Family, friends, and roommates logged into the interactive livestreams to celebrate the achievements of students graduating from the two three-year programmes. Many students created their own charming and heartfelt videoclip message or sent in a photo showing themselves wearing a virtual mortarboard cap and under a shower of celebratory virtual confetti in front of the Erasmus statue.
‘You have worked incredibly hard’
Dean of RSM, Prof. Ansgar Richter, wearing a traditional professor’s toga and beret, spoke directly to students to acknowledge their achievement in overcoming the difficulties of continuing a demanding study programme, particularly while some students were a long way from their homes and families in such a disruptive year. Classes and team assignments, and even exams, have been conducted online while the campus has been closed. “You have worked incredibly hard during these very challenging circumstances; the last year was very different from the way it was supposed to be but the value of your bachelor degree has not changed. It is admirable to see what you have achieved,” he said.
Resourceful and appreciative
In the BSc Business Administration/Bedrijfskunde (BA) graduation ceremony, Carolien Rijnsburger, Team Manager for BSc programme management acted as master of ceremonies in the studio on campus. She was joined by Dr Christophe Lembregts and Mr Ankje Grapperhaus, two of the students’ favourite teachers. Christophe described the young graduates as resourceful, and reminded them that there is more to life than only study. Ankje said students should keep their books from her course Ondernemingsrecht for later reference. It was clear that the graduates appreciated what they had learned in the programme.
The ceremony concluded with graduand Joëlle Rottier, fully dressed in cap and gown, representing her whole cohort and officially receiving her graduate diploma in the studio. Currently working in the Erasmus Media Support Centre, Joëlle toasted with the online audience of new graduates and their families and friends.
IBA favourite teachers and favourite moments
Executive Director Adri Meijdam acted as master of ceremonies for the of 434 graduates from 45 different nationalities of the BSc International Business Administration (IBA) programme. He was joined by two of the IBA 2020 cohort’s favourite teachers, Dr Helen Gubby, who has been voted by students in their annual awards to be the Best Professor 11 times, and Dr Florian Madertoner, 10-time recipient of the award. In an interactive session questions like ‘‘What did you like best about IBA?’ generated answers like the international study exchange, the international and diverse nature of the cohort, their friends, and parties. When asked to say which were the most stressful moments of IBA, graduates said their exams, writing their bachelor thesis, enduring the coronavirus pandemic, and their courses on corporate finance and quantitative decision making.
There were farewell messages from IBA graduates Jonas Kaiser and Alice Gilliard, from BA graduates Roos van Daalen and Youri Knorren, and presentations from alumni speakers Micky Chen (IBA2013) and Niels van Deuren (IBA2009 and MScMiM2012). They wished all graduates all the best with future endeavours and gave advice based on their experiences as entrepreneurs.
A recording of the RSM BSc Business Administration/Bedrijfskunde online graduation ceremony for 2020 (in Dutch) can be viewed on YouTube here.
A recording of the RSM BSc International Business Administration online graduation ceremony for 2020 can be viewed on YouTube here.
