More Than Just Financial Support

All students at Hochschule Geisenheim University, irrespective of their degree program and level of study, can apply to be awarded the Deutchlandstipendium. Half of the grant that the students receive is funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research, the other half by private businesses. As such, students are able to forge early connections with the world of work – it is not uncommon for these connections to lead to an internship position or even a role at the company once the student has completed their studies.

“In previous years we have already managed to facilitate a really high number of scholarships, even more than the minimum number set for the university by the federal government. Now, with over 50 scholarship holders, we have double the number originally allocated for our institution. It’s pretty remarkable! We received 125 applications this year, so we are aware that demand is currently high,” explained Geisenheim’s Vice-President for Academic and Student Affairs Professor Mirjam Hey.

Professor Bianca May, who has been in charge of the Deutschlandstipendium at the university this year, expressed her thanks to the companies sponsoring the scholarship: “Their dedication, something we certainly do not take for granted, helps to build a bridge between academia and the world of work and demonstrates their belief in the potential of the young people at our university.” May continued on to emphasize that the scholarship holders’ own dedication and achievements also serve as an inspiration to their fellow students, as well as their teachers, and encouraged the students awarded with the scholarship to “continue to bring positivity into the world.”

A Growing Network

The importance of building connections between education and praxis is a core tenet at Hochschule Geisenheim University. As such, the university’s Career Service aims to support as many students as possible with their scholarship applications and refer them to different companies.

“It goes without saying that the money is often essential for the students,” explains Simone Böhm, a member of the Career Service team. “But the students also highly value gaining insight into the businesses sponsoring them and building contacts through the scholarship. These experiences are very important when it comes to looking for employment in the future.”

In addition to the financial support and close ties to industry players, the connections between current and former scholarship holders also help to strengthen the international network of Geisenheim alumni.

The strong feeling of solidarity between Deutschlandstipendium scholarship holders is demonstrated by the ‘Scholarship Holders’ Scholarship’; for the first time, former scholarship holders donated enough money this year to provide one further student with a scholarship. Tabea Mollenhauer, a landscape architecture student who received a scholarship, spoke at the award ceremony: “As a result of this wonderful network and my sponsor, the Association of German Landscape Architects, I am hoping to be able to find a job soon after finishing my degree.”

Dedicated Businesses

Many businesses have a significant interest in supporting the skilled workers of tomorrow and have been dedicated sponsors of the Deutschlandstipendium for years: August Fichter GmbH and Gartenbau Versicherung were thanked at the ceremony for their 10-year commitment to sponsoring students in landscape architecture and horticulture. In addition, WISAG and the Sigi und Hans Meder Stiftung were both honored as the largest Deutschlandstipendium sponsors at Hochschule Geisenheim University, having each provided funding for five to six students.

Peter Romeis Prize for Outstanding Achievements in Food Safety

Food Safety bachelor’s degree student Monika Schymanietz and master’s degree student Maximilian Retterarth also received an award at the ceremony. Ingrid Schmittnägel from the Peter Romeis Stiftung presented each of the two best students of the 2024 summer semester with a book prize worth €150, as well as an invitation to the Romeis Institute, enabling them to make use of the network and their expertise in their own professional futures.

“We are now able to look back on many valuable years of collaboration with the Peter Romeis Stiftung, for which I am greatly thankful,” said Professor Simone Loos-Theisen, head of the Food Safety degree programs, at the ceremony. “I am particularly pleased that the funding opens up various opportunities for the awardees, especially when it leads to internships, summer jobs, or even the chance to collaborate on research projects.”