An interview with Monika Stöckl, who has managed the awarding of the Deutschlandstipendium at the THM from the very beginning.

Ms Stöckl, part of your job is to attract students and sponsors for the Deutschlandstipendium year after year. How do you proceed?

At the beginning of each acquisition phase, information is provided within the company in several ways and with different media. There are committed fellow campaigners who use their company contacts to discuss ideas and make suggestions. We actively approach companies that fit the profile of THM and use events to provide information about the Deutschlandstipendium.

In mid-November, Germany scholarships were ceremonially awarded at the THM for the seventh time. What is the balance sheet so far?

A total of around 300 scholarships were obtained. In this field we have some strong disciplines, the “THMclassics” so to speak: mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, economics and Business Administration and Engineering . The Volksbank Mittelhessen and the Ludwig-Schunk-Foundation have been involved from the start with several grants. In the past three years, the Sigi and Hans Meder Foundation has supported the THM with many grants. All donors are welcome, and there are some loyal donors. I'm grateful for that, because it gives me encouragement at the start of the new acquisition phase.

Do you learn from scholarship holders what the support means individually and how it affects your studies?

Yes, we are in talks with the scholarship holders. Of course, the scholarship makes everyday student life easier, especially if it means you can reduce the amount of work you do while you study, get a new laptop, or subscribe to a specialist newspaper. Contact with the sponsor is very much appreciated, and in some cases this has resulted in further offers for the scholarship holders, such as company visits and theses. The Germany Scholarship has the best effect when the students continue on their way “encouraged and inspired”.

Do the sponsors give you feedback?

Yes this is important. We want it to fit between sponsors and recipients. Some information can be obtained in a personal conversation, when I provide information about the Deutschlandstipendium, or when I have questions about the next allocation phase. There can also be resonance in the function as the central contact person for the sponsors for contact with the THM . Sometimes I contact the sponsors directly and get feedback, because there are always other ideas or "adjustments" in the process that can be checked.

Under your direction, the presentation of the scholarship certificates has developed into one of the most festive events at the university. What do you want to convey to those involved with the programme?

This celebration is a thank you for our donors, and we are happy for the selected scholarship holders. In an atmosphere that is both festive and relaxed, it should be easy for guests to strike up a conversation. This can result in the first starting points for further exchange or even cooperation.

Is there an experience that you remember as particularly pleasant after seven selection rounds and awards?

The acceptance speeches given by the scholarship holders at the handover ceremony always touch me. In the fall of 2013, an Ethiopian scholarship holder reported on his family, who made it possible for him to get an education. He studied determinedly and purposefully in Finland, England and Germany. He received the scholarship in the final phase of his studies, just at the time when he became a father. He was very happy because it stabilized his financial situation.
Something special happened in the current year! It always takes me if there are still good applications after a procurement round, but there are no more scholars. This time there was a scholarship, late like a gift from the sky, but just in time for the procurement round. It was ideal: an application with a special qualification profile and a supporter for the commitment of advisors in the precisely suitable Department .

What are your hopes for the next award year?

I wish you fun and lots of scholarships! The task becomes very lively thanks to the different parties involved, donors/university/students, with whom I am in dialogue. Every scholarship that is raised makes someone happy - and me too. I enjoy working with colleagues from eight different departments over the course of an award phase, all of whom contribute to making the process go well and giving us this really nice reason to celebrate.