How Wittenborg Staff and Students Are Spending Their Summer

The summer break is in full swing and people are making the most of the time off from work or studies. From sightseeing to research, in the Netherlands and abroad, find out what some of Wittenborg's students and staff are up to this summer.

Comfort Kasevhemba Aande, MBM (Master of Business Management) Student

Comfort Kasevhemba Aande, a Human Resource Management student from Nigeria, plans to travel to Cologne, Germany, and then to Türkiye this summer. The main purpose of her summer includes visiting tourist attractions.  

She says: "I am ready to enjoy and smile through the summer after a long wait. I am looking forward to happiness, excitement, fulfilment and more."  

What she enjoys the most is "the sun, clothing and the excitement in the air." Her hobbies in the summer include travelling, shopping and "riding bikes for no particular reason".

Her tips on how to relax and unwind during the summer include shopping, visiting cities with beaches, and trusting in the excitement and calmness that nature provides.  

Amal Orm, Financial Administrator

Amal Orm, Wittenborg's Financial Administrator from Lebanon, is staying in the Netherlands this summer.  

When asked about her specific projects or goals for the summer, she said: "To improve my Dutch language."  

She is looking forward to having a sunny summer in the Netherlands, or at least a warm one, though she admits: "I don't have to have high expectations of that."

Her favourite summer activities include walking with friends or swimming in the countryside if the weather is warm enough.  

"Although summer is a season of vacations, sometimes you can take advantage of it to have a mid-evaluation of your progress and put some goals that you missed during winter on track." 

Maryam Shahpasandzadeh, MBA (Master of Business Administration) Student

Maryam Shahpasandzadeh, an International Management student from Iran, is planning a trip to Rome with her boyfriend. She looks forward to visiting the museums and monuments in Rome. "I'm [also] doing an internship [as Education Quality Assistant] at Wittenborg, and I'm happy since my summer wish of getting an internship is now fulfilled," she shares.

Maryam is most excited about graduating and getting a job offer, even though that's not strictly a summer wish. "What I enjoy most about a European summer is the fact that it's not too hot," she says.  

Back home, her favourite summer tradition is having vacations with her family. Now, she is focusing on her career achievements and hopes to see her family again soon.  

Theo Gerrits, Facility and Operations Coordinator

Theo Gerrits, Wittenborg's Facility and Operations Coordinator, will be on holiday with his classic caravan and car. The main purpose of his travels is to explore the environment wherever he goes and take long walks with his dogs, Border Terriers Tom and Finn. His main goal for the summer is simple: "Relax!"

He always looks forward to "the first beer after putting the caravan and car in place at the camping." Theo enjoys the sun with a glass of something and a bite to eat, and his favourite summer tradition is "going away and doing as little as possible in as much time as possible."  

Cha-Hsuan Liu, Associate Professor

Cha-Hsuan Liu, an Associate Professor at Wittenborg, will be attending an international conference in Indonesia. "I will host a roundtable 'Healing through Humanity' at the International Convention for Asian Scholars (ICAS)," she explains. This roundtable is part of her research project "Global Health Matters."

She looks forward to the internal meeting of the roundtable, where they will discuss potential research funding applications. What she enjoys most about a European summer is that it is usually a time for her to visit places around the world. Her top tip for the summer? "Just enjoy life." 

Chamathi Siriwardana, Marketing and Communications Student

Chamathi Siriwardana, a bachelor's student from Sri Lanka, plans to take a solo trip to Italy. "I want to visit the beaches and travel solo," she says.  

Her specific project for the summer is to start working on her travel content creation plan and have the best time doing it.

She is looking forward to her trip to Italy the most. "What I enjoy about a European summer are the beaches, the nice views, the weather, the architecture and meeting new people." Her favourite summer hobby is travelling, and she plans to finish her PDP1 (Personal Development Plan), influenced by her studies at Wittenborg.  

Her advice for fellow students and staff is to "go on that trip and always remember it is easy to do a budget trip and have the best time ever."  

Ahmed Mehta, Associate Professor

Ahmed Mehta, an Associate Professor from Pakistan, participated in an international research conference to present his research paper in July 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal. The main purpose of his travels was "to improve my research exposure as well as strengthen professional networking along with international exposure."

For the summer, he is looking forward to "peace of mind and peace at heart." He enjoys the warm weather, festivals, beaches, green landscapes, outdoor activities and the food and wine that come with a European summer. His favourite summer hobbies include swimming, horse riding, playing cricket and morning walks.  

He plans to supervise potential research students and continue his research collaboration with fellow colleagues at Wittenborg. His advice for making the most of summer includes:  

"Set goals by reflecting on the past year and setting achievable goals for the summer. Read widely to explore new genres, authors and topics to broaden your knowledge. Learn a new skill by engaging in online courses, workshops or hobbies to develop new skills. Stay active by participating in sports, exercise or outdoor activities to maintain physical and mental well-being. Volunteer to give back to your community through volunteering, internships or part-time jobs."

WUP 26/07/2024 
by Erene Roux 
©WUAS Press