Having joined Wittenborg in 2011, Wang Helped the School Grow and will Be Missed by Colleagues

In the 11 years Daphne Wang worked as Wittenborg’s Senior Financial Administrator, the school grew significantly, and part of this success was due to her hard work and dedication, as well as her expertise in the fields of finance and accountancy. Having recently decided to pursue other ventures, Wang will be missed by her colleagues, who organised a farewell lunch for her on 27 June.

Originally from China, Wang studied English at the Beijing Normal College of Foreign Languages. In 1997, she moved to the Netherlands to study for a bachelor’s degree in Business Economy at Saxion University of Applied Sciences, where she was one of the first Chinese students ever to enrol.

While studying at Saxion, Wang had English lessons from Peter Birdsall, who would eventually become Wittenborg’s president. Years later, she met the school’s CEO Maggie Feng through a common friend and ended up getting a job at the institution. “The fact that I already knew Peter influenced my decision to work for Wittenborg, and I am glad I made that choice, because I had a wonderful time there; that is why I stayed for such a long time,” she says.

As Senior Financial Administrator, Wang was responsible for all kinds of financial work in Wittenborg’s operational area, including the preparation of detailed reports and statements. In her view, the most rewarding – as well as challenging – aspect of this job were the many opportunities for gradual and continuous learning, and she adds that she always tried to do her best when performing her tasks.

“I will really miss all the nice colleagues I had at Wittenborg; we were like a big family, and I am very happy about how much the school has grown over the last years, with so many new students and staff members. I hope that Wittenborg will go on growing and getting stronger, and I wish all the best to everyone there,” she stresses.

President of Wittenborg Peter Birdsall highlights that the school went from approximately 150 students when Wang joined to 1,200 students enrolled last year. “Daphne walked into Wittenborg when we had just moved to the Aventus Building, and she left shortly before we moved to the Brinklaan building, so that is a nice synchronicity. We were a small team when she joined and we have now become a quite large team; it has been a great run, with plenty of memorable moments. It is a big jump to go from one company to another after 11 years, and I wish her the best of luck and much success,” he said.

According to Student Registrar Florian Oosterberg, among Wang’s most admirable qualities was her dedication to work and Wittenborg, as well as her honesty and straightforwardness. “We worked together for more than eight years; she was friendly and had a good dose of humour. I will miss Daphne as a part of the Wittenborg team and wish her all the best!”

HR & Immigration Administrator Mahesan Suntharesan described Wang as an extremely knowledgeable and amiable colleague, adding that during the period when he worked at Wittenborg’s Finance Department he viewed her as a mentor. “Daphne taught me a lot, not only about financial procedures, but also about skills that are important for both my professional and personal life. She has strong work ethics and puts in a lot of effort, and she encouraged me to learn the Dutch language so that I could have more opportunities and integrate easily into Dutch society. Among other things, Daphne advised me to always remember the following Dutch saying: ‘Een dag niet gelachen, is een dag niet geleefd’, which means ‘A day without laughter is a day wasted’. I am sure she will be successful wherever she goes, and I am rooting for her.”

WUP 17/8/2022
by Ulisses Sawczuk
©WUAS Press