Students Tolga Mustafa, Ruth Seyboldt and Monica Alessi were honored yesterday for their outstanding academic achievements and strong social commitment with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Award and the Rhineland-Palatinate Scholarship Foundation's Award for Voluntary Social Commitment, respectively.
Tolga Mustafa, an international student in the master's program in Finance and Accounting, received the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) prize of 1,000 euros for his outstanding academic achievements as well as his above-average volunteer and university commitment. The young Bulgarian, who has been learning German since the 8th grade, has already successfully completed his bachelor's degree at HWG LU and is currently writing his master's thesis on the highly topical subject of "credit transactions with cryptocurrencies". In addition to his very good academic performance, Tolga Mustafa has been involved with the university's International Affairs department since his start in Ludwigshafen: "Whether as a buddy for other international students, a mentor, or simply as a roommate and friend in our international shared flats - Tolga is always motivated, competent, helpful, and always ready to help. It is no coincidence that he was nominated for the award by fellow students," enthuses Kerstin Gallenstein, Head of the International Office, in her laudation.
The DAAD prize is awarded annually to international students through the international sections of German universities - at HWG LU 2021 for the 25th time. "In the 25-year history of DAAD awards at our university, we have been able to honor a great many different personalities and have come to know many individual fates - but what all of the honorees have in common is their pronounced perseverance as well as their willingness to work hard, combined with confidence and openness to the world," summarized laudator Gallenstein.
The 25th anniversary of the DAAD Prize was followed by a premiere: Ruth Seyboldt and Monica Alessi were the first two HWG LU students to receive the prize for voluntary social commitment from the Rhineland-Palatinate Scholarship Foundation, and with it 3,600 euros each for the coming semester. Ruth Seyboldt, a student in the master's program in social work and mother of a young daughter, received the award in recognition of her very good academic achievements and for her many years of commitment to the initiative Careleaver e.V., an association in which young people from child and youth welfare institutions and foster families support each other on their way to independence. Since the association was founded, Ruth Seyboldt has been driving its professionalization forward, and since 2017 she has been involved in the board of directors as its 1st chairwoman.
Monica Alessi is currently studying for a dual bachelor's degree in International Business Administration and Information Technology (IBAIT). With the award, the jury honored not only Alessi's outstanding academic achievements but also her many years of commitment to the German Red Cross, where she has been and continues to be a volunteer at Corona test centers, among other things. "I am very happy to receive this award - it will help me to continue volunteering even during my master's studies, which are coming up soon," Monica Alessi said at the award ceremony.
"The jury was not only convinced but enthusiastic about you and your achievements," summarized university president Prof. Dr. Peter Mudra. "The awards distinguish your very special attitude, your commitment, which is so indispensable for our society." At the same time, Mudra also emphasized how important the three honorees are as "role models" for others.
The award ceremony, organized by the International Office, took place yesterday in a very small circle due to Corona and was streamed live. The ceremony was hosted by Kerstin Gallenstein.
Contact:
Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences
International Office
Kerstin Gallenstein
Tel. 0621/5203-187
E-mail: kerstin.gallenstein@ 8< SPAM protection, please remove >8 hwg-lu.de
