Hochschule Geisenheim University presented the 2020 DAAD Prize to Beverage Technology student Mari Tadevosyan. The award ceremony took place on December 9, 2020 – in strict compliance with hygiene regulations – as part of the lecture on "Operational Marketing", held in front of first-semester students of Beverage Technology, International Wine Business and Viticulture and Enology in the Rheingau Atrium, and was broadcast via live stream. Due to the current extraordinary situation, the prize was not awarded as usual during the welcome event for first-semester students. With the hybrid lecture, however, Hochschule Geisenheim University created an appropriate setting to honor outstanding social commitment.
The DAAD Prize endowed with 1,000 euros, which has been awarded for five years now by Hochschule Geisenheim University, honors international students and doctorate candidates for their exceptional academic achievements coupled with outstanding social commitment. Mari Tadevosyan receives the prize for her social work and her commitment to our university. Before she started her studies of Beverage Technology, she had completed a voluntary social year in the internal medecine ward of a hospital in Schleswig-Holstein. For two years, she has been actively shaping our internationalisation strategy as a student representative. For the past three years, the Armenian-born student has been supporting International Office's events and advising other international students on questions concerning their studies or everyday life in Germany – because she knows the challenges of living and studying abroad from her own experience.
"We are happy to be able to award the DAAD Prize, especially in this extraordinary year. In difficult times like these, social cohesion is crucial – at university and in our society as a whole. With their voluntary commitment, people like Mari Tadevosyan create and foster social cohesion and have a positive influence on our environment," explains Sonja Thielemann, Head of International Office at Hochschule Geisenheim University.
With the "Geisenheim Prize for Social Commitment", Hochschule Geisenheim University has initiated a second award to highlight the importance of voluntary student commitment to our university community. The university established the prize this year because it had received so many impressive applications for the DAAD Prize. During the event in the Rheingau Atrium, Susan Bail from Australia and Elena Fomicheva from Russia were awarded and received 500 euros each. The two students of the English program International Wine Business convinced the jury with their support and commitment towards fellow students.
About the DAAD Prize
The DAAD Prize has been awarded for over 10 years now. Its aim is to make the large number of foreign students and doctorate candidates at German universities more visible, to tell their stories, and to honor their achievements. It demonstrates that every single one of them takes a litte piece of Germany back home while leaving traces behind – a win-win situation.
