The primary way we support CUs and equip students to share Jesus is through our Staff Workers. Forty‑seven of them work across campuses nationwide, discipling and training student leaders. One of them is Imogen (Imo) Maycock.
Imo came to understand the gospel fully through her CU and church while studying Graphic Design at Manchester University. She went on to do Relay, where she developed a love for reading the Bible with creative students. After two and a half years working in the design industry, she joined UCCF as a CUSW in London in 2024. She now supports CUs across the region, including at the University of the Arts London (UAL).
Sommer Brosnan, a second-year Interior and Spatial Design student, is currently President of UAL CU. After becoming a Christian in 2022, she felt unsure about joining the CU when she started university in 2024. However, after she formed strong friendships there, CU became a regular part of her university life, and she stepped into the role of president in 2025. Since taking on this responsibility, she has developed a renewed urgency and passion for spreading the gospel across all six UAL campuses.
Imo and Sommer work closely together at UAL. We sat down with them to discuss their partnership, why it works so well, and how it contributes to a thriving and effective CU.
What does a typical week of working together look like?
Imo: UAL has its CU meetings on a Thursday evening, so that's the big moment of the week. Then the committee, which is currently three students, meets on a Friday morning to talk about strategy and plans. Typically, Sommer and I meet earlier in the week to read the Bible together (we’ve recently read through Ephesians), pray, plan for CU events and curate an agenda for the next committee meeting, which Sommer then leads. We’ve also recently started reading a book together called Leaders Who Follow by Andy Mason, which is helping us to think about what it means to be a Christian leader and how we can apply that to CU life.
Sommer, how does Imo support you in your work with the CU?
Sommer: I was saying recently to future committee members that even though the CU is run by students for students, Imogen and Joey [Relay Worker] do such a good job in supporting us – I don't know how we could have led so well without them. They help us deal with tricky issues that we wouldn't have been able to manage by ourselves. But most importantly, Imogen helps us to stay gospel-focused in everything we do. She doesn’t just help us to think about logistics, she also helps us to grow in our own faith, which is so important while on committee.
What’s one thing you've learned from each other throughout your time working together?
Sommer: Quite a few things! But one thing comes to mind and that is honouring people’s time and work. We were meant to have an away day recently but owing to a low number of sign-ups we didn't think it would be worth our guest speakers coming for just six people, especially when our regular CU meetings can have up to 20 people. But Imogen helped me to see that if we just cancelled the event, we wouldn’t really be honouring the speakers’ time and the work they’d put in to prepare for it. It really helped me to understand situations from other people’s perspectives and showed me that I need to honour people and the time they give to us. I apply this perspective to other areas of my life now too, and I have Imogen to thank for that.
Imo: I've learned lots from Sommer, but something that stands out is her very natural way of being friends with a broad range of people. She has lots of non-Christian and Christian friends, and often draws these two groups together, blurring the boundaries between what could seem like very compartmentalised friendships. I think that is how CUs work best – when their members live such authentic and integrated lives that invitations to events or conversations about faith don’t feel jarring or awkward but are a natural outflowing from relationship. Sommer has taught me to worry less about drawing together people with different viewpoints on faith, and to first recognise our common humanity as a basis for all evangelism.
What are some of your favourite moments?
Sommer: I really enjoy our one-to-ones. Those weekly catch-ups are where Imo and I have developed not only our working relationship but our friendship too, by talking about day-to-day life as well as CU life. I also really appreciate having someone to read the Bible with, and going through Ephesians together was great – I'd never read it before and I learned so much.
Imo: I really love seeing Sommer put into action the things we’ve explored together in our one‑to‑ones. Whether it’s a biblical principle or passage, or a practical aspect of CU, she’ll take the reins and apply these insights at the next committee meeting, leading the rest of the team in what she’s learned. It’s amazing to see the outworking of our time together in such a tangible way!
Why do you think the relationship between Staff Worker and student leader is so key to the work of CUs?
Sommer: Above all, Imogen makes sure our CUs stay on the right track. She consistently keeps us gospel‑focused and grounded in Scripture, helping us to prioritise what truly matters rather than becoming just a social space, valuable as community is. It’s also very helpful for us as committee members to have someone to reach out to for spiritual or practical support, whenever we need it.
Imo: I think the relationship between Staff Worker and student works so well because I am just that bit removed from everyday campus life. This is helpful in a practical sense, because I can be a neutral voice in situations of conflict, but I’m also able to regularly help students come back to the simple truth and beauty of the gospel. I love it when we open the Bible together and say, ‘Wow, God is so good. Wouldn't it be great if everyone knew how good our God was?’
I often feel that my role is to give students a pair of metaphorical sunglasses – helping them see the world through the eyes of their non‑Christian friends. I want to help them think critically about how the gospel speaks into those friends’ lives, consider what they might most need to hear, and encourage them to make the most of every opportunity.
Our CU Staff Workers are at the heart of our ministry, leading the way as we seek to share Jesus with students across the country. Discover how you can stand with and support UCCF staff