The “Ludwig Schunk Prize” was awarded for the first time at the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen . Six graduates received the award, each endowed with 1000 euros, for outstanding academic achievements and their social commitment.
The award winners are Fritz Dollnick from Giessen (Diploma in Energy Systems Engineering), Daniel Hanselmann from Gelnhausen (Diploma in Materials and Manufacturing Technology), Nathanael Harfst from Hüttenberg (Master of Arts in Business Administration), Jonathan Otto from Buseck-Beuern (Diploma in Automation Engineering), Anna-Lena Ruppel from Friedberg (Bachelor of Media Informatics), and Tobias Schniewind from Laubach (Bachelor of Business Administration and Engineering ). The six award-winning young professionals are now employed or pursuing further academic qualifications.
“We want to set an example that willingness to perform and voluntary commitment are rewarded. In addition, we would like to use this award ceremony to recognize the many successful partnerships between THM and Schunk,” explains Ernst Steiner, Chairman of the Ludwig Schunk Foundation. The prize is dedicated to the memory of company founder Ludwig Schunk, from whose entrepreneurial initiative the Schunk Group, an international technology group with around 8,300 employees in 28 countries, emerged.
Schunk has a long-term partnership with the THM and its predecessor institutions in teaching, research and development. In the last year alone, around 40 students from the university completed internships at Schunk and dealt with operational topics in their diploma, bachelor's or master's theses. As the sole shareholder of the company, the Ludwig Schunk Foundation supports a large number of social and educational institutions. She is also one of the sponsors of the Deutschlandstipendium at the THM.
The award is open to the best graduates of the Giessen and Friedberg Department , which offer degree programmes in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, Business Administration and Engineering , and business administration. A jury composed of representatives from the foundation and members of the university will decide on the award. The criteria are final grades and the degree of social commitment.
This double recognition highlights THMPresident Prof. Dr. Günther Grabatin emphasizes: “It is particularly impressive when students are among the best in their year and also put a lot of work into volunteer work. The award of the Ludwig Schunk Prize acts as a motivational boost and has a model character. The foundation is not only expressing its interest in the quality of academic training. It also promotes the willingness of young talent to set high standards for themselves when it comes to personal qualifications and community service.”
The winners of the first round of awards have completed their university studies with overall grades between 1.0 and 1.3. The spectrum of their charitable activities ranges from church youth work to activities in the German Alpine Club, as a trainer or official in ball sports to the promotion of beekeeping. In the future, the Ludwig Schunk Prize will be awarded annually at the end of the winter semester.