who is Professor de Winter

Uw gift telt, elk jaar weer!

Herman de Winter was appointed as Professor of Applied Physics in the Electrical Engineering Department in 1964, and became the first dean of the Applied Physics study programme five years later. The Arago study association was founded on 30 November 1970. Herman de Winter played a major role in this process and became the association's first honorary member. Herman de Winter and his wife Ton remained closely involved with Arago and 'their' students over the years. Every year the de Winters opened their doors to welcome Applied Physics students. Mrs de Winter was also known for funding the occasional drink. She also gave Arago one of the most beautiful gifts in the form of new Board chains.

THE MRS DE WINTER INITIATIVE

When her husband passed away in 2005, Mrs de Winter decided that she wanted to do something more for the University of Twente. She created a fund in her husband's name and was a donor to the Twenty University Fund until her death in 2013. The University was able to award the annual Professor de Winter Award and the Professor de Winter Scholarship from the Professor de Winter Fund. Alumnus Henk Hoving, and his partner Thijs van Reijn, were the heirs of Mrs de Winter and jointly decided to continue the annual donation to the University Fund from the estate and thus preserve the Named Fund.

HENK HOVING AND THIJS VAN REIJN TRIBUTE

Henk Hoving got to know the professor and his wife when he was an electrical engineering student in 1969. It heralded the beginning of a long-term friendship.  "Mrs de Winter was studying in the former Leningrad during the war when she was picked up by the Germans," explains Henk Hoving. "This meant she was not able to complete her studies. Therefore she always wanted to give young people the opportunities she never had. This made such a lasting impression on us, that we decided to continue the annual contribution from the estate."