When Tom Chigbo graduated with a degree in Geography from St John’s College in 2009, he could have followed the path of many of his peers towards the big money in the city.

However, after being awarded the St John’s College Larmor Award, and being named by Rare Rising Stars as the UK’s number one black student, Chigbo had loftier ambitions.

Instead, he ran for CUSU President and won the election in a year of exceptionally high student turnout. He was CUSU’s first black President. Among his biggest achievements during his time with CUSU was to secure funding of £35,000 to establish a Student Advice Service, making Cambridge the final Russell Group university to have a full-time student advisor.

Since leaving CUSU, Chigbo has received considerable public recognition. In 2012, the Guardian tipped Chigbo as a future Prime Minister in their profile of him as ‘one to watch’. Speaking at the time, Chigbo said: “I’m interested in people. I think the way politics is conducted in this country does not give people enough respect and recognition, and that needs to change”.

After gaining an MA in Community Organising at Queen Mary University in London, Chigbo joined Citizens UK, a grassroots organisation that aims to “build the power of communities who work together for the common good.”

One of Citizens UK’s primary campaigns is for institutions, such as the University of Cambridge, to pay all of its staff the living wage and to be accredited by the Living Wage Foundation.

Being accredited means that an employer is committing to pay all current and future staff the living wage (£7.45 per hour nationally, £8.55 per hour in London). This entitles the employer to use the Living Wage Employer mark, granted by the Living Wage Foundation.

Speaking to Varsity at last week’s Living Wage Rally at King’s, Chigbo commented on how students often live very separate lives from the people of their surroundings. This, he said, is “really sad.”

Some colleges defend their failure to pay the living wage by the fact that their staff receive “perks” such as free meals and uniforms. Chigbo called such gestures “irrelevant”, and stressed that paying the living wage is a sign of respect, giving people the freedom to spend their money how they choose.

Chigbo said: “The living wage is good for employers, good for workers and good for society. Cambridge is one of the country’s most expensive cities, with 17 per cent of children living in poverty.

“If anywhere is crying out for a dynamic Living Wage Campaign, it’s here. By campaigning for the living wage and building relationships with the cleaning, catering and security staff who keep the University moving, students can make a real difference to people’s lives.”