Newsletter

  • Alumni Newsletter January 2018

    Honoring Our Contributors

    As a young and relatively small alumni association, every single contribution received is an enormous help and tremendous push forward toward the ambitious goals that we set forth.

    We would like to honor and recognize alumni who made sizable contributions to the Alumni Association in 2017. The following individuals will have an Alumni Brick created in their behalf, which will be placed in front of the IRC on the infamous Alumni Brick Path. These individuals have made a contribution of more than 500 EUR to the Association and will have their legacy cemented on campus.

    Stephan Huerholz
    Max Lohmann
    Sara Heidecke
    Stefan Rustler
    Fabian Russmann
    Sami Kerim Galal
    Ewa A. Treitz
    Benedikt Blomeyer
    Elena Isac

    The following individuals have shown us through their pledge as Patron Members of the Jacobs Alumni Association, that they are continually fully committed to the ongoing development of this organization. We would like to thank each and every Patron Member for supporting us and for helping us realize our goals.

    Klaus Boehnke
    Peter Dabrowski
    Sami Kerim Galal
    Henrike Klavert
    Kai Kohlhoff
    Benjamin Liebald
    Konstantin Mihov
    Martin Noack
    Cornelia Scheitz
    Natalie Schnelle
    Raymond Wells
    Elizabeth Zeller
    Alexander Ziegler-Jöns

    Alumni, with your support- be it monetary, time support, expertise- we can achieve anything. The year 2017 was a record-breaking year in our history as an alumni association. We had the largest Homecoming in JU history, we awarded the Alumni Scholarship to another brilliant student in need, with our help JU achieved the largest and most alumni-integrated Career Fair, the Alumni Mentoring Program was relaunched, the new Alumni Database was launched—all of these wonderful accomplishments and more were achieved this year thanks to our great network!

  • Alumni Newsletter October 2016

    In case you can’t see the embedded PDF, you can open it by clicking this link.

  • Alumni Newsletter November 2015

    Welcome to the latest edition of the Jacobs Alumni Newsletter! Our top stories this month are Homecoming 2015, Contributions Model updates and new edition of Eye on Alumni!

    Contents

    Homecoming 2015

    One weekend, two anniversary classes (2005 and 2010), 160 participants and countless old memories relived. This year’s Homecoming surely added a new great memory to the Alumni who came to Bremen from all over the world.

    This year’s theme “Then and Now” addressed both the memories of the past and appreciation of the present. Alumni got the chance to listen to their old professors in the “Open Lectures”, compete against other colleges in the “Jacobs Games (Olympix)”, and dance the night away at the sports theme party “From Athens to Rio”. In the “Career Symposium” Alumni could network with current students and companies alike, while the “General Assembly” provided an update of the Alumni Association as well as the state of affairs of the university. However, the biggest highlights certainly were individual moments with old friends!

    Check out pictures from the weekend here!

    The Alumni Board would like to once again thank all the people involved for such a memorable and successful event. We are looking forward to next year already!

    In concrete terms, we are looking forward to September 23-25, 2016. That’s right, you may save the date already. Again, Homecoming will be combined with the Jacobs Games and the Career Symposium. Maybe next year there will be the very first Alumni cheerleading team that joins the competition 😉

    Eye on Alumni

    Chirin Khawatmi (‘10)

    After graduating from Jacobs with a BSc in International Logistics, Chirin continued her higher education at Hult University, obtaining a Master’s in International Business. Further on, she was employed at Johnson & Johnson as an Assistant Supply and Demand Planner, after which she decided to start up her own business, thus the beginnings of a new venture – Mama’s Box.

    Current location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Nationality Syrian

    Job title: Founder and Owner

    Current employer: Mama’s Box

    What was your journey since you graduated from Jacobs?

    I moved to Dubai to pursue my Masters, after graduation I worked for Johnson & Johnson. I quit my job when I was pregnant to be able to take care of my baby since the maternity leave in the UAE is very short. After having my second baby I decided to start my own business – a subscription box service for pregnant and new mothers in the UAE. This month the business turns one year old!

    What is the story behind Mamas Box?

    My experience of living in Dubai away from family and having my two children very close in age inspired me to start Mama’s Box. Mama’s Box is basically a monthly box of surprise goodies and essentials customized to the mother’s pregnancy stage or her baby’s age and delivered to her doorstep monthly. It is a fantastic way for mothers to be introduced to new products and brands at just the right time and a great way for brands to allow mothers to test their products!

    What plans do you have for the near future – for your business, as well as personal?

    We aim to grow Mama’s Box as there is currently no other business that does what we do in the UAE. We also plan to expand in the ‘pregnancy’ sector as there is a lot of room for new ideas. In terms of personal plans – simply to focus on my two children and make the best of this special time with them!

    What tips do you have for those who want to start their own business?

    If you have an idea and you really believe in it, then just do it! Logically it made no sense that I start a business with a 1 year old and a newborn, but my instincts told me go for it and I am so glad I did.

    Looking back, what do you miss most about Jacobs?

    The people for sure!

    What advice would you give to current Jacobs students?

    Enjoy every second! Time flies and there is no experience like the Jacobs Experience!

    One favorite Jacobs memory/ or one thing you are grateful for.

    This may sound crazy – but I am grateful for how hard we were pushed! It has prepared me for life and made everything ahead seam a little easier.

    Interesting fact about Chirin (&Mama’s Box)

    Mama’s Box has recently been nominated & is shortlisted for Time Out Kids Family Entrepreneurial Award!

    Our Association has a Contributions-Model!

    hands-600x176 (1)

    One year’s work by the the Alumni Contributions Initiative came to an end at this year’s GA. With a total of 77 yes votes (1 against and 2 abstentions) the proposed by-laws to the constitutions summarizing our fees model were approved.

    The message is simple: Enable alumni to contribute to our association without excluding anyone who isn’t financially able to. Fresh graduates will join the association as ‘Alumni Starter’ which is a free membership for 2 years. After this, they will be upgraded to ‘Alumni Contributor’ and become an active contributor to our community. Should the alumnus or alumna not be in a financial situation to do so, a simple email to the board will suffice and you can get your downgrade back to ‘Alumni Starter’ – any time, no questions asked. The ‘Alumni Patron’ is for our dedicated alumni who are in the fortunate position to contribute more generously on a regular basis.

    We are excited to now also financially stand on our feet. Our newly generated income cover our administrative expenses as well as future projects focussed our web-services, events, alumni chapters, student initiatives, the generation fund and any other projects that you would propose with the association’s backing. Involvement as an alumni association board member remains unpaid and honorary, of course.

    In the coming weeks our IT team will be super busy preparing for a smooth payment system via our website. Stay tuned for updates in the near future.

    You can find the bylaws on our shared space on the drive at or at the following link:

    https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B12tib4CBut4c3drcVFVUDVFaUk

    Tier Attributes Timing Rates
    Alumni Starter Google Apps, AlmaLink, Newsletters, Career Services, Job Postings, Library Resources Annual for the first 2 years after graduating Free
    Alumni Contributor Annual with the option to request free membership(plus possible Alumni Chapter Fees) 39 € = 1 coffee per month
    Alumni Patron the above + Invitation to Graduation & Patron’s Round Table, Engraved Brick & Special Mention Annual (plus possible Alumni Chapter Fees) 249 € = 1 coffee per week

    Career Fair 2016 – Come and join us!

    Dear Alumni,

    As you might have seen, Peter Dabrowski already send an e-mail about our 2nd Jacobs Career Fair a little while ago. There, the Career Services Center (CSC) asked for your help in promoting the event with your employers. This year was a major success and we would like to do an even better job in 2016! We still hope to count on you for getting the top employers to our campus on February 24th 2016 and look forward to hearing from you. Have you not been to last year’s fair? Check out our video on YouTube!

    The first Career Fair at Jacobs University hosted 24 exhibitors, 14 presentations and workshops and more than 1,000 student visitors. Explore your professional future!

    We would also like to invite you all to attend the fair itself as guests and join us for the exclusive networking reception afterwards at the university club. This event offers a platform to network for all exhibitors, Jacobs University Leadership and Faculty, Jacobs Alumni and special guests. In a relaxed atmosphere, you will be able to make individual contacts and discuss potential future collaborations, for example in the areas of research and transfer. We would love to have you, our alumni, join us on this occasion! To have a better idea of who will be joining us for the networking event, please register via the following link: http://networking-jacobs-career-fair-2016.eventbrite.co.uk

    Jacobs_Career_Fair_2015_20_Compressed

    On the day of the Jacobs Career Fair, we also would like to offer short workshops on a variety of topics related to career development and application tactics, for example. We already have had quite a few alumni who gave workshops in the past, and the students loved it. Hence, we cordially invite you to come to the fair and give a workshop in 2016 once more. We are open to your ideas but are also especially looking for people who can give a workshop about application tactics for example, particularly in the light of new trends and the utilization of social media channels.

    360T_3_Jacobs_Career_Fair_2015_compressed

    Do you have ideas that could help our current Jacobs students move forward? Would you like to share your experience in a certain field? Get in touch with Petra Zarrath via e-mail (p.zarrath@jacobs-university.de) and let us know!

    All the best from the

    CSC team and Alumni Office!

    General Assembly 2015

    genassembly

    Once again, Homecoming included a General Assembly of the Jacobs Alumni Association. This year’s Assembly took place on Saturday, the 26th of September, 2015, at 10:45, in the usual location, Conrad Naber Hall. 80 Alumni were present, predominantly from the Reunion classes, 2005 and 2010.

    As well as presenting the annual report of the association’s projects and budget over the last year, the Alumni Board was happy to present the new structure of the university department responsible for Alumni, namely Predrag Tapavicki (Head of Corporate Relations and Talent Management) and Stephan Ziegler (Alumni and Career Services Officer, class of 2010). They are the people that the Alumni Board has worked most closely with in order to organize Homecoming and Career Events over the last few months.

    The Financial Report presented the income that the Alumni Association gathered over the last year, made up of Homecoming tickets and Generation Fund donations. As of 23. Sept 2015, around 12.800EUR was spent on the organization of Homecoming and 490EUR on the IT infrastructure. Before the Donation Dinner, the Generation Fund had only 102EUR in it. The amount for scholarships grew significantly after the dinner, as mentioned here.

    The By-Laws about membership contributions were recapped and discussed broadly in the assembly. In the end, they were passed by majority vote. Thus, starting 01. January 2015, every member of the Alumni Association needs to choose between being a Alumni Starter (free for 2 years after graduation),
    Alumni Contributor (39EUR per year), or
    Alumni Patron (249EUR per year).

    For all the details about the three contribution options and the process behind them, head over to this shared folder.

    Stefan Anca presented an overview of the recent developments in the IT resources of the Alumni Association. The highlights were the migration to Google-hosted apps as a result of our newly acquired Google for Education status and the migration of the Alumni website to the WordPress platform. For more information about the migration check out this article.

    Elena also presented the key concepts of the Generation Fund, leading to the 9000EUR scholarship that we hope to offer as many students as possible. More details here.

    Last but not least, we concluded the elections for two board members, the Treasurer and the Assessor for Content and Membership Management, a new Alumni Board position. The sole candidates for these respective positions won the elections without any problems.

    Anna Habighorst (class of ‘08) won the election for Treasurer with 84 Yes, 4 No and 3 Abstention votes. Similarly, Philipp Herzberg (class of ‘12) won the election for Assessor Member and Content Management with 89 Yes, 1 No and 3 Abstention votes.

    The General Assembly was followed by a short update from the university leadership, Katja Windt and Arvid Kappas.

    If you missed the GA in person and the livestream on the internet, you have to chance to see the video of the GA on this page.

    IT Tip of the Day

    How to check your Alumni Email from an Email Client

    If you’re used to Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail or another email client for checking your e-mail, you don’t need to change your habits for the new Google-hosted Alumni account. Google offers you the ability to connect to their Email servers from any client that supports POP3 or IMAP. In order to find out what the right settings are, please take a look at this page.

    Add the Alumni Association public space to your Google Drive

    The Alumni Board tries to be transparent and put as much information at the disposal of Alumni Association Members as possible. Thus, we have published a folder on Google Drive (called the Alumni Association Public Space) which is shared with everyone with a @jacobs-alumni.de email address. Inside this folder you will find information about meetings, projects and the latest photos from Homecoming!

    In order to add this folder to your Google Drive, follow the next steps:

    1. Log in to your Alumni Account
    2. Open the shared folder by clicking this link.
    3. In the top right corner, click “Open in Drive”
    4. Once the folder is open, click “Add to my Drive” from the three dot overflow menu
    5. Select the folder in your drive where you want to add it and click move
      ittip
    6. You’re done!

    Now, you should just open your Drive and see the Alumni Association Public Space shared folder.

  • Alumni Newsletter July 2015

    Welcome to the latest edition of the Jacobs Alumni Newsletter! Our top stories this month are Graduation 2015, updates on the Fees Initiative and Generation Fund and, of course, Homecoming 2015!

    Contents:

    Welcome class of 2015!

    We would like to express a warm welcome to the Class of 2015 that joined Alumni Association this summer. Congratulations and we are happy to have you as a part of our community!

    For the rest of you, who did not attend the Graduation Ceremony this year or would like to recall a happy memories, enjoy the videos below!

    Word from President & Managing Director

    Dear Alumni!

    What a day!!

    A day to remember, to cherish and to share. Moments that will last for a lifetime.

    You will certainly remember your own graduation. And therefore we want you to be able to share this magic moment with the class of 2015.

    We are happy to send you today two films showing this exceptional Jacobs University togetherness.

    Enjoy the memory and share this with all of your friends.

    Thanks for your ongoing support of our wonderful institution.

    Hoping to see you on campus for Homecoming 2015,
    Katja Windt und Michael Hülsmann

    Get pumped for Homecoming 2015! - Registrations opening soon

    The Homecoming Organization Committee can’t wait to see you for Homecoming from 25th – 27th of September on campus. And we are sure many of your former classmates can’t wait either.

    With this year’s theme “Then and Now” we would like to take the chance to bring back memories from old times on campus, either as an IUB or as a Jacobs student: Attend lectures with your old professors, join the formal dinner – this year on campus, and party it up with students and alumni alike. However, the theme also wants to recognize the current times: Join the Career Symposium, get first-hand updates from the university, and simply catch up with the many alumni. Nostalgia for the past and appreciation of the present – Homecoming 2015 will have it all.

    We are lucky to have Olympix – now “Jacobs Games” – taking place on the same weekend as Homecoming. Alumni are invited to join the “graduate teams” and be once again part of this crazy competition. Drop an e-mail to Stefy (Class of 2010) to get more information. The sports event is only complete with a grand party on Saturday night. For this current and former members of TheOtherSide are teaming up to present to you the theme party “From Athens to Rio”. This will also be a tribute to the class of 2005, which started TheOtherSide and brought theme parties to campus.

    The nostalgia has already started on social media with the challenge “cu@homecoming”. In this campaign friends are nominated with a fun memory from Jacobs. If you already have been nominated, indulge in the nostalgia and nominate your friends, too! And don’t forget to show your fellow alumni that you are joining by RSVPing on the Facebook-Event for Homecoming 2015.

    This year there will be four ticket options: You can choose whether to join the formal dinner for classes 2005 and 2010, and whether you need accommodation. For the first time ever registrations and payments will be handled directly by the Alumni Association via our website AlmaLink. Here you can find further details on the ticket options and the event. The exact agenda and ticket prices, however, are currently still being finalized. So stay tuned for the official invitations to be sent out very soon!

    Your Homecoming Organization Committee (Alexander, Amy, Devashish, Jan-Dirk, Julia, Kiran, Neil, Nitin, Ralina, Razvan, Stefan, Stefy, Suna, Tasaffy)

    Suna Turhan (Class of 2010) and Stefan Rustler (Class of 2012)

    Generation Fund – Next Steps

    Peter Dabrowski with Alumni Scholarship recipient – Katharine Lee

    We are excited to update you on the latest developments for the Generation Fund project. The design stage is ready, the launch is planned at this year’s Homecoming reunion, with the first student starting his/her studies in Fall’16!

    Generation Fund design in a nutshell – how does it work?

    Based on the donations received each year, the alumni loan will be awarded to one student (or more upon available funds), according to a predefined scheme. The target for fundraising each year will constitute 9’000 EUR that would be going towards to the recipient selected, on top of the scholarships she/he would already be receiving from Jacobs University. After graduation the student is still given time to follow his/her desired career path and find his/her dream job. Repayment will only start once a minimum yearly gross income of 25’000 EUR per year has been reached. For transparency and fairness, repayment is fixed at an yearly 7% for the duration of 5 years, irrespective of the income, with a total cap of double the loan received.

    More information is available on the Alumni Association Google Shared Space: an infographic, alongside with a presentation overview.

    When will the fund start?

    Since the last Homecoming in September 2014, we have been continuously working together with the Alumni Consulting Initiative on the design and launch of the Generation Fund. Currently, all the details have already been defined, and we are now in process of putting it in place at the university level.

    The reunion in Fall 2014 set the foundation for this new project, while also coinciding with many other changes happening in the university on a structural level. This, together with the consolidation of the past scholarships, has delayed the implementation of the fund, as we originally planned to have a student awarded in Fall ’15. With the university’s new processes aligned, it is now ready for the launch, with the first student to start his/her studies in Fall 2016. All the donations from Class of ‘04 and ‘09 will be awarded in Fall ’16, along with the funds raised this year at the reunion of Class ’05 and ’10. Target to meet at this year’s Homecoming : 9,000 EUR!

    How to contribute?

    Firstly, anyone can donate into the Generation Fund. It is very simple! Just follow the link with regards to the bank account details and donate! We have created a separate bank account for the fund, and all donations will go directly towards student loans. The fundraising progress will be transparent and – most importantly – easy to monitor!

    Call for nominations / applications!

    Alongside the donations, we are looking for interested people to create the Generation Fund Committee. If you would like to lead the project development alongside the Alumni Board, get involved in the implementation, coordinate the project with all the stakeholders involved, steer the marketing campaign and promote the project within and beyond the Alumni community – then you should APPLY! Or nominate someone else who you think would be a good fit.

    Write us a brief message at alumni-board@jacobs-alumni.de outlining what can you bring to the team, and why you want to join to by 23 rd of August (Sunday,8pm). We will further inform you regarding the selection process.

    We are very excited to launch the Generation Fund and set a strong foundation for funding the studies of future Jacobs generations! Contribute, donate and get involved! As part of the alumni network worldwide – we need your support in making this project successful!

    For any further comments or information, you can always contact us at alumni-board@jacobs-alumni.de or directly at eisac@jacobs-alumni.de.

    Our Fees Model – Your Feedback needed!

    The Alumni Initiative on financial contributions to our association has been very busy over the past months and we would like to share our results. A first version of our contributions model is finished and we would need your feedback before we present it at the General Assembly in September and implement it in the coming year, 2016. You will see a tiered model appealing to our different alumni groups with the focus on enabling strong network growth.

    hands-600x176 (1)

    Please have a look at the status presentation we have prepared for you by following this link.

    You will be able to comment and leave your feedback that we will take along the last steps of the process. The document is shared in the public section of our Alumni Google Drive, so you will need to login with your @jacobs-alumni.de account to view it. Should you have any trouble to log in, please do not hesitate to reach out via support@jacobs-alumni.de.

    Looking forward to your input!

    AlmaLink

    Thank you. Thank you for the overwhelming feedback and the support you have shown to our new platform and mailing system. Thank you for bearing up with us during this (sometimes bumpy) transition phase. Thank you for wanting a stronger network. Thank you for being patient, but most importantly thank you for being part of the Alumni Association!

    It has been busy. Over the past 6 months, we have been working to provide you with the right tools in order to build a platform which will strengthen our international network of Alumni. We want to make it easy for you to book a room for Homecoming, to make a donation and get a receipt, to locate Alumni anywhere around the world, and to keep in touch with your Alma mater.

    Last month we finally started rolling out our new services. You might have noticed that our website got an upgrade. The design is smoother, and it looks fresher than ever. Our mailing server is no longer limited by 200 megabytes of storage, and we can ensure the long term operation of mailing services without being dependant on any third party. Additionally, we now have a full suit of Google products that allows us to work and collaborate together.

    Many of you raised privacy concerns. We have updated our privacy policy to reflect the addition of 3rd party service providers. You can read the full document, which boils down to the following: Your data will remain private. No personal data that we collect will be shared with Google (i.e address etc). No member of the Alumni Association has access to your email or other private data that you choose to backup or upload to Drive.

    It has not been an easy process either. The new tech services are being developed by Alumni. Stefan Anca and I have taken into the tasks of upgrading our IT services. Although we are both experts in our fields, we are exploring new areas as we enrich the offers we provide. Together with Alina, we are continuously trying to provide you a good experience and good support, which is (unfortunately) not always possible.

    We realize the importance of having a smooth transition. We have created the following guide that helps you with the most common problems, and answers the most common question in terms of setting up your email with a client, importing your old inbox etc.

    We need your help! If you have a passion for networks, technology and Jacobs, I invite you to join our effort. By registering you will join a network of IT and Product oriented Alumni and be part of the decisions regarding the architecture and further development of our Services. We are already building a system which will generate your donation receipts automatically (so that you can use them for your tax returns), a mentoring system to enhance the interaction between alumni and students and a global map with alumni and cluster locations so that you can join local events and alumni meetups. If you are interested in joining the IT side of the Alumni Association, please get in touch with us at developers@jacobs-alumni.de.

    We certainly hope you enjoy using the new services and we keep looking forward to your comments, feedback and criticism. We apologize for the bumps encountered during the road, and once more we thank you for being part of the Alumni Association!

    News from Campus

    Welcome to our New Alumni Officer – Stefan Ziegler

    foto

    “After graduating from Jacobs in 2012 with a M. A. in Intercultural Humanities, I worked as a Consultant and Trainer in Bremen and in 2013 went to Hamburg to join the Teach First Deutschland and have been functioning as the Chapter Leader since March 2014.

    As of July 2015 I will return to Bremen once more and will function as Alumni and Career Services Officer at Jacobs University. I look forward to working with you and the Alumni Board, planning events and running new programs in the future!”

    Predrag Tapavicki appointed as Head of Corporate Relations and Talent Management

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    After supporting Jacobs University as Career Service Coordinator for many years we congratulate Predrag Tapavicki on his appointment as Head of Corporate Relations and Talent Management. With the creation of this new department the Alumni Office gets a new ‘home’ as well and we are looking forward to a productive cooperation. Together with Petra Zarrath and Stefan Ziegler the new team will meet the alumni board at their next meeting end of August.

    Alumni Blogging Initiative

    The Alumni Blog is an initiative of the Alumni Association. The blog thrives through our bloggers, all of which are alumni of Jacobs Unicversity Bremen. We hope to enrich our readers’ daily experience with valuable insights from our personal as well as professional lives, ranging from intercultural encounters to management techniques and more. We hope you can learn from us and we from you. Despite being a very young project, a great amount of readers have been attracted to our blog posts so far. We are always looking for both guest and permanent writers. So if you are interested in writing an article, get in touch with us!

    In this newsletter we recall our recent blog posts by Eva, Omaina, Suna and Victoria

    Beginning a new chapter in her life, blogger Eva Schmidt ruminates on how a seemingly infinitesimal moment of courage can impact your life. In the space of time it takes for the fluttering of a butterfly’s wings, the human mind can change the course of its destiny. All it takes is “Five Seconds of Courage” .

    Have you ever felt like a fraud? Have you ever felt that you are leading your life on the edge of a precipice and that every day is a balancing act to maintain the façade that people expect to see? Read about the “Stranger in the Mirror” by Omaina Aziz that most of us have to face, but few want to admit to.

    Screaming “Ignore me!”, Suna Turhan discusses the somewhat counter-intuitive means of dealing with the ever-mounting task list we all face in this day and age of urgency and instant-everything.

    Blogger Victoria Rivera puts a new spin on the soulfulness of dance. Drawing on her personal experience and emotions, she describes how dance transcends the physical expression to become a gateway to the soul. “Get your footloose!”

    First cousins: a would-be sibling or someone you can develop romantic feelings for? In the latest blog post, Omaina Aziz explores the history and psychology behind the phenomenon that creeps out as many people as those who consider it an ordinary event.

    Omaina and Stefan

    Alumni Profile - Noor Cornelissen (‘13)

    After graduating from Jacobs with a BA International Politics and History, Noor pursued a Master of Arts in International Development (direction Public Health and Gender) at the Geneva Graduate Institute. She is currently employed by Doctors without Borders, awaiting to be deployed for the first mission in the field.

    Current location: Geneva/Amsterdam

    Nationality The Netherlands

    Job title: Humanitarian Affairs Officer

    Current employer:Doctors without Borders (MSF)

    You have some exciting plans upcoming in your professional life. Could you tell us more about it?

    I just got hired as a Humanitarian Affairs Officer by MSF, for which I will be working in different conflict and emergency situations around the world, relocating every six months. Among other things, I will be responsible for conducting a context analysis of a particular country: politically, socially, economically, and medically. My analysis of the current situation and the potential future developments will then be used by the Head of Mission in that country to create a strategy and coordinate the medical and psycho social teams. I am currently on stand-by, waiting to be sent on my first mission. What attracted me most to the position is the interaction I will get with all different stakeholders, ranging from interviewing patients and community groups on their medical needs and negotiating humanitarian access with government officials to using ‘field data’ to lobby international actors to prevent and respond to emergency situations. In addition to that, I am just very happy to work for an organization whose mission, vision, and approach I share. In my view, MSF is very humble, locally-embedded, and self-critical, qualities often overlooked in the problematic fields of development and humanitarianism.

    t was your journey since you graduated from Jacobs, in regards to what you are doing now?

    After Jacobs I moved to Geneva for my MA degree, during which I quickly discovered my interest in public health, particularly sexual and reproductive health and rights. After an internship with UNAIDS in Geneva and a research project in a women’s hospital in Nairobi, I was certain that I wanted to continue specializing in health issues while being in ‘the field’. In that sense, MSF is truly the perfect place for me.

    Any interesting upcoming plans??

    I am waiting to be deployed on a mission and it can be anywhere in the world – so I am pretty excited for this uncertain adventure!

    Any favorite course from Jacobs that you found particularly useful after graduation?

    History of Development by Corinna Unger – This course and this particular professor influenced my career path significantly. I could recommend any course by her actually. Prof. Unger is encouraging and dedicated and has a very critical, informed view on the field of development. One of my essays from that class served as the basis of a writing sample for one of my later job applications and I remember looking back at those class notes for one of my master courses.

    Looking back, what do you miss most about Jacobs?

    I’d have to say those B2 chill sessions in Michael Lawrence and Harri Geiger’s room spent doing Hello Kitty puzzles, watching Pokemon, playing with our dwarf bunnies we ordered on Ebay, and finding other great ways to procrastinate.

    What advice would you give to current Jacobs students?

    Try to change what you do not like about Jacobs or initiate what you think is missing! You should be the ones designing your own education and the institution needs your critical feedback and great energy while you are still there.

    One favorite Jacobs memory/ or one thing you are grateful for.

    I am grateful for the people I met at Jacobs and the connections we established. Coming from a somewhat Utopian international high school (UWC), I was a bit scared that it could only go downhill from there. Fortunately, Jacobs offered a really wonderful, warm, and diverse community that made me feel at home very soon. My favorite memories include shisha nights at the Cottage and the silent disco outside at the pond.

    Interesting “Jacobs” fact about Noor

    I just spent a wonderful night in Kenya partying at the beach with five generations of Jacobs alumni. We were the only ones on the dance floor, having lots of fun, and looking quite ridiculous. When I closed my eyes, I felt like I could see the lime-green walls and the trash bag covered windows of H3.

    Career Symposium at Jacobs University

    After a successful start last year, we would again like to invite you to the Jacobs Career Symposium on the occasion of the Alumni Homecoming 2015.

    Personnel and managers from industry and business as well as graduates of Jacobs University will discuss this year’s main theme: “The Impact of Transdisciplinarity”. In addition, this career event will further promote students, professors, and Jacobs alumni from around the world to network with companies.

    We would like to invite you to be one of the speakers at the symposium to give a short, ca. 10 minute presentation to explain how the focus of your company relates to this year’s theme:

    “The Impact of Transdisciplinarity”
    Friday, September 25th, 2015 from 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
    Jacobs University Bremen, ICC Conference Hall

    Registration can be done through the following link: https://jacobs-career-symposium-2015.eventbrite.de

  • Alumni Newsletter March 2015

    Welcome to the latest edition of the Jacobs Alumni Newsletter! Our top stories this month are Alumni Mail going Google, Homecoming and Board updates, as well as quite a few amazing events on campus.

    Content:

    Alumni Mail Goes Google

    Dear fellow alumni,

    Over the past months we have been working really hard to bring relevant IT services to Jacobs Alumni. In the last General Assembly meeting, in September 2014, it was suggested by an Alumnus to use Google Apps for Education instead of our email server, and the idea received a lot of support from the Alumni in the room. Today, we are excited to tell you that we have successfully reached an agreement to use Google Apps for Education, and are additionally migrating our current infrastructure to more powerful servers owned by the Alumni Association in a private datacenter.

    This shift in infrastructure will allow the Alumni Association to provide top notch services which are needed to be able to keep our Alumni connected. We believe that a powerful platform and great Email experience will help strengthen our network in reach and awareness. The new Alumni Email, powered by Google, will give you all the features that you expect from an email account and we hope to see many of you using it as your primary account. Furthermore, it comes with unlimited of storage (compared to the 200MB that we currently offer), a very powerful calendar, seamless integration with mobile devices, centralized protection against spamming and viruses and high availability. We will also have full access to the Docs suite and other Google services you already might be familiar with.

    We would like to stress that Google Apps for Education has a different privacy policy than the one for commercial services. Full ownership of the data remains within the alumni association. It goes without saying that, unlike the regular Google accounts there are no Ads nor any other data collecting services scanning your emails (you can read the full privacy agreement here). All personal data collected by the Alumni through surveys, Almalink and its own network, will be stored securely in our private data servers in Germany.

    We are very happy to provide you with all these services and are working very hard to make this happen. We understand that some of you might have concerns, and we will be glad to answer any questions you might have via Twitter, Facebook or Email. Please check our FAQ page on FAQ and let us know if you have any questions via dgarcia@jacobs-alumni.de.

    In the upcoming weeks, we will provide you with all the information you need to know about the migration process. We hope that you are as excited as we are about this news, and would certainly love to hear more suggestions like this one from you in the future.

    Jacobs Alumni Board

    Alumni Board Updates

    The Alumni Board will meet again in person in Zurich, Switzerland, on the weekend of 10th – 12th April 2015. The reason for choosing the Swiss city is not that we love seeing how few Swiss Francs for the Euro one gets these days, but that Stefan Rustler, the new Assessor – Events, and Elena Isac, the new Assessor – Special Projects are currently living there and they were nice enough to arrange some meeting space for the rest of the Board.

    We plan to discuss the latest updates on board projects like the switch from Alumni Scholarships to the Generation Fund, the further development and integration of AlmaLink services, and settle important details for Homecoming in September.

    As usual, we love meeting up with local alumni. So, together with the Alumni Chapter Zurich, we will organize an event on Saturday night that everyone can join. So, if you’re in the city on Saturday and want to talk to the Alumni Board, we would be happy to meet you there!

    Also, if you’re concerned about a particular topic and would like the board to discuss it on the weekend, please get in touch with Stefan at sanca@jacobs-alumni.de.

    Jacobs Alumni Board

    Homecoming 2015

    Mark your calendars and save the date if you have not done so yet: This year’s Homecoming happens on September 25 – 27. The Homecoming Organization Committee (HOC) has been established with the Class Representatives of the anniversary classes, Suna Turhan (’10) and Neil Dsouza (’05), as well as Stefan Rustler (’12) as board member and new Assessor for Events taking the lead.

    The HOC has already started working and brainstorming on how to make Homecoming 2015 even more memorable. Much feedback was expressed last year and we are confident to build upon the successes and lessons learned of the previous Homecomings. One of those successes was the Career Symposium on Friday, a series of company presentations of alumni to current students, which we plan to also have this year. Furthermore, we are aiming at integrating current students better into the event. Homecoming 2015 will certainly be a chance to not only renew old bonds but to also build new ones!

    If you have want to make any contribution or suggestions, get in touch with either one of the main organizers: sturhan@jacobs-alumni.de, ndsouza@jacobs-alumni.de, srustler@jacobs-alumni.de.

    Homecoming Organization Committee

    Developments on Association Fees

    The Alumni Board’s efforts to establish the association as a self-sufficient and financially independent institution has received strong support from within the association. The Alumni Fees Initiative (AFI) is a group of almost 30 alumni from various majors and graduating classes. The goal of this initiative is the introduction of a sustainable membership model that allows for free services enabling trusted networking while facilitating financial contributions as an opportunity to give back and support.

    We are currently evaluating our crowdsourced feedback and will share the results for further discussion and fine-tuning. Should you still be interested in partaking in the process or have any questions, please get in touch with Peter or Suna from the Alumni Board. Expect further news on Alumni Fees soon!

    Jacobs Alumni Board

    Next Generation to Lead Jacobs Group

    After 10 years as chairs of the Jacobs Foundation and Jacobs Holding AG, Christian and Andreas Jacobs pass down the chairmanship to their younger siblings. Lavinia Jacobs, who was born in 1980, will serve as chair of the Jacobs Foundation, while Nicolas (1982) and Philippe (1984) will hold office as co-chairs of Jacobs Holding AG.

    Both, Andreas and Christian Jacobs, will remain active within the Jacobs Group and serve as member of the Jacobs Holding AG Board and as Jacobs Foundation’s honorary chairman respectively.

    For more details and background information, visit the news release of the Jacobs foundation here.

    Jacobs Alumni Board

    Women International Leadership Conference

    The student organizers of the Women’s International Leadership (WIL) Conference would like to extend a warm invitation to the Jacobs University alumni community to attend the first annual WIL conference. The conference will take place on campus during the weekend of April 17th - 19th and will feature workshops, speeches and networking opportunities for students and graduates alike.

    WIL is a solely student-led initiative conceptualized by young women aged between 18 and 22, hailing from diverse backgrounds such as Indonesia, Czech Republic, and Zimbabwe. As women of the millennial generation, the WIL team is passionate and united in its goal to make a difference in women’s leadership of the 21st century.

    The goal of the conference is to share experiences and visions regarding individual career paths, current developments in the workplace and especially the future of women’s leadership. The intensive two-day event will explore the issues of female representation in politics and development, business and management and science, technology, mathematics and engineering (STEM). The conference will provide participants of all genders the tools they need to better understand and ultimately eliminate the barriers to female workforce representation. WIL is not only about, but in itself a step towards more women’s leadership.

    The conference offers something for everyone, and confirmed speakers include Professor Uta Paskowski of the University of Cambridge, who will speak about her experiences balancing career and family in academia. Alice Bentinck of Entrepreneur First, will also attend the conference and speak about female-led start ups and how to improve female representation in the tech industry. Siana Bangura, self-proclaimed Black Feminist and founder of No Fly on the WALL, an intersectional Feminist blog, will speak about damaging stereotypes of women in the workplace. Helga Truepel, a German Green Party politician and member of the European Parliament, will speak about her experiences and work as a deputy. Last but not least, Andrea Cordes of UN Women will introduce the UN Resolution 1325 – Women, Peace, and Security.

    In addition, the WIL Conference will provide a diverse set of Workshops on women’s leadership in business, basic concepts of cloud computing as well as scenario-based career planning. Jacobs alumni will offer a workshop on “Introduction to Web Development.”

    Alumni are welcome to participate in both days of the conference and are encouraged to represent themselves and/or their employer at our networking brunch on Sunday morning. During the networking brunch, participants will have the opportunity to establish contacts within their fields of interest. We are particularly interested in hearing from our wonderful Jacobs University alumnae and would very much appreciate their presence at this brunch. For more information about content of the conference, please consult our website at http://www.wil-conference.com/.

    For more information about potential on-campus accommodation arrangements please contact m.nelson@jacobs-university.de. Registration will open in the beginning of March- WIL we see you there?

    WIL Organization Committee

    Jacobs Startup Competition

    The JSC Organizing Team is cordially inviting you all to the Jacobs Startup Competition 2015.

    For the past few months, we have been searching for the most clever and ambitious young entrepreneurs around the world – and we have found them at Jacobs, Cambridge, Columbia, Oxford, Harvard, UCL and many more prestigious universities. We have received over 130 applications from top educational institutions all around the world, and have recently entered the second round of the competition.

    Now, we need your help!

    All participants that have advanced to Round 2 will receive a mentor to guide them through the process of solidifying their business. These mentors will be consultants and entrepreneurs from a number of different companies and backgrounds. Ultimately, the final competitors will be invited to the competition event at Jacobs University on the 13th and 14th of March, 2015. Winning teams will not only be provided with resources like attractive cash prizes, but also have the opportunity to network with interested venture capitalists and accelerators.

    Besides being a startup competition, the event will also serve as a nurturing ground for young entrepreneurs: By taking part in JSC 2015, you will meet future start-up founders from top universities around the world and exchange ideas. Take this chance to develop a network with leading professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors!

    We would love to have any of you as mentors for these talented teams or simply to have you there at our final event in March. Come support your university, come support some amazing talent or just come to network with current Jacobs students!

    If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. For more information regarding sponsorship, theme, and deadlines please visit our official website: www.jacobs-startup.com

    You can also join the event at: https://www.facebook.com/events/439226662893107/

    About JSC

    Jacobs Startup Competition 2015 (JSC) is a student-run, startup competition based in Bremen, Germany. It is designed for students from Germany and around the world who have creative and promising business ideas. The contest aims to help these students to generate and grow their entrepreneurial ideas.

    “At Jacobs Startup Competition we help young entrepreneurs transform their ideas into actual ventures. We provide them with guidance from the inception of the idea to the point where they are ready to pitch to investors. This is achieved through three steps: Mentorship (from accomplished entrepreneurs & consultants), Resources (prize money & workshops), and Networks (meeting investors and accelerators during our final event).” – Christian Angern, founder of JSC.

    JSC Organization Committee

    Alumni profiles

    By popular demand we have decided to regularly bring you new interesting alumni profiles out of our very own Jacobs Alumni Association with every newsletter.

    J. Eduardo Marquez (‘11)

    After graduating from Jacobs with a BSc in Earth and Space Sciences, Eduardo pursued a Master of Science in Geology and Geochemistry at the University of Freiburg. Having worked on an environmental assessment project of a mine in Vietnam and exploring Mexico’s main mining states as an Industry Analyst at the Mexico Mining Review, he decided to pursue a career in environmental consulting for the mining industry.

    Current location: Queretaro, Mexico

    Nationality: Mexican

    Job title: Staff Consultant (Geochemist)

    Current employer: SRK Consulting

    Tell us about your current occupation, responsibilities and what you like most about it.

    I am currently employed by SRK Consulting, one of the main mining consulting firms in the world. My responsibilities include geochemistry and hydrogeology field work at mine sites in Mexico, and support work for the SRK North American and South American operations. I like that I am able to use both my scientific knowledge which I acquired throughout my studies in Germany and my business knowledge which I acquired after working on the business publication Mexico Mining Review.

    What was your journey since you graduated from Jacobs, in regards to what you are doing now?

    After Jacobs, I felt like I wanted to dig deeper into geochemistry, and so I decided to go to Freiburg where I was accepted in a master program and in a geochemistry research group. During the two years in Freiburg, I was able not only to expand my theoretical understanding of geochemistry but was also given the opportunity to do some hands-on research work on the environmental impact of coal mining in Vietnam. Coming back to Mexico, I took a job as an industry analyst in the Mexico Mining Review team, which took me all over Mexico to meet the leaders of the country’s mining industry. It was through this job that I truly began to understand mining, and realized that I wanted to do environmental consulting for the extractive industries. The job with SRK Consulting is an ideal step in my career.

    I heard you moved back to your home country. Any thoughts you want to share about the transition and returning back home?

    I won’t try to generalize my experience since every country and every person is different. However, I will say that coming back to Mexico was the best choice that I could have made personally and professionally. I left Mexico when I was 18 years old and did not move back until I was 24. Coming back to live in Mexico as a young adult allowed me to see the true aspect of my home country.

    Looking back, what do you miss most about Jacobs?

    I miss hanging out with my friends from Jacobs, the weekend trips to Berlin, and movie nights with my Canadian roommate.

    What advice would you give to current Jacobs students?

    Make the most out of the Jacobs experience, both academically and personally. Look to your professors for help whenever you are stuck academically, and try to visit downtown Bremen at least once a week. Also, learn German if you are not German! It is important to be able to communicate with the local population of the country where you live.

    One favorite Jacobs memory/ or one thing you are grateful for.

    The traditional birthday parties in May in celebration of my two best friends, Kyle Gentes and Lukas Friedemann

    Interesting fact about Eduardo

    I ended up getting married with another Jacobs student from Russia and we now live together in Mexico.

    Suggest a story or share your own!

    If you have someone with an interesting profile in mind, suggest their names to us with the following form. Your friend or even your own story might be featured in the next newsletter!

    Upcoming Dates and Events

    13.-14. March Startup Competition

    10.-12. April Alumni Board meeting in Zurich

    17.-19. April Women International Leadership Conference

    10. May J-Capella Spring Concert

    05. June Graduation

    25.-27. September Reunion & Homecoming

    Find more University events here.

    Want your (regular) Local Chapters Meetings posted here? Contact us!

  • Alumni Newsletter November 2014

    Welcome to the latest edition of the Jacobs Alumni Newsletter! Our top stories this month are General Assembly 2014, new members of the Jacobs Alumni Board and the Generation Fund Project!

    Content:

    Changes in the Alumni Office

    Imke Sonnenberg

    Amidst the change process at Jacobs University Imke Sonnenberg has left her duties as Alumni Officer. After 10 years of dedicated work for the university, we were saddened to see her go. Imke took a strong lead in shaping the structure of the Alumni Office in its very first years and was an essential part in bringing many of our Alumni Projects to life, like the Alumni Scholarship! We thank her for the dedication to our Alumni work and all the efforts and time she invested.

    Kirsten Mussel

    While Kirsten Mussel is temporarily taking up the duties of the Alumni Office part time, the Alumni Board and the University’s Leadership are actively discussing the optimal structural and staffing solution for the near future.

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    New members of Alumni Board

    Vice President – Daniel Garcia (’08)

    Daniel is a tech entrepreneur in Berlin. After having graduated in Elecrical Engineering and Computer Science, he continued to do his masters in Corporate Management and Economics at the Zeppelin University in Friedrichsafen. He is currently building his second company in Berlin, RapidApe in the space of web tracking and TV Advertisement. He has been involved with the Jacobs Community as a mentor for the Jacobus program, and contributed with the development of AlmaLink. He is serving for the first time as Vice President of the Alumni Board after getting elected in 2014, with the vision of turning AlmaLink in to a central resource for Alumni needs.

    Assessor, Event Management – Stefan Rustler (’12)

    Stefan has been involved with the Alumni Association, in particular the “local chapters” project, since his election as Class Representative 2012. Having officially joined the board, he is now responsible for continuing this project along with establishing “subject groups”, alumni chapters based on common interests as opposed to geographic vicinity. As Assessor for Event Management he will be coordinating the organisation of the Homecoming 2015. Stefan graduated from Jacobs with a BSc in Physics and is currently finishing his MSc in Physics at the Chair of Entrepreneurial Risks at ETH Zurich.

    Assessor, Special Projects – Elena Isac (’11)

    Having graduated in 2011 with a BSc in International Logistics Engineering, Elena is currently working as a Supply Chain Analyst for Barry Callebaut in Zurich. She joined the board in 2014 as Assessor for Special Projects, and will be focusing on the Generation Fund project, as well as developing other ventures for Alumni. Previously, Elena has worked for the Alumni Office during her undergraduate studies, coordinated the Logistics Chain Club for Alumni after graduation and has been strongly involved in the Jacobs campus life as a student – all of which shape her strong determination to contribute to the development of the Jacobs Alumni worldwide network.

    Assessor, PR/ Communication – Alina Degtiarova (’13)

    Alina graduated from Jacobs with the MA in International Relations in 2013. As an Assessor for PR and Communications at the Alumni Board she will be working on developing the marketing strategy, responsible for all external board communications along with working on Mentorship Program.

    Tory Sigmond (’10) and Cristian Mihut (’07) were elected as Auditors.

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    Jacobs Career Fair

    On 25th February 2015, Jacobs University Bremen is hosting the first Jacobs Career Fair, giving you, our alumni, the opportunity to connect with our students and showcase your vacant entry positions, internships, trainee programs or research-projects. While making these new contacts you will lay the essential foundation for future applications.

    This fair will provide a platform for the networking between companies, institutions and our students and alumni of diverse study areas. This event will obtain priority on campus and no classes will take place that afternoon.

    You, our alumni, will have the opportunity to connect with our students and showcase your vacant entry positions, internships, trainee programs or research-projects. While making these new contacts you will lay the essential foundation for future applications.

    Simultaneously, this event will offer you and your employer the ideal opportunity to experience our campus, our study programs and our international student body.

    We cordially invite you as Alumni of Jacobs University to represent your employers company! This communication with you will be very beneficial to our current students and the first corporate contact is highly valuable!

    More detailed information and the registration form are available on our website http://www.jacobscareerfair.de. Registration is still possible!

    We are looking forward to welcoming you to our campus in the name of Jacobs University Bremen!

    Contributor: Career Services Team

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    News from Jacobs

    • Our alma mater pursues its goals in matters of cost reduction. In order to save money a decentral combined heat and power station was installed in October.
    • Currently, a total of 1,253 young people are living on campus. 228 students started their undergraduate studies, 195 of which are Bachelor students.
    • On Sunday, October 12, 2014 Jacobs University opened its campus to the public. Jacobs University has welcomed more than 1,000 visitors and received a lot of positive feedback from many of them. It was great to see our community united in presenting our university to the public.

    Contributor: Kirsten Mussel

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    Generation Fund – a sustainable Alumni Scholarship 2.0

    The idea of an Alumni Scholarship originated at the five-year reunion of the Class of 2004, who wanted to donate to an individual who would carry on the pioneering spirit of the class. This idea was further undertaken in the following years, on behalf of Alumni who felt strongly committed to contribute. These scholarships were linked to the graduating class, each having a Donating Class Committee, elected from within its body, which were defining the theme of the scholarship, and hence the criteria that the recipient will need to to fulfil.

    So far, the scholarships have been a remarkable example of Alumni involvement and giving back to the unique place which we all called home. This year, we are planning to take on a further step, and introduce a new and improved Alumni Scholarship – the Generation Fund, which has already been kicked off at the Homecoming dinner of Class of ‘04 and ‘09. Its key feature will be self-sustainability. While in the past donations have been given once and were “lost” forever afterwards, donations to the Generation Fund are investments in the education of bright Jacobs students who will – in return – prepare the ground for further generations to come. This concept sets up a new pioneering, future-oriented way of funding university studies that will have the potential to revolutionize the current system we all know at Jacobs.

    The idea to initiate the Generation Fund originated from the Alumni Consulting Initiative (ACI), who has been working on various projects offering consulting support to the university. The “Reversed Generation Commitment” (Umgekehrter Generationenvertrag) has already been successfully introduced in most of the German private universities where it has been designed as an alternative to student loans and as a way for Alumni to stay involved with the university community. Some of us have graduated one, two, others even ten years ago – but we all share the same Jacobs spirit, no matter where we are in the world. This bond makes us want to give back and get involved, which will be possible through the Generation Fund.

    How does it work? The student awarded with the scholarship will not pay anything or only very little during his or her studies at Jacobs. Upon obtaining the first full-time job after graduation, this person will have to put an agreed-upon percentage of his or her salary every month for a certain period of time back into the fund. Gradually, the fund grows, and the bigger it gets, the higher the number of new awardees who will be able to benefit from it. The repayment terms will be transparent, and will be kept the same for all scholarship holders. It will enable them to choose the career that really fits their passions, as they would not be forced to take jobs with high salaries in order to repay student loans.

    The Generation Fund is introduced this year for the first time, with results only starting to be noticed when the first scholarship holders start repayment. Until then, the Alumni Board, together with ACI are designing the process outline and implementation details specific for Jacobs. And it promises to be a success, as at the Homecoming dinner, already 20’000 Euros have been pledged. But we need more support in order for the fund to grow. As an Alumni, there are various way YOU can get involved – donate 1 , join the Donation Class Committee 2 or support with the process design 3 .

    We are confident that this new structure establishes a sustainable and long-lasting way forward for Alumni contribution to Jacobs, as being part of the global network of Jacobs Alumni! Thus, keep checking AlmaLink, as more information is coming soon.

    (1) If you want to contribute to the fund, you can donate anytime! Please follow the details on the AlmaLink website. And when you commit to 300€ or more, you will receive a Jacobs Donor Brick, which will have your name engraved on the Alumni path of the future, located in front of the IRC.

    (2) If you are part of the Class of 2004 or 2009, you can join the Donation Class Committee, who will determine the Scholarship theme specific for your class and criteria to select the recipient (contact person: iracheva@jacobs-alumni.de or mcosier@jacobs-alumni.de).

    (3) If you want to be part of the process, shape the Fund’s structure and help with marketing, contact the Alumni Board and get involved (Elena Isac at eisac@jacobs-alumni.de / or Shinta Harsana at sharsana@jacobs-alumni.de).

    Contributor: Elena Isac

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    Jacobs Alumni Association Bremen General Assembly 20 Sept 2014

    This year’s General Assembly took place on the 20th of September in the usual place, Conrad Naber Hall. On the sunny Saturday morning, more than 60 alumni gathered to get over their hangovers from the night before and to hear the latest updates from the university leadership and the Alumni Board reports.

    Prof. Michael Hülsmann, the managing director, filling in for Prof. Katja Windt, offered the present alumni an insight into the first results of the change process. Together with the ACI, Heiko Walkenhorst, the director of admissions, launched a campaign asking for alumni support in the cities where the university admissions team will be doing recruiting. Alumni can help represent the university in schools, educational fairs and even help assess candidates. All interested alumni are encouraged to sign up with Heiko and will be rewarded with a cool blue Jacobs duck.

    Axel Domeyer, from the Alumni Consulting Initiative, also gave a short overview of the work that the ACI is currently helping the university with, starting from student marketing to tuition financing and beyond. The short presentation can be downloaded here.

    The GA continued with a presentation by Peter, who introduced the vision of the Alumni Association and leading WHYs behind the Board’s decisions in the past year. The main goals outlined were: Empowered, Knowledgeable, Transparent, Supportive, Unbureaucratic and Financially Independent.

    The new AlmaLink 2.0, one of the main means of achieving the above-mentioned goals was presented by Stefan, who gave a quick run through the web interface and the main features of the online system. As it is a growing platform which is still under development, your input is gladly appreciated and encouraged, whether as a blogger, contributor to updates from campus or from Alumni Chapters all over the world, or a technically-inclined alumnus interested the website. Since you already logged in and are reading this page, now would be the right time to check out your profile and fill out the missing parts.

    A proposal for a Fee Model for the Alumni Association was also introduced by Board through Konstantin, and there was a general discussion about what Alumni are willing to pay for in terms of support for the Association. A group was created to take this discussion further and come up with an improved proposal. If you want to join the fees discussion, you can do it by sending Suna an email.

    One of the most important changes which were introduced at this year’s GA was the new Alumni Association Charter. The approved changes make our Association officially non-profit, which allows us to have our own bank account and gain tax advantages. Other important changes can be read in the FAQ.

    Finally, the GA concluded with elections for the four open Alumni Board positions and the two Auditors. As explained on elections results page, Daniel Garcia(‘08) was elected as Vice-President, while Alina Degtiarova(‘13), Elena Isac(‘12) and Stefan Rustler(‘12) were elected as Assessors. Both Cristian Mihut(‘07) and Tory Sigmond(‘10) were appointed Auditors of the Board.

    If you have missed the live stream and were not present at the GA, you can watch the video or see the slides online.

    Contributor: Stefan Anca

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    Homecoming 2014

    This year’s 5-year and 10-year reunion of the pioneering Class 2004 as well as Class 2009, combined with the homecoming of alumni from other classes, was successful in all ways.

    Not only did participants at the delicious reunion dinner at Strandlust learn, that Peter Dabrowski, President of the Alumni Association, had been the first person to name fellow alumnus Serkan Kulaksiz “Jesus” (Class 2004, 2006 and 2012), but also did they pledge about 20.000 Euros in total for the new Generation Fund – a truly great sum. Moreover, the organizing team of our Alumni’s Homecoming managed to creatively provide networking opportunities between current students and alumni, as well as interesting companies during an excellent Career Symposium with representatives from Barry Callebaut, Daimler, Skype, Continental and others.

    Networking lunches and several parties on campus allowed for a positive mix of fun, business and diving into sentimental nostalgia. On Saturday, alumni were invited to contribute with their feedback on a range of topics, e.g. the Charter changes, and through voting on the new Board representatives, during the General Assembly in Reimar-Lüst-Hall. Bremen treated us nicely- with late summer weather in September and free Beck’s beer in between.

    Clearly, we have been really lucky and many of us regained a lot of positive energy from this great weekend. We can’t wait for next homecoming to welcome you once again at home on campus!

    Contributor: Suna Turhan

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    Introducing to you the Alumni Blog

    “99 percent of you will graduate from this university.
    90 percent of you will fall in love during your time here.
    10 percent of those relationships will work out.”

    Love can be so powerful, and yet, so complicated. Long distance relationships, typical for many Jacobs alumni, only help to reinforce these two effects. Blogger Judith Heptner (Class of 2013) shares her personal experience with you, inviting you for some Heart Jet Lag .

    Have you made similar experiences? Comment on the article and provide an insight into your personal ideas surrounding the topic of long distance relationships.

    The Alumni Blog is an initiative by the Alumni Association. Currently, we are a core team of six alumni bloggers: Hauke Holtkamp (Class of 2005), Omaina Hamid Aziz (Class of 2010), Victoria Rivera (Class of 2010), Judith Heptner (Class of 2013), Eva Schmitz (Class of 2013), and project leader Suna Turhan (Class of 2010). Through the blog, we hope to enrich your individual experiences with valuable insights from our personal as well as professional lives on a wide range of topics, covering intercultural experiences in the private and professional sphere, management techniques, other career related advice, as well as relevant stages within personal development, such as on health, on relationships or on having a family. Visit us at Blog and share your comments. We are looking forward to learning from each other on this joint Alumni platform!

    Contributor: Suna Turhan

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  • Alumni Newsletter July 2014

    Welcome to the latest edition of the Jacobs Alumni Newsletter! Our top stories this month are Graduation 2014, updates on the Alumni Consulting Initiative as part of the university’s change process and the successful completion of Phase I of the Almalink 2.0 relaunch!

    Content:

    Welcome Graduates of Class 2014!

    Congratulations and a very warm-hearted welcome to a total of 386 new alumni! On Friday, June 6, 262 Bachelor, 70 Master and 54 PhD students received their diplomas at their graduation. An audience of more than 1,200 guests cheered for the Class of 2014 as President Katja Windt, and keynote speaker Angela Titzrath, Board Member for Human Resources of Deutsch Post DHL, congratulated the graduates on their achievements.

    With current developments and challenges at Jacobs, the common theme of the event was naturally change and what it means to one’s personal development. President Windt quoted on Bertolt Brecht, saying that “only those who change remain true to themselves”, while emphasizing the importance of retaining the universities core values and principles in the process – internationality and transdisciplinarity in research and teaching at a place of inspiration.

    Keynote speaker Angela Titzrath encouraged the graduates to take on responsibility and to grow into leadership positions. “I am deeply convinced that what the world needs in such a challenging environment is more bright and passionate people ready to take on responsibility – in society, in business as well as in politics,” she said.

    In an analogy, Alumni President Peter Dabrowski highlighted that change is as much a theme of today, as was pioneering for the first graduating Class of 2004. These are experiences that will shape your character and personal development for the rest of your life.

    Highlights on stage were not only student live performances among others by Lebogang Shilakoe, as the Alumni scholarship recipient of Class 2006, Ernesto Gonzales and Rosario Freire, but also the undergraduate and graduate speeches by Eva Schmitz and Tilak KC. We invite you to watch their commencement speeches below:

    In typical Jacobs graduation tradition, the Bremen weather presented itself from its best side with clear blue skies and 28 degrees while the ceremony finished off with a well-attended reception in front of the IRC and a graduation ball that went on until the early morning hours.

    Graduation pictures are available at http://shotby.zetta.photography/commencementportraits/. Find yourself and if you like your picture, please email us at graduation@zetta.photography and we’ll arrange for you to receive your picture.

    Contributor: Alumni Board

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    Message from President Windt

    Dear Alumni of Jacobs University,

    First, I’d like to thank you all for the support you, as alumni, have shown your alma mater and me in recent months and for being an active part in Jacobs University’s Change Process through the Change Teams, the Curriculum Sounding Board and the Alumni Consulting Initiative.

    Back in April, I presented an overview of the ongoing realignment of Jacobs University to some of you at the gathering of the Jacobs University Foundation of America and Alumni Association in New York.

    I am happy to now inform all of you in this newsletter about the latest developments and recent changes in the new organizational structure of Jacobs University.

    In June, we presented our plans of the realignment of Jacobs University at meetings of a special committee set up by the City State of Bremen (Begleitausschuss) and the Board of Governors of Jacobs University. I am pleased about the great approval and support we received for our plans at both meetings.

    The business plan for Jacobs University includes significant changes: With DIVERSITY, HEALTH, MOBILITY, we have already introduced three new focus areas for research and education.

    “Diversity of modern societies” describes the research area that regards the individual in his or her entity as a biological, psychological and socially determined being and thus contributes to decipher modern global society. In “Health with focus on bioactive substances” Jacobs University develops solutions for a healthier world. Researchers are investigating the safe application of bioactive substances in food, plants and marine algae and medication. “Mobility of people, goods and information” deals with understanding the global movement of people goods and information. All three foci have one thing in common: they unite our expertise in different disciplines to develop new solutions and approaches.

    We are currently working on reshaping our portfolio of undergraduate and graduate study programs offered to students starting in 2015.  Our new program portfolio will consist of study programs with an economically viable perspective. All new study programs will be designed with a clear focus on efficiency, sustainability and attractiveness, by which we mean academic excellence as well as relevance for market demands.

    In addition, a new organizational structure of Jacobs University is also an important part of the realignment of Jacobs University. The Executive Board is formed by myself and the Managing Director, while the next senior level includes three Academic Deans and Heads of Administrative Departments.

    After a positive decision by the Board of Governors at their June meeting, the appointments for the position of Managing Director and the positions of two of the Deans have now been made.

    Prof. Dr. Michael Hülsmann has joined me in the Executive Board of Jacobs University as Managing Director of Jacobs University. He is responsible for all non-academic departments. We will jointly develop Jacobs University’s strategy and be responsible for reaching the set economic targets.

    Prof. Dr. Arvid Kappas has been appointed as Dean. He is responsible for the entire area of Graduate and Executive Education as well as the focus area DIVERSITY (in modern societies).

    Prof. Dr. Werner Nau has also taken on the role of Dean with responsibility for the entire area of Undergraduate Education and the focus area HEALTH (focus on bioactive substances).

    The third position of Dean, responsible for Research and Transfer and the focus area MOBILITY (of people, goods and information), will be filled externally. Until then, Arvid Kappas and Werner Nau will also be responsible for these areas on an interim basis.

    Together with this leadership team I look forward to steering Jacobs University into a successful future.

    I also look forward to working and exchanging ideas with the Jacobs University’s Alumni Association and very much appreciate your continuous involvement and support of the Change Process.

    In September, I will meet you at the Homecoming and the double reunion to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Alumni Association with you.

    Take care and best wishes

    Katja Windt

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    AlmaLink Update

    AlmaLink Phase I is completed! And you’re looking at it right now : Previewed at the Jacobs University Foundation of America reunion at the end of April, the new version of AlmaLink officially went live under www.jacobs-alumni.de on Graduation day in June. The system, currently still under development, was presented to the freshest of graduates in Peter’s Alumni address at the end of the Graduation ceremony on campus.

    As mentioned before, the current state of the system represents the outcome of the first out of 3 phases of development of AlmaLink 2.0. It comprises of the relaunch of the website and the content pages, with user registration and login. Some webpages are available to the public, and others are available only to logged in members. Thus, we are able to present ourselves to the outside world and share confidential information inside the Association.

    Although the user profiles can’t offer much more functionality at current time other than logging in and commenting on articles, we invited all the Graduates of the class of 2014 to register as new users. This way, the Alumni of Class 2014 are part of our platform from the very beginning and they even have to option to get involved in the further development of the system at a very early stage, just like the beta-users.

    What is coming up in Phase II will be the full profile functionality: interactions between users through messages, groups, forums, blogs, so you can, for example, find out what the Alumni Chapter Berlin is planning this month and be able to post an opening for an internship in your company. Also, search capabilities based on profile information will be available, so you can easily find Alumni in the next city you travel to. Phase II should be ready by Homecoming, in September.

    Phase III is planned to be completed by the beginning of next year and it will integrate external stakeholders to the Alumni Association, like the Jacobs Career Service Center, and event management so that we can organize the next Homecoming directly through AlmaLink.

    The development of the system is an organic process and is not set in stone. The fact that you are seeing this Newsletter directly in AlmaLink, and not in PDF form as before, is an experiment and a test to see if the current system can fulfill our needs for the future. Please bare with us if the layouting is not perfect or some parts are missing, we’re still working on it . That being said, your feedback is very valuable so please let us know what you think could be improved with the current newsletter. We require and appreciate your help as Alumni to guide us through the process of shaping AlmaLink into the system that we all want to keep us connected. You can provide your valuable feedback by getting in contact with me at sanca@jacobs-alumni.de.

    Contributor: Stefan Anca ’07

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    Homecoming 2014

    Remember the feeling of meeting an alumnus you hadn’t seen after a long time?

    This time Homecoming (19th-21st September 2014) will focus on us, on our memories.

    We have planned to attend lectures on Friday (as well as a very fine career symposium for those of us who are interested), a cheer up, a lunch, which will mark the 10th anniversary of Homecoming, the official dinner for the graduating classes and of course the BIG PARTAAAY.

    On Sunday we will stumble out on a late brunch and will test our energy on fun sports events.

    Contributor: Iliyana Heucke ’04

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    Update on the Alumni Consulting Initiative

    The teams that comprise the Alumni Consulting Initiative are now complete and have been hard at work in recent weeks. The ACI presently seeks to support Jacobs along two workstreams: Student Marketing Support and Tuition Financing. Interim results are currently in discussion with the university leadership, and the teams will complete their current engagements by the end of summer.

    Student Marketing Support focuses on how to shape recruiting strategy based on analysis of global education markets and of aggregate past admissions data. The workstream further seeks to find ways for alumni to get more involved with student marketing – calls to action to follow soon.

    Tuition Financing is mapping out options to reduce the debt pool currently owed to Jacobs directly, looks to find ways for “healthier” student loans to be available in the future and has investigated a range of options for tuition funding that go beyond mere cash loans. There is something in the works for Homecoming in September – stay tuned!

    In case of further questions or ideas, feel free to contact the ACI coordinators Axel Domeyer ’06, Jan-Dirk Früchtenicht ’05, or Henrik Maedler ’07.

    Contributor: Henrik Maedler ’07

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    Become an Alumni Blogger

    Ever had to deal with a difficult boss and found a feasible solution?

    Ever were afraid telling your colleagues what you expect from them when they did not perform perfectly, but you managed to do so in an appropriate way?

    Ever got really mad at yourself for not being able to manage your time wisely and started your successful strategy for work-life balance?

    Ever wanted to share your personal experience with depression, with being a parent or being your own boss?

    The Alumni Board invites you to become a blogger for the new Alumni Blog Initiative (ABI). ABI allows you to share your personal experience, life stories, wisdom and expertise with all Alumni, current Jacobs students as well as the world. For contributing as a blogger, contact us at sturhan@jacobs-alumni.de

    Contributor: Suna Turhan ’10

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    From Idea to Business: Entrepreneurs’ Day at Jacobs University

    A university is a melting pot of ideas. Some of them might be so enticing that those first thoughts soon take on shape: a student project turned into a business. At the first Entrepreneurs’ Day at Jacobs University students and alumni have had the chance to present a number of different projects. The Entrepreneur’s Day offered the opportunity for future business founders to enter into a dialogue with potential partners and experts. The start-up founders could have their business model evaluated and got tips how to possibly optimize their solutions and market them effectively.

    Nine start-up founders used the chance and presented their projects at Jacobs University’s first Entrepreneurs’ Day in front of representatives from business and finance. Their ideas ranged from information technology, finance and industry services to energy provision and biotechnology.

    The event underlines Jacobs University’s aim to strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit among its students and alumni and to intensify contacts to the industry at the same time.

    Prof. Dr.-Ing. Katja Windt, President of Jacobs University, said: “Our experience has shown that during such events, and at Jacobs University in general, ideas are generated and further developed. We know of several successful start-ups which students and alumni are part of. “

    To identify more opportunities for cooperation and to support start-ups even more in future, was one of the goals, she said. “Our university is a meeting point. But encounters should not only take place based on background, interest or professions on our campus alone, we’d like to increasingly build on our contacts to partners outside of Jacobs University. It is those kinds of networks that our students can benefit from way beyond their education,” Prof. Dr.-Ing. Windt continued.

    Potential start-up founders at the event were happy about the opportunity to gain some valuable feedback: “There are so many talented students at Jacobs University with very innovative start-up ideas. But to turn them into reality someday, investment is necessary. This event is such a great chance to get in touch with entrepreneurs and potential supporters and to get a step closer to realize your idea,“ reckons Philipp Herzberg, one of the alumni presenting their project.

    The Entrepreneurs’ Day, which is to become a regular event on campus, is only one of the measures to strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit on campus. “Together with students, faculty, alumni and industry representatives we’d like to initiate, accompany, and foster of growth-oriented start-ups. We are thinking about a broad range of offers such as a start-up consultancy, attractive and integrated education that inspires and enables a future generation of entrepreneurs as well as further education and a strong network of entrepreneurs, “explained President Windt. In a first step the university will be offering office space on campus to start-ups.

    Contributor: Alumni Office

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    A Tale of Two Universities: Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Jacobs University Bremen

    Today, MIT is a world famous private university with the 6th largest endowment ($11 billion) in the United States. It wasn’t always so.

    In 1859 William Barton Rogers submitted a proposal to the legislature of the State of Massachusetts for a new private institution of higher learning that would be housed on publicly owned lands in Boston. Two years later, on April 10, 1861 the governor of Massachusetts signed a charter that granted land for a new private institution of higher education, the “Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston Society of Natural History”. Two days later the American Civil War began.

    Because of the war, Rogers, who had been appointed President, had great difficulty raising funds for the new institution. Nevertheless, after the war ended, in May, 1865, MIT’s first classes were held in rented space in Boston, and in 1866 its first building was built.

    The war was not the only reason it was difficult to raise funds. Most people failed to see a need for, or to understand, the new style of education that MIT represented.

    MIT survived for eight years, in a constant state of financial crisis. Then, the Panic of 1873, a severe economic collapse, hit North America and Europe. The subsequent Long Depression lasted 6 years. Enrollments at MIT decreased sharply after 1875 and the financial situation, never easy, became grim. By 1878 – its thirteenth year – MIT had abolished three professorships; reduced faculty salaries; and the Board of Trustees considered closing the institution. Under these circumstances, the second president retired. The trustees were unable to find a successor. They asked Rogers, who was then 75 years of age, to return as interim President.

    President Rogers succeeded in finding a young but distinguished successor who assumed the Presidency in 1881 – the 16th year of operation. One reason it was difficult for MIT to build a stable financial foundation in this period was the existence of the Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard – the oldest university in the United States – and potential benefactors were at best indifferent and often hostile to the young institution.

    The new President and the Trustees lobbied the Massachusetts Legislature for a $200,000 grant (More than $4 million today). Although MIT was private, they successfully argued that these public monies would aid the industrial development of Massachusetts. The Legislature approved a grant of $300,000 to be paid over two years. In the following years, the State continued to provide grants amounting to more than $1.6 million (Probably more than $40 million today) until the practice was ended in 1921.

    Between 1881 and 1897, enrollment quadrupled from 302 to 1,198 students, faculty appointments grew from 38 to 156, and the endowment grew from $137,000 (About $2.8 million today) to $1,798,000 (About $43 million).

    One hundred and forty years after the proposal for founding MIT was submitted to the State of Massachusetts, a plan was proposed to the City-State of Bremen to create a private university of higher learning with a style of education new to Germany. The City-State approved the plan and contributed seed monies, and the new university obtained the land and buildings of a decommissioned military base for use as a campus.

    Two years later, in September 2001, Jacobs University – then called International University Bremen – opened, just days after the 9/11 attack in America. The effects of 9/11 created great uncertainty that lasted for many years in Europe as well as in the United States.

    The uncertainty made it difficult to get the attention of potential benefactors. It was a difficult time to be raising money, no matter how promising the hopes for the new university might be. In America, which has a tradition of educational and international philanthropy, all eyes were turned inward and wallets were closed. In Bremen, which had no tradition of private philanthropy for education, many potential benefactors and the general public were hostile to the new institution which they saw as elitist and in potential competition with the older, established, University of Bremen. Although the people of Bremen relied on and rewarded elitism in their football team, they objected to it in education. Others failed to see the need for the new style of education that Jacobs represented, or saw its internationalism as a threat.

    The new university became the first private university in Germany to be accredited and, in 2004, graduated its first class. During this initial period of academic success, efforts to raise endowment funds were less successful. The University developed for five years in a constant state of financial crisis. Then, in 2006, it received what was at the time the largest donation for education in European history when the Jacobs family committed €200 million. To honor their confidence in its future, the University changed its name to Jacobs University Bremen.

    Almost immediately, in 2007, a severe global economic collapse hit North America and Europe. The subsequent Long, or Great, Recession had already lasted 6 years. The financial situation of the University, never easy, was grim.

    The President and the Trustees successfully lobbied the City-State for supplemental monies based on the tax revenues brought in by its activities. Although Jacobs was private, it successfully argued that the requested public monies would aid the industrial development of the City-State. The City-State approved a grant against a background of political controversy and continued to provide grants with the understanding that the practice would soon be ended.

    By 2014 – its thirteenth year – Jacobs had secured its budget through 2017 but was still struggling to raise sufficient funds to cover the impending budget shortfall after that time. Under these circumstances, the third president, who had served less than one year, left the university.

    In the meantime, the growing number of alumni of Jacobs University have gone on to prestigious graduate schools and to significant positions in corporations; the faculty have succeeded in winning an ever-growing number of research contracts and grants; and students from more than 100 countries rate Jacobs University highly and testify to the effectiveness of its educational programs.

    In similar circumstances, the MIT Trustees were unable to find a successor and asked President Rogers, who was then 75 years of age, to return as interim President. It remains to be seen how the Jacobs Trustees will proceed. Although the MIT Trustees considered closing the institution, that turned out to have been the wrong path to consider.

    Building a great university is not the work of one year, or of one decade. Building a great university is not for the faint of heart. Success neither comes, nor can it be judged, in the heat of the moment.

    Contributor: Howard L. Resnikoff, Chairman Jacobs University Foundation of America

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    Announcement of the Alumni Board Meeting in Augus

    The Alumni Board will get together for its second meeting of 2014 on the 9th and 10th of August.

    This time it is Hamburg’s turn to host. Topics such as the implementation of AlmaLink, the change process at Jacobs, involvement of alumni and the homecoming reunion will be in the limelight apart from other issues.

    We have extended an invitation to many contributors to join us and exchange some of his thoughts on Alumni relations with the University and how we can maximise our impact. Not to forget that it is customary after a long day of discussion, to wind up with a taste of Hamburg’s nightlife. This is where we hope to be joined in large numbers by our Alumni from the chapter in Hamburg as well as anyone nearby.

    Contributor: Alumni Board

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  • Alumni Newsletter April 2014

    Welcome to the latest edition of the Jacobs Alumni Newsletter! Our top stories this month are the Alumni Consulting Inititative, the re-launch of the Almalink website, and of course the upcoming 10 year Homecoming! Download the PDF version here. OR continue scrolling down for the text only version …

    Call for Stories! Ever since the graduation of the pioneer class, the number of success stories of Jacobs alumni has been in an exponential growth! We know this, the university leadership know this, and the extended friends of the university know this. We believe these stories must be shared with an even wider community. And more importantly, you also believe that this is an area of tremendous importance for the future of the university: in the needs survey of 2013, you pointed out that increasing the reputation of Jacobs is of the highest importance – higher than providing financial support, higher than being involved in career advancement or than finding ways to (re-)connect with friends. Each one of you carries a story of struggles and success – a story that begins with the first moment that set you on a path to Jacobs and continues with where you are on your path right now. These stories deserve to be shared! We call upon you to demystify what makes Jacobs an educational compass for the next century! Who amongst your friends from our alma mater has an interesting story regarding who they are, where they came from and what they have achieved so far? Who has made unprecedented turns? Who has been empowered by their experiences at Jacobs? Whose story deserves to be on the pages of Weserkurrier instead of what we usually read there about Jacobs? What has your story been? We strongly encourage self-nominations as well as multiple nominations of friends! Send us the nomination including nominee’s name and their story in 5-10 sentences. After review, nominees will be contacted for a further discussion.

    Alumni Board Nominations Devashish Tikekar ‘12 has been nominated Alumni Board Interim Vice President until the upcoming elections in September 2014. He also joined the Change Team on Internal Communications as immediate representative of the Board. Max Pfingsthorn ‘04 has been nominated as Alumni Representative to the Change Team ‘Admission, Fundraising & Alumni’. He will be reporting directly to the Alumni Board. Upon request of the Jacobs Foundation, a ‘Sounding Board’ consisting of three business, three academic and three alumni representative will be reviewing the newly designed curriculum in mid-April. Benjamin Liebald ’04 (YouTube/Google), Petar Perkovic ’04 (Mars Inc.) and Konstantin Mihov ’07 (Continental & Alumni Board Representative) have been nominated based on their current positions and business experience.

    Alumni Consulting Initiative – Update! In the course of the last weeks a lot has happened around the Alumni Consulting Initiative (ACI). A quick recall: After the General Assembly during last year’s Homecoming a group of alumni volunteered to offer Jacobs University support with the restructuring of the university towards a long-term sustainable future. In mid- February the Board of Governors, at the request of the Alumni Board, announced its support for this initiative. Since then, roughly 20 alumni have signed-up for the ACI expert pool from which suitable alumni consultants with topic-specific expertise are supporting the agreedupon initiatives. The university leadership and the ACI coordinators – Axel Domeyer (‘06), Jan-Dirk Früchtenicht (‘05) and Henrik Maedler (’07) – have so far identified two areas where the initiative can assist the ongoing change process at Jacobs University: student marketing and tuition financing models. A small team of alumni with relevant expertise has already conducted a first meeting with the university administration to kick off the student marketing project. The ideas suggested were welcomed with noticeable enthusiasm and great openness by the university leadership. The goal of this project will be to develop a comprehensive student marketing strategy, which balances out the financial aims of the university with the goal to preserve the diversity of the student body. The alumni involved are currently drafting the initiative’s work streams, deliverables and project planning. For the project on tuition financing models, the ACI coordinators are currently identifying suitable alumni from the ACI expert pool to prepare a work plan and start consultations with the university. The focus of this project will be to address problems with student loan repayment and investigate new models for tuition financing that could complement the existing financial aid mix. These steps are a great foundation but more alumni are needed to join these and future projects to help the change process of Jacobs University. If you are willing to join the ACI expert pool, please contact one of the ACI coordinators via Almalink, LinkedIn, Facebook or: jd.fruechtenicht@gmail.com, axeldomeyer@gmail.com, henrik.maedler@gmail.com

    If you have missed President Windt’s Leadership Letters, you can find them on the university intranet, or pleasecontact the Alumni Office.

    Jacobs Foundation of America Reunion 26 April 2014 The Jacobs University Foundation of America and Alumni Association cordially invite all worldwide alumni to attend our regional reunion in New York City on Saturday, 26 April 2014 from 6.30pm to 10.00pm. The Lotos Club is among New York’s oldest and most storied institutions. Founded in 1870 by a young group of writers and critics, Mark Twain, an early member, called it the “Ace of Clubs.” The Lotos Club has always had a literary and artistic bent, with the result that it has accumulated a noted collection of American paintings, including work by Charles Henry Miller, E. Irving Couse, Adolfo Müller-Ury, Carleton Wiggins, and Zenos Frudakis. Its state dinners are legendary conventions of scholars, artists and sculptors, collectors and connoisseurs, writers, and journalists. It is our honor and pleasure that the Jacobs University Foundation, too, has the opportunity to host our event here with special thanks to a friend of the university, a Lotus Club member himself. Welcome Reception 6.30pm Dinner & Keynote 7.30pm Alumni and friends from around the world are all welcome! Please join in for what should be a very fun and memorable night! Reserve your seat(s) now – Space is limited! We urge all to buy their dinner tickets at the event page below – $65 per person:http://www.jacobs-university-foundation.org/events/nyc2014.html We look forward to seeing you again soon!

    Facing the World after Graduating in ISS On 15 February 2014, alumna Shinta Harsana (ISS 2010) came all the way from Berlin, the social science capital of central Europe, to introduce her allegedly ‘messy’ CV. More than 20 undergraduate students out of which all pursue a degree at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) joined her and followed her journey through multiple countries and institutions ever since she graduated from Jacobs University Bremen (JUB) with a Bachelor’s degree in ISS. “I can highly recommend you to continue studying after graduating from this university. It is tougher to go back to school after having worked for some time,” Shinta said. Following her own advice, she completed a one-year Master’s degree at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) nonstop after having graduated from JUB. Step by step, Shinta told the attending students how she worked her way through nonprofit organizations like Ashoka: Innovators for the Public and highly commercial companies such as the GFA Consulting Group. She concluded that wherever she went she would be missing Berlin a lot. And this is how she ended up working as a Research Analyst for the Berlin office of Renovata Partners, an executive search firm for companies in the IT sector. In her inspiring presentation, Shinta made clear how easy it can be for ISS students to pursue a career beyond academia which they can enjoy and which offers freedom to personal and professional development. Once again, thank you for coming!

    10 Years Alumni! Double Reunion in September 2014 On 19-22 September 2014 Jacobs University will open its doors once again to welcome all alumni. We would like to see as many of you there as possible to mark the 10th anniversary of Homecoming and Reunions! You will be able to go down memory lane, meet those wonderful people you share so much with, feel the pulse of the university, party with the current students and perhaps get some inspiration on future career options. What, you still haven’t booked your ticket? We will be keeping you up to date via your alumni e-mail addresses and via Facebook about the exciting events we are planning.

    You can register and stay up to date on Homecoming events here: www.jacobs-alumni.de/services/homecoming2014

    Become 1 of 5 Pioneer Local Chapters! The Alumni Association is about to select 5 Pioneer Local Chapters that will help define the best practice for Local Chapters worldwide. The selected five will act as a pilot group and receive special support from the board to reach the following goals by 2018: 1. 1 event at least every 3 months, with on average 10 alumni present 2. At least 1 event per year that promotes professional and/or personal growth or a social event that goes beyond the mere „having a beer together“ 3. Generate enthusiasm on part of partaking alumni (i.e. 60% of all alumni in the city have been to a Local Chapter Meeting) and 70% of those who went would go again Apply now with your local chapter and let us know the following details: 1. Location 2. How many members do you approximately have? 3. How often do you meet? 4. How is the Local Chapter organised (one LC leader, many leaders, round robin principle)? 5.Anything that you think makes your Local Chapter especially worthwhile in inspiring future Local Chapter ways of working Find the closest Local Chapter here. Apply now: jgyorffy@jacobs-alumni.de

    The Future is Here! “The year is 2025. You have reached some major goals in your life, as you rocked your way to personal success, despite downfalls you may have experienced in-between. Maybe you are half a step away from your next promotion. Maybe your family has grown all the way to the doggy door at the kitchen, and your health is admirable for someone in the midst of their lifespan. Possibly, you are working in your dream job. You might have grown personally thanks to friends, family, a therapist, or thanks to a change in your career path. It might be that you are well-respected by your peers at work: your colleagues secretly admire you for your contacts, for your multidisciplinary understanding of the work, for your unbarring pursuit of the “different perspective”, for your foresight and intuition in speaking to the customers in the opposite time-zone (and to the ones down the street), and for your transcendence of Yoda into linguistically sound advice. In essence, you are on top of your game. “You fondly think from time to time about the place that shaped the better version of who you came to be. Your pride makes you an ambassador – a custodian of Jacobs: • You mentor 2 students, navigating through their internships and their first job experiences. • You are now part of a 10,000-strong network that inspires. • You are part of a thriving Alumni community – an advisory organization to the University, on eye-to-eye level with the Foundation. • You are interacting through a platform with all contributors – Admissions, Career Services, businesses and non-government organizations, host families and donors. • You know perfectly well the value of giving back, and you do! – you were, after all, the Alumni Scholarship recipient in 2010. “You are a custodian of the moral and intellectual stand of the Jacobs spirit!” ! This is our aspiration – it is the path(ology) of a Jacobian. We are taking steps to ensure your and our custodian rights! That’s why we are announcing Alma Link 2.0! With feedback collected over the past two years from the alumni, student body, and Jacobs, we compiled product criteria, technical limitations and specifications, benefits and desired experiences, and execution timeline. And work has begun!! Custodians apply here for beta-testing!

    BRIMUN – Call for Donations I am writing to you today on behalf of the Bremen International Model United Nations team. As you would know, this is a yearly conference at JUB and this year we are hosting the 10th anniversary! This years arrangements are going well and we are quite excited to be hosting delegates from across Germany and Europe to our campus over Spring Break. Despite its comparably short history, BRIMUN has welcomed participants all over the world. The conference was founded in 2003 in hope of encouraging today’s youth to become politically engaged. The conference emulates an identical framework to that of the United Nations, with our primary objective to develop open-minded students who are passionate about the issues that our world faces today. Our conference is ideal for fostering sophisticated debate, while still providing less experienced delegates with the opportunity to mature and gain insight on UN proceedings and topics. As organiser, we are always looking to actively involve Alumni. Helping either through donations, contacts, or any other method would would go a long way in helping our conference establish itself and to allow it to create a link with the Jacobs alumni and the community. If you are interested in offering a helping hand, please do not hesitate to stay in touch, via y.hammadi@jacobs-university.de. For donations to support this event, please visit the following link. https://jacobs-alumni.de/make-your-gift! Please use the following intended purpose when making the transaction: BRIMUN 2014

    Campus News! McKinsey & Company presentation at Jacobs University Four alumni who work as consultants at McKinsey & Company in Berlin and Munich cordially invite you to a company presentation and keynote speech on “The Online Revolution in Higher Education – Opportunities and Challenges” on Friday, 25 April 2014, 16:00 – 19:00 hours in Conrad Naber Lecture Hall (RLH) Learn about McKinsey’s stance on the topic and find out about the company and its approach to consulting! After a brief keynote speech, the alumni want to discuss the following question with you and students: Will there be a need for residential universities in the future? The discussion will be followed by a company presentation and the event will end with an informal discussion. If desired, they can tell you more about how to enter the company and its international and transdisciplinary working environment. You can find further information under: https://jacobs-alumni.de/2014/03/mckinsey-company-presentation-keynotespeech How to register: Please use the following link to register via Eventbrite: http://mckinseyevent-spring-2014.eventbrite.de

Jacobs Alumni Association