For her outstanding achievements in the area of balancing studies and family, Melanie Rrustemi was honored with the university's Family Award as a student in 2018. In addition, the mother of four received one of the coveted Germany Scholarships and was nominated as a scholarship recipient for the German National Academic Foundation. During her final year of study in summer 2019, Rrustemi first worked as a trainee in Controlling at Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, where she then wrote her final thesis, "The Design of Fixed Costs in Companies in Structural Change," which received the highest grade. Since successfully completing her degree in Controlling in the summer of 2020, she has been working as Executive Assistant to CSO & CMO at Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, the global market leader for sheetfed offset printing presses.
You graduated with flying colors from your bachelor's degree program at the university, and during your studies you were involved as a semester speaker, a tutor for macroeconomics, and in the university senate. Do you have fond memories of your time at HWG LU?
M. Rrustemi: Definitely, I would not want to miss the three years! I was able to meet great students, dedicated professors as well as staff members of the university with whom I am still in contact. I remember demanding lectures with a high practical relevance, but also funny as well as serious conversations.
What made you decide to study in Ludwigshafen back then?
After several years of professional experience in retail and managing a branch already at the age of 20, I had the desire for a professional change, which meant new challenges and being open to new things. The decision to study business administration and controlling was quickly made, as I am particularly interested in data analysis and the interaction between strategy and business management. Accordingly, the Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences and the University of Mannheim came into question in the immediate vicinity. After receiving confirmation of admission from both universities, I took advantage of a counseling interview at each. In the end, I decided on Ludwigshafen because I was warmly welcomed here, even though I did not correspond to a "typical" student, and the university is excellent for family-friendly working and studying conditions.
Now you have been at the renowned Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG since September 2019. What brought you there?
The university is in close contact with renowned companies. In spring 2019, I took part in a plant tour at Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG organized by Professor Dr. Kirchner-Khairy and Professor Dr. Kihm. After a warm welcome at the headquarters, we were introduced to the company and the trainee program that accompanies our studies, and then given insights into the modern, high-precision production of printing presses. I was immediately convinced by the culture and potential of the Group and ultimately applied as a trainee.
Today you are there as Executive Assistant to CSO & CMO. What does that entail?
I support the global Head of Sales, who is also Head of Marketing and Managing Director of the Heidelberg Digital Unit. In addition to tasks such as creating presentations and reports, I work for the most part on various projects from different teams. I gain insights into many areas, such as sales excellence, sales analytics, sales controlling et cetera. The integration of the Digital Unit also gives me exciting insights into the world of digitalization and Big Data, such as Data Science or Data Intelligence. Every day, I work with highly motivated, helpful and, above all, very talented young and young-at-heart colleagues from all over the world, and in a modern working environment to boot. The topic of "New Work" is very important here, which is reflected in the corporate culture and thus has a positive effect on performance. All I can say is: "I am grateful for where I'm at and excited about where I'm going."
What skills from your studies have been particularly beneficial to you?
The practical as well as the English lectures, PowerPoint presentations, answering business questions in Board and Tableau et cetera were helpful. However, the learning doesn't stop when I finish my studies, it really starts now. I was given the necessary tools, but you only learn to use them in your professional life.
Did the Family Award or the Deutschlandstipendium help you with your studies or career entry?
Since I had last spoken English in my school years over 20 years ago, I quickly realized that I had deficits here and invested the money from the scholarship in English courses, which helps me a lot in my professional life today.
Is there anything else you would like to say to the university management or your old department?
I would like to thank the university management, all professors and staff for the great lectures, the organization and open ears. I would especially like to thank Professor Dr. Kirchner-Khairy and Professor Dr. Kihm for their unique commitment. My special thanks go to Professor Dr. Kronenberger, for the opportunity to lead the tutorial and for the unique supervision during my bachelor thesis. I wish all employees of the university all the best for the future and especially good health in the current challenging situation regarding Corona.
We wish you continued good luck and success! Thank you very much for the interview.
Interview: Elena Wassmann
