A Q&A with Maike including an interesting question for you: how can our learning communities assist you in addressing your challenges?
Stories
Where do/did you work within BUas? I work as a lecturer at the Academy for Tourism.
Since when do your work at BUas? I started to work at the Academy for Tourism in September 2012.
Why or how did you start working at BUas? I worked at Hogeschool Rotterdam at the time and got a call from Wesley Put. We studied together in Tilburg and she asked me if I would be interested to apply to the lecturer vacancy at NHTV at the time. I did that and got the job.
When you do run into alumni at or for school? I see alumni at guest lectures and company visits or conferences. Sometimes I just run into some of them at our facilities like Johannes. He lives abroad but was in Breda for a personal visit and came by just to have a look at the new buildings. That was a nice accidental catch- up.
What is the most memorable moment you had with students? In the last 12 years I had a lot of memorable moments with students. Both in class (with different courses and thesis meetings) and out of class on field trips. I think of inspiring study trips to Bali, Cambodia, Thailand where ITMC students showed us their findings of the research areas or when Martijn Smeenge and I risked our lives on a slide down the Korketrekkeren in Norway together with a group of FBTR students. But also flying over the Netherlands in the This Is Holland Experience with international students. Memorable for me is also how students really helped me out with organising the ITMC introduction days, like Davy and Vincent once did, or on the open days joining forces to help new students make their choice.
What do you learn from alumni? Alumni contribute what was most meaningful from their education to real-world practice. They demonstrate the transitions they’ve undergone, highlight what they missed, and provide insights into adjustments or integrations that would enhance our programme.
What piece of advice would you give alumni? Some alumni might be older than I am, so alumni as such are quite a diverse group. I would say to alumni what I also say to my current students. A career path is often not a straight line, and you develop, learn, and adjust your route over time. Therefore, walk your own path, experience what is out there, make progress and feel free to take all the turns and by-lanes to do what fits best with you!
Would you have a question for alumni? I would like to ask alumni: what is currently the top priority on your work agenda, and how can our learning communities assist you in addressing your challenges?
Personal note: from September 2024, I will be taking a side turn in my career and will leave BUas to gather new inspiration and broaden my horizon for the next part of my career. I still hope to meet some of you someday, somewhere and somehow.
