!
Read the rest of Conor's Profile here.
