Three young women and young men had every reason to be happy at the summer festival celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Central Hesse University of Technology (THM). For they received this year's Ludwig Schunk Prizes from Gunthard Sommer, Chairman of the Board of the Ludwig Schunk Foundation. The Foundation and THM jointly award the prizes, each endowed with 1,000 euros, to young talents for outstanding academic achievements and social commitment.
Lea Benning from Wetzlar (Master Industrial Engineering), Bianca Gerke from Marburg (Master International Marketing), Thamar Vainstain from Rodgau (Master Media Informatics), Edwin Beller from Kirchhain (Master Electrical Engineering and Information Technology), Dennis Domladovac from Laubach (Master Mechanical Engineering) and Jannis Gabriel Hamp from Gießen (Master Mechanical Engineering Mechatronics) were awarded.
The majority of them still have their career entry ahead of them and are currently gaining further scientific qualifications. They are involved in charitable work with children and young people, in religious community life, in associations in the fields of sport, culture and animal welfare, and in European politics.
Special award for Schunk employee
In addition to the usual six awards, a special prize was also presented. It went to 32-year-old Abdalrazaq Alkwieder, who came to Germany from Syria as a refugee in 2015 and initially lived in emergency accommodation in Central Hesse.
In his laudation, Professor Dr. Hubert Jung, Member of the Board of the Ludwig Schunk Foundation, made it clear with what willingness to perform and determination Alkwieder went his way here from then on: "With German and integration courses, he fought his way through and, starting in 2017, did a voluntary internship in the IT department at Schunk, where he was finally taken on permanently in 2019. In addition to his job, Alkwieder started a master's degree at the THM in Friedberg, which he successfully completed in 2021."
Abdalrazaq Alkwieder accepted the award in front of a large audience at the summer festival of the Technical University of Central Hesse.
Willingness to perform is rewarded
At the ceremony, Gunthard Sommer emphasized the special profile of the award, which honors both commitment to one's own career and service rendered to the community: "The Ludwig Schunk Award sends a signal that a willingness to perform, outstanding degrees and voluntary commitment are not only compatible, but are also rewarded." At the same time, he said, the award, currently in its ninth year, is emblematic of the many successful collaborations between THM and Schunk.
Schunk and the THM are linked by many years of cooperation in teaching, research and development. Students at the university complete internships there or deal with company topics in their bachelor's or master's theses. Schunk has been involved in the dual StudiumPlus program for many years, and the Ludwig Schunk Foundation is one of the sponsors of the German scholarships at the THM.
The best graduates of the year from the THM's Giessen and Friedberg departments, which offer study programs in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering and business administration, can apply for the Ludwig Schunk Prize. A jury consisting of representatives of the foundation and members of the university will decide on the award. Criteria here are final grades and the degree of the respective volunteer work.