A Message from the Young Alumni Board

Dear Young Alumni,

Over the past few months, my fellow members of the Young Alumni Network have shared their stories, and now it's my turn to introduce myself. Because before you join the YAN board, you've already been through your student years, and in this letter I would like to tell you more about my experience. 

In 2015, I started studying in Enschede, but not at UT. First, I studied commercial economics at Saxion University of Applied Sciences. Being one of the few from my studies in rooms, I started getting involved in the active student life that many UT students were in. By participating in Kick-Ins, a year on the board at AEGEE-Enschede, and often being on campus, I still felt connected to the university. 

After finishing my HBO studies, I decided to continue studying by taking a master's degree in Business Administration. This allowed me to continue my academic learning, as well as get a better taste of the culture the UT has to offer. I eventually graduated in 2022 and left campus to start my career.

However, I returned after a year to join YAN. After years of enjoying the social aspect of college, I wanted to give something back. As a board, we would like to offer young alumni a network with fellow alumni, prepare them for the future as young professionals, and keep them connected to UT. A great mission to be able to contribute to!

I look forward to the future, in which we can further expand the network and create great events!

Adrian Westerbeek

Dear Young Alumni,

A little over two years ago I was asked if I would like to join the YAN board. Not knowing what to expect, I decided to join. Looking back on these two years, my involvement with the board has brought me to inspiring activities and allowed me to meet many new people. So, let’s take a look back at the ‘high- and lowlights’.

Personal ‘high- and lowlights’ were actually something that we started with at every monthly board meeting. I found it to be a fun and easy way to get to know each other better and getting a sense of what’s going on in everyone’s lives. It’s definitely something I would consider doing more often to check in with people.

As I look back now, I think the event in cooperation with the mayor of Enschede and the Dress for Impact workshop were two of my favorite activities that I helped organize. This is partly because while hosting these events, I quickly realized that our mission was more than just organizing events; it was about keeping young alumni in touch with each other and supporting them in the early stages of their careers.

Sure, there were some bumps along the way – figuring out logistics, brainstorming new activities, and balancing board tasks with my job. But in the end, we always managed to organize a few inspiring activities each year.

Though my time on the YAN board may be coming to an end, I am grateful for the chance to have worked with such a motivated group of young alumni and to have met a lot of new people. I am confident that new alumni will continue to expand the young alumni network. Maybe, that might be you?

Silke Heesen

Dear Young Alumni,

As we journey through this year, both personally and professionally, I wanted to share with you an experience that reaffirms the power of collective action.

Last February, I had the privilege of participating in a tree plantation drive organized by Trees for All, in partnership with the Dutch government. This initiative aimed to replant thousands of hectares of land, and I was fortunate to contribute to this noble cause. Gathering at a café near the plantation site, we received a briefing before embarking on a bus trip to Leersum. Equipped with gloves and shovels, we ventured into the countryside, eager to make a difference.

Surrounded by the natural beauty of Leersum's countryside, we felt a deep sense of reverence for the land and a determination to leave a positive mark on it. In tandem we planted 15-18 trees that day. Together, with around 70 volunteers, we planted approximately 1500 trees, each sapling symbolizing our commitment to environmental stewardship. The work was done in tandem, with each of us playing a vital role in the collective effort. Despite the rain and the challenge of clay soil, the camaraderie among us made the experience truly rewarding.

I’d encourage you to participate in such events in the future. Not only do they offer an opportunity to connect with nature, but they also provide a platform for networking with a very diverse and motivated young generation of people.

Warm regards,

Hemanth Kumar

YAN Board Member

Dear Young Alumni Community,

The Young Alumni Network is starting a new column in this newsletter. In the coming newsletters, the board will take turns to introduce themselves and I am kicking off this series as a departing board member. My name is Alex Kamphuis and I have been part of YAN’s board for a few years now, and have loved every minute of it!

I originally joined because I wanted to stay connected to the university’s students. In my time as a student, I regularly met kindred spirits in college benches, in committees, and in social events and I started to miss this as soon as I left the student life. The YAN delivered on the social aspect but proved to be fulfilling in other aspects as well.

The first event I attended was focused on negotiating your salary (for a first or second career step), and I realized that many challenges faced by alumni every day could be tackled more easily if we just got them together. That has been my personal YAN motto ever since, and I think with the remaining board members some of it and more will remain.

As a final note as a YAN board member I would like to thank everyone who worked with us to organize events over the last years, companies hosting, alumni giving talks and lectures, professors, board members, and of course everyone who attended events. Special thanks go out to our Alumni office, particularly to our contact persons, Arianne, Hilde, and Magali. You have all managed to make the best of a group of volunteer board members with little time but large ambitions, and you still are some of the best people to work with.

I am looking forward to what the remaining YAN board will bring this year, and will definitely check up on the next events as a not-so-mystery guest.

Keep an eye on these newsletters!

Kind regards,

Alex Kamphuis