Beach chairs, the smell of barbecue, good conversations, and plenty of that campus vibe: The Campus Barbecue Party celebrating the 30th anniversary of the HWG LU Friends Association on May 28 brought students, alumni, supporters, and founders together on campus—and demonstrated once again just how vibrant the university community is.
Amid perfect summer weather, guests laughed, discussed, networked, and celebrated on the newly redesigned campus grounds. To kick things off, University President Prof. Dr. Gunther Piller welcomed the guests and recognized the Friends’ Association’s long-standing commitment. Its chair, Tatjana Kamrad, emphasized the importance of close collaboration between the university, alumni, and supporters, and highlighted how the Friends’ Association contributes to a vibrant campus life.
A highlight of the evening was the panel discussion moderated by Prof. Dr. Christina Stadler from the Start-up Office at the Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society. Thomas Klauder and Oliver G. Hoffmann, two alumni and founders, shared their very different paths after graduation and their experiences in building their companies.
Prof. Dr. Gunther Piller and Ralf Blasek, managing director of the Graduate School Rhein-Neckar, personally tended the grill afterward—serving both traditional and vegan sausages.
The joint event organized by the Friends of the University, the Alumni Office, and the Startup Office provided ample opportunity for conversation, networking, and intergenerational exchange among members of the HWG LU community. Many participants highlighted the relaxed atmosphere—and noted that it was precisely this mix of students, alumni, supporters, and founders that made the evening so special. After all, it is precisely in such settings, where people can strike up conversations easily, that new ideas, collaborations, and perhaps even the next startups often emerge.
For more information about the HWG LU Friends Association, visit https://www.hwg-lu.de/hochschule/alumni/foerderer-der-hwg-lu-ev
