HUB- BLEND: edition for first-year students by bredauniversityas

SEPT ‘22 EDITION

EDITOR’S NOTE Dear first year student, In about one week you will start as a first-year student at BUas. As third year students, we can imagine how exciting it is. We’ve been there as well, of course :). The first year of your study will certainly be one of the best. You get to know lovely people, learn tons of skills, and will be more proud of yourself than ever before! However, the first year is the most chaotic as well. Big buildings, a lot of new faces, and high expectations. Therefore, we got your back! Currently, you are looking at the September ‘22 edition of BLEND. We made this especially for you. We’ve included many tips, preparations, and even a map of the campus. This is not the only thing we want to give you; we also want to inspire you to get away from the digital part of life and start exploring and creating! After more than two years of Covid and everything being online, you will be part of the first students who, hopefully, can enjoy their entire study on campus with each other. So, dare to be creative and open-minded during your upcoming study. Put your electronic devices away when possible and have a laugh with your fellow students. Live in the moment and enjoy it! We wish you good luck in the upcoming years.

The Publishing team

06 08 10 12 20

Meet the team

The BUas blueprint

Hotspots

Internationals

Student well-being

Blend online edition

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September ‘22

The BUas community

Alumni

Passion projects

Lecturers album

Thank you

MEET THE TEAM

Fleur van Deijck 23 years old

“Since a couple of years, I have developed my passion for graphic design. Publishing gave me the chance to create a new issue of BLEND and to develop my writing skills. This way, I can visualize the stories I want to tell and make all my ideas come to life :).”

Owen Metz

21 years old

“I dream of becoming a sports journalist. I have a huge passion for sports and especially for Formula 1 and football (European). Watching and writing about sports as a job would be amazing. As a Bredanaar, especially about football club NAC of course. Hup NAC!“

Tirza van der Laan 20 years old

“I chose the Publishing department, because I desire to evolve on my storytelling. Last semester, I discovered my passion for playing with words and creating involvement through sentences. I believe that writing skills are valuable to any project in the creative industry.

THE BUAS BLUEPRINT 8

Your student time is all about discovering yourself. Notice how you blossom with the right people around you! A campus institute is most definitely one of the best places to freely express yourself. It is a melting pot of students with both similar

and different interests and is a true cultural merge. Every campus has an image, a charm, or is characterised in a certain way. As most campuses are radiating a certain feel, what is the vibe of BUas? What are the attributes of the typical BUas student?

OMW to BUas: 37% by train 19% by car 11% by share scooter 3% by step

The top 3 music genres are: 1. Dance & Pop (26%) 2. House (24%) 3. Typical folk music of Brabant (18%)

After a fun night out, 59% of the students gets their snack from the Turkish snackbar. 17% likes to eat Wok King, 12% visits the spring roll corner, and the remaining group runs to uncle McDonald’s.

34% has a BUas crush

66% of the students does not floss their theeth

A wild guess on how many pigeons are in Breda: 30.000 460 32.000 At least 6 23.000 1/2 56.001 3 million 11.000 0 6.000 135 50.000

Are there more doors or more wheels in and around the BUas campus? 43% More doors

57% More wheels

Accepting

Innov

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ativ

Devoted

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ind m n Ope

Pro

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Helpful

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lco

mi ng

Intelligent

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ve sco

Initiative

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OCEAN BUILDING

FRONTIER BUILDING

SSTRAAT

ST. IGNATIUSSTRAAT

MONSEIGNEUR HOPMAN

HORIZON BUILDING

HOTSPOTS

As you finally found the right building, you’re still searching for the right classroom. Welcome to BUas! ;). In the upcoming days, the campus might feel like a maze to you. However, we got you! In this article, you can find the best places to visit on campus.

The Ocean building got some great seats! When you sit inside, you’re in your own bubble. A good place to come to peace and to relax.

Outside the Horizon building, you can find a lovely little garden. At the chaotic campus, this is a place where you can relax. It’s quite a hidden place, but worth checking it out!

The best coffee can be found in the canteen of the Frontier building. When you walk inside from the Brabantplein side, it is on your left side. Keep walking, and you will notice a bar. At this place, the sweet canteen employees will offer you handmade, good tasting coffee brewed with real ground coffee. This isn’t some cheap vending machine coffee.

The Ocean building has some great murals on the inside and outside of the walls. The murals are part of the Blind Walls Gallery, the museum on the streets. The murals are very colorful and make the building look great. The murals visualize the Leisure and Events Management course, which is based inside the building.

Inside the Horizon building, there are balconies where you can sit and enjoy your time by people-watching. You can see the entire canteen just from your sitting spot. Take a nice drink and enjoy watching your fellow students!

In the Frontier building, you can find the radio station, by and for students. You can listen to some great music in the canteen and on the HUB website. There’s even a chance you can create your own show. Take a seat and enjoy the radio shows!

After studying on campus for a while, you might get hungry. The canteen of the Horizon building offers the best food made with love by Hotel Management students. They offer lots of meals, from nice paninis to fresh fruit salads.

Last but not least: the beautiful chapel. The Horizon building used to be an old monastery, which is free to visit for any student. This is one of the proudest possessions of BUas. You might have a lecture in there some time, it will be memorable! 11

interna

ationals Experiences on moving from one coountry to another by yourself, dealing with cultural differences, and advice on combining your studies with your passion.

What is special about Tanzania that you will definitely miss? First of all, Dutch people are very direct and I like that a lot. However, the way Tanzanians beat around the bush is a way of communicating and getting to know one another. They are more friendly, I would say. They really accept foreigners and are welcoming to them; they even give you compliments on the street. In terms of tradition, the Tanzanian culture is more elaborated. Especially the history of the culture is really intriguing. Besides that, Tanzania has a large mix of cultures: the Tanzanian culture, the Arabic culture, and the Indian culture. Even the people from Spain that immigrated and settled in Tanzania brought their own culture to the country. Tanzania is extremely multicultural and is combined with lots of tourists visiting East Africa. It is a big cultural hub! The physical features of the country, such as the nature, is what attracts people. I do see how the Netherlands is also a multicultural melting pot, but in Tanzania this is taken to the next level and the citizens are fully accepting each other.

ANNA-MARIE BRONKHORST

Why did you decide to study in the Netherlands? I’ve lived in the Netherlands the first part of my life. My dad is Dutch and the history of his side of the family is interesting. It felt like I was missing a part of myself, because I’ve stayed in Tanzania for such a long time. So, I wanted to reconnect again and discover different areas of the Netherlands. Also, it would be a reunion with my half brothers and sister. It was a very personal decision to move countries. Based on that, I chose the study Build Environment Management since it also suits my interest.

What was your first (or second) impression of the Netherlands? I moved here completely by myself, partly because of Covid. I was extremely nervous. It was my first time being alone in a country with, on top of that, living there by myself. The moment of walking in Breda; I was very nervous. I was like “Pfff, okay... Maybe you get lost… But, you know, you can’t get lost, because people walking on the street will help you. So, it is okay…”. I was so nervous, that I would call a friend and cry.

How did you handle these nerves? So, I live in a student house. It is not international, but they are trying to be. There is one Dutch guy that speaks English. He tried to show me around in Breda and explained lots of things. But then, he told me to experience it by myself. It is really trial and error: you get lost, you find your way back. I believe that dealing with moving out to an unknown country is all about constant reassurance to yourself. Keep telling yourself; “It’s gonna work out! I will be okay. More people around the world are going through the same thing, you are not alone.’. Because while you are working on believing these words, it is actually already the case. What is a good experience you have about moving to the Netherlands? Definitely the friends I have made! Get to know people you feel comfortable around and meet up with them. This creates connections and eases you out. Try to get trustworthy friends and you will make amazing memories with them! After all, it is your student time and they will be your friends for a long time. Get friends that will benefit you in the future, but I wouldn’t stress about it too much. Just have fun!

PHILIPP HUANG

Why did you decide to study in the Netherlands? After high school, I didn’t do anything for a year. I was struggling to find the right study since I didn’t want to start anything that I merely half liked. Instead of doing something I wasn’t interested in for years or quitting after a year, I decided to wait a bit and investigated outside of my usual reach. I was looking for something creative. The education system in Germany is certainly high quality if you want to study medicine, psychology, or mathematics. However, I feel like the Netherlands is very innovative when it comes to their studies. Creative Business suited my passion for filmmaking and rap music videos very well. I stayed in Germany simply waiting and doing nothing for so long. I was very excited to move forward! You have your own company, Raekwunder. How do you combine this with your studies? Yes, indeed. I started to film and create edits together with my friends. One thing led to another. We started to receive paid requests. Slowly, labels reached out and things got bigger and bigger. Combining it with studies is quite difficult. It is hard to drive them both since it is very timeconsuming. If you have clients that pay you money for your work, you obviously place it as a priority. Especially since the client does not validate any excuse for not completing your work due to the payment. Would you say you feel further ahead when speaking about career compared to your fellow students? Honestly... I think I am. There are others that have their own company as well. However, I always saw video projects besides of school as a bigger priority than doing schoolwork. It is more about... Uhm... How I have invested

more time into the career aspect than my classmates. I have sacrificed a lot of nights for my personal projects. Free weekends and free holidays as well. What is your advice for other students that desire to start a side hustle? If you want to get your diploma as well, you must sacrifice your free time. Otherwise, one of them might not succeed. Also, get used to stress. It is going to be a big, big part of your life. The only thing that helps managing this, is to write a list of what you need to do. Stretch it out, and plan sufficiently. If you know you have a shoot next month, look at your school deadlines and how much work certain things require in order to schedule your time properly. You probably will work during the nights or have to wake up early. Oh, and definitely do not go out on the weekends. If you like your business enough, this shouldn’t be a problem for you. If you want to be successful with your business, make it work and be devoted. Is it possible to get supervision to a students’ personal business and would you make use from this option? I think this would be really cool actually. Although, it is always a bit tricky to do so, because of the way our generation looks at creative work. For instance, music videos are probably totally different than the view of the teachers. They might not have heard about the rapper or won’t understand the rap music video style. I think the lecturers will be too distant when it comes to the visuals and styles the future market is requesting. However, I would appreciate their opinion or receive their support regarding equipment or execution production wise. That option would be really cool. I am not doing so right now. Perhaps with my graduation project, I will see ;).

What is the biggest difference between the countries? I’ve visited the Netherlands a few times while I lived in Brazil. Still, the differences were very noticeable when I moved here. I would say the Netherlands is more organised and it is easier to get things going. The atmosphere and geography are quite different. Since the Netherlands is a small country, the way people live together is very different from Brazil. Also, the habits and how people divide their time. How do Brazil and the Netherlands differ cultural wise? Pfew… I think there are numerous of differences between the two cultures. For example, how people handle things is way more direct. It is slightly more on a serious note. Dutch people here are definitely more straight forward. On a social level, I feel like the Dutch people are a bit more reserved compared to Brazil. That makes it harder to get to know

someone, go to their place, or to hang out with their friends. I didn’t struggle with this, but I saw others around me struggling with it. And how come that others tend to struggle more on these aspects? Uhm… Well as I mentioned, I think I am culturally more aware since my dad is Dutch. Others had to encounter way more of a culture shock. They translated social cues in a different way, which can create confusion.

LIA KIM KOOL

Why did you choose to study in the Netherlands? So, I grew up in Brazil, but I was born in Amsterdam. After high school, I came across The Rookie Handbook. This is a website with a guide to choose a study. I saw that the Game course at BUas was ranked the highest. So, I ended up choosing Game Visual Arts at BUas and I came to the Netherlands based on this study choice. It was definitely a helpful website.

How did you experience moving from one country to another? It is overwhelming. I was constantly asking people what to do. I had to worry about things I never thought of before, like taxes or contracts and stuff. Also, on a nutrition spectrum. I ate unhealthy, because no one was looking after me. I know how to properly cook, but I got lazy and bought pre-made meals. It definitely takes a while before you have figured everything out. What is your biggest survival tip for other internationals that are moving or living by themselves? Be well informed. Be aware of all the processes you must undergo. Try to make friends and discuss it with them. They will help you out with many, many things you feel helpless in. It is always good to ask questions until you actually understand. This also relates to the first weeks at BUas. Ask students of years above you to help you out as well. And of course, you will be fine. Have fun!

STUDENT WELL-BEING During your time at BUas, it is totally normal to face some challenges and feel the need for help or just want to talk to someone. BUas has got your back! In this article, you can find a clear overview of who to go to in case you want some help. There are multiple ways of how you can get in contact with specific people or persons, just see what works for you.elp. There are multiple ways of how you can get in contact with specific people or persons, just see what works for you. Study coaches Every student has its own study coach. This person is your first point of contact. They guide you in your personal development and you will also attend a few hours of their classes every week. You can always go to your coach regarding questions about study planning, your results on assignments and problems you are facing. Sometimes it is necessary for a study coach to refer you to a student counsellor. Student counsellors The student counsellors have a position of trust and can help you with special questions or issues you face. These are often issues which involve regulations or legal provisions. Think about questions regarding your BUas course combining with top-class sport, questions you have in the area of legal status and regulations or about studying with a disability. When there’s more going on, the student counsellor will assign you to one of the student psychologists.

which are hindering your academic progress, the student counsellor will arrange an appointment for you with the student psychologist. BESTtraining BESTtrainings are trainings which contribute to your well-being in an accessible way. This is done by offering several training courses that can help you to deal with your study in a pleasant way, making you stronger and more confident. BESTtraining offers skills and behavior trainings. Just think of study skills, studying with dyslexia and ADHD, or training courses in dealing with fear of failure. Next to that they also offer mindfulness sessions, for example. Taking part is easy. Just attend one of the guest lectures or workshops, for instance. This way, you do not necessarily have to do the entire training program, but it does give an insight in if it would be useful for you. Your study coach can always tell you more about it! So, if you are ever struggling with yourself or just feel a little bit off, don’t hesitate to ask for help or tips! The professionals at BUas are always willing to help you with anything. Struggling is normal and everyone has a moment where they need to deal with it.

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Student psychologists The student psychologists work for BUas and obviously also have an independent position of trust. If you are experiencing any psychological problems of a social or an emotional nature

THE BUAS COMMUNITY Every campus has a community feeling. What does the environment radiate and how is the interaction between the students? There are lots of things that are building on to this community feeling. I decided to start an investigation. When I spoke with a classmate about the differences between BUas and the HBO institute we were enrolled to the year before, it all clicked. Hereby, you will read a personal story on my experiences when entering BUas. It is exciting to share a story about this welcoming school.

Let’s be very cheesy; I must admit I felt as if I belonged to BUas. Cliché, but very true. I knew I desired to study film, but not as specific as in arts school. I came across the management track of BUas that offeres a curriculum directly connected to the media and entertainment world. As soon as I stepped foot on the campus during the open day, I was convinced. The students at the open day were so kind and sweet while explaining all insights, showing me around, and were patiently ensuring me to not worry about English being the main language. I was about sixteen years old and was early in attending open days. A year later, during the last year of high school, I visited BUas again and applied to this dream study. Oppositely, I entered a different HBO institute. It was close to my hometown and one of the largest institutes of the Netherlands. It was a well-made decision at the time, which I still support to this moment. However, it was certainly not what I desired. I missed out on the creative projects, personal supervision, and the collaborative group projects. Most importantly; it definitely did not have the warm feeling that BUas radiates. The institute was enormous. Their locations were spread through the city and consisted out of large buildings. How I currently get lost in the horizon building, well, that was daily business at my previous institute... Of course, I made the best out of it and didn’t notice what I was missing until I transferred to BUas. I was received with a warm welcome during my first weeks at BUas. Joining as a new student in the second-year group felt a bit off at first. Everyone 22

knew each other already, while everyone was new to me. However, it took not even a day until my classmates noticed a new face and showed high interest in me and my reasons for joining BUas. I was shown around offline as well as through the online environment. Invited and involved. You must think; ‘Well, you are probably just a social person by nature’. I have to say, it stood out to me how open and welcoming BUas students are. Frankly, anyone in the hallway will help you with questions. The most remarkable to me, is the way lecturers interact with you. You can expect to build a connection with a couple of your lecturers and have many opportunities to get to know them on a personal level. And regarding your educationl? Well, they’ve got your back, for real. This is something that extended throughout my time at BUas. The close and personal supervision is outstanding. It is exceedingly rare compared to other schools and may be noticed more. You might hear ‘Such a BUas thing.’ around you anytime when something is unclear. I can ensure you; BUas is top notch and one of the best education institutes of the Netherlands. Appreciate everything that is fixed and done for you. On top of that, BUas offers a broad spectrum of support providers. From student coaches until therapists; you are offered plenty of sources to receive help from. Finally, BUas is actively building and expanding their community. Throughout the years, they organise numerous activities and make sure every student of every academy feels included. Parties, clothing

swaps, easter egg hunt, 55 years celebration, and much more! You can attend the events, contribute to the organisational teams, or just pass by and enjoy what you experience. It creates this warm feeling of being included to something large. All these events are organised by HUB. HUB is the online platform of BUas where students can get in touch with everything going on around campus. It is created for students, by students. Radio, Television Shows, cool articles; tune in to tune out. Check their socials to see what their upcoming event is about! Besides HUB to get in contact, you can join BUas’ clubs. These clubs are a great opportunity to hang out with students of all academies and to make connections based on similar interests. Pass by the soccer club, garden club, LGBTQ+ club, film club, poker club, and many more to find out what suits you! Accepting, involved, open-minded, enthusiastic, and welcoming. These are not simply words stated as the blueprint of BUas. They come to practice and form the core of our community. A community that radiates inclusiveness. Being seen, heard, and valued. I am proud to have the little orange fire in my heart that screams ‘BUas is the best!’. It is the little orange fire that I wish you will experience soon as well.

ALUMNI

BRITT KOEN graduated two years ago in Tourism Management and currently works at AVIAREPS as a consultant at the Tourism department. She was born in Roosendaal, but lives in Breda for seven years now. Why did you choose to study Tourism Management at BUas? After I graduated from high school, I decided to study Cultural Anthropology. I did VWO, so I wanted to go to a university. However, after a year of studying, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I expected. So, I quit the course and started looking for other courses. I went to an open day and drove back home with my dad. We were close to Breda, so he asked if there are any open days there. I saw BUas had an open day, so we made a visit. I was very enthusiastic about Tourism Management because it’s low-scaled. Also, the atmosphere was good, and everything was relatable and personal. So, that’s why I chose to study at BUas. What type of student were you back then? I enjoyed my study time at BUas. Besides school, I was student ambassador. So, I was an involved student. I did a year of university (Dutch university) and only passed one assignment. So, BUas was easier and more practical to me. Also, I really enjoyed student life :). What do you do at AVIAREPS? I’m a consultant at the Tourism department. I’m taking care of the representation of tourist destinations. I did my third-year internship and capstone at this company. The company is based in Hoofddorp, a village near Amsterdam. 24

Throughout the years, BUas has had over 30.000 students from all courses. They started just like us: they chose a course they were interested in, developed themselves throughout the years, and found their passions. Something we all dream of. Let’s find out how these four (almost) alumni look back at their study time at BUas and how they achieved their goals.

What do you like the most about the company? AVIAREPS is varied, which I really like. Most of our clients come back several times, we work together with media partners, and we focus mainly on the marketing activities. This can be chaotic, but also fun. My colleagues are nice and friendly. The age differs from 25 till 63 years old. However, I don’t mind this at all: the 63-years old lady can teach me a lot. We are a team of five in my department, a small but nice team. In total, we are with 15 people and one intern at the office. In 2019, the company’s team existed out of 30 people. Due to Covid, the team halved. This was quite intense. What are your classmates currently doing for a living? We graduated during Covid, so it was difficult to find a job in the tourism industry. One friend works at the HR department of a company, another friend works at the customer service of an electronics store. I noticed how most of my classmates found a job in the tourism industry since the last couple of weeks. It’s easier to get a job now that Covid is over. How did your course at BUas help you with your current job? BUas learned me how to handle certain situations. Also, they taught me how to work in a team. I had an amazing time at BUas and met some great people. Do you have tips for the first-year students? My tip would be; just go with the flow. Don’t make a 5-year plan, because it never goes according to plan. Also, do whatever you like! Don’t choose a study because of the money, choose a study because you are in your place. But most importantly: enjoy every moment! Sounds cliché, but it’s true.

BRITT KOEN

TOURISM MANAGEMENT THE NETHERLANDS

CREATIVE BUSINESS THE NETHERLANDS

MARCO VERBEEK

ALUMNI

Why did you choose to study Creative Business at BUas? Back in high school, I noticed I’m good with numbers and had good grades for Economics. So, I decided to study Business Economics. I didn’t enjoy it, so I was looking for an alternative. I had a side job in a movie theater which made me interested in filmmaking. An old classmate studied Creative Business (IMEM at the time) and told me about it. I got enthusiastic and applied for the course. I really enjoyed the study because there is more focus on film and AV. I’m not very creative in a practical sense, so the combination of creativity and management was perfect. What type of student were you back then? I’m not made for school life. I wasn’t really motivated, especially during my capstone. Still, I enjoyed the practical side of Creative Business. I ended up doing fast track. Also, I had a great study time. The atmosphere at BUas is good, the people are nice, the teachers are open-minded, so I had a very good time. What do you do at Levitate Film? I work as a financial controller at the company. This means, I take care of the financial side of a film production. For example, coordinating with the accountant and production employees as well as report information to my boss on film and production level. It is real fun but also complex and challenging. I did my capstone at Levitate Film as well, so that’s how I ended up here. Right now, I’m in the right place to grow and develop myself, since there is a deficiency of crew and employees for the financial side. However, in the future, I would like to do something else.

MARCO VERBEEK (right side) is a 26-years old alumni who graduated in Creative Business. He was born in Sint Oedenrode but has moved to Amsterdam three years ago. He specialized in Business Economics at Fontys but never graduated. So, he started studying at BUas and developed his passion for filmmaking. He currently works at film production company Levitate Film.

What do you like the most about the company? I like the variety of my job. I focus on multiple projects in different stages of production at the same time. So far, I’ve worked on the post-production of Stromboli. The film will be in premiere soon. I also worked on the preproduction of a children’s film and tv series for NPO (famous Dutch tv-broadcaster). We also produce for different streaming platforms; they are in need of content. What are your classmates currently doing for a living? Some friends started their own media company. Others ended up in a whole different place. However, most of my peers stayed in the media industry. It’s nice to see that there are so many options for Creative Business students and how everyone ends up in the right place, whether that’s in a small or big company. How did your course at BUas help you with your current job? I learned the basics of AV at BUas, but I learned the most via external projects. I tried to gain knowledge and experience within AV besides school, because that’s where you learn the most. I think it’s good BUas offers several opportunities to do an internship. If I didn’t do my third-year internship at Levitate Film, I wouldn’t have ended up at the company. I’m happy about it. Do you have tips for the first-year students? You need a passion for the media industry; can be radio, graphic design, filmmaking, etc. Try to gain experience and skills besides school, not only by doing internships. Go find your passion for media! 27

ALUMNI Why did you choose to study International Hotel Management at BUas? After I graduated from high school, I thought the jump from HAVO to HBO is too big for me. Therefore, I decided to study MHBO. This means I finished my MBO course in two years instead of four years. When I was graduated, I started in the second year of International Hotel Management at BUas. When I was about 8 years old, I ‘helped’ the waitresses with their job. I always found the hotel life interesting, but it wasn’t a passion of mine. Still, I decided to study at BUas, because I heard good stories about it, and it’s based in Brabant :). What type of student were you back then? I was a highly motivated student and a bit nerdy. When I was in high school, I was interested in fashion, lifestyle, and interior, but it was too specific. Therefore, I chose International Hotel Management. During my time at BUas, I noticed my passion for Brand management. That’s why I decided to continue studying after BUas and learn more about marketing itself. What do you do at EDCO? Before I started working at EDCO, I worked at Perfetti Van Melle as an International marketeer. A year later, I got promoted as an International product manager. I missed Brabant, so I returned and became a Product manager at Absoluta. I had to make sure the product portfolio was constantly optimized and innovative. However, it was time for the next step. This year, I became Trade marketeer at the Global Trade Partner for the largest retail chains worldwide: EDCO Eindhoven. I’m responsible for the concept development, product displays, shelving plan, and many other things. For example, I’m part of the development team of the Christmas department at Intratuin. I work with the passion that I discovered at BUas: Brand management. 28

LYDIA VAN SON is a 27-years old Trade marketeer at EDCO Eindhoven BV. She graduated in International Hotel Management at BUas. She currently lives in Tilburg after graduating from several universities in the Netherlands. She did her masters degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing at Radboud University. What do you like the most about the company? I like that the company is a fast growing, international family business. This way, I can build my career slowly. Making steps aside instead of steps forward. I get a lot of freedom, which makes it easy for me to develop myself. My previous job is a scale-up, which means I work many hours. You do gain a lot of experience, which I am very happy about, but at EDCO I work four days a week and that is also great. What are your classmates currently doing for a living? Some of my classmates became an entrepreneur. One of my friends opened a restaurant two weeks ago. I know someone who works at the Marketing department of Hotel Nassau in Breda. Some of my classmates went abroad and started their hotel career there. All in all, many career opportunities. How did your course at BUas help you with your current job? During the course International Hotel Management, we focused on running a hotel as well as managing it. This is helpful in other businesses as well. Moreover, nowadays, unique customer experiences are crucial to create a strong position. Therefore, International Hotel Management is a good and relevant combination of delivering a service in businesses. Do you have tips for the first-year students? It takes a while to get used to talking English and the academic articles, but it will be fine! Also, just go with the flow. Enjoy your time at BUas! The location of the study International Hotel Management was really nice, the teachers are friendly, participate in clubs, and be open to gain knowledge and skills. This way, teachers want to help you. Final tip: contact and link alumni or job coaches, they love to help you!

LYDIA VAN SON

HOTEL MANAGEMENT THE NETHERLANDS

CREATIVE BUSINESS VENEZUELA

LUIS MAYORCA

CAPSTONE

Why did you choose to study Creative Business at BUas? I started studying at BUas almost four years ago. It felt like a proper school to me. First, I studied Industrial Engineering in Panama. A big part of my family members are engineers, so it would make sense if I became one as well. However, I didn’t enjoy it. I preferred my study to be more practical, not only theory. I’m interested in video editing, but didn’t want to go to a traditional film school. So, Creative Business seemed a good choice. The course focuses mainly on the media industry, but could be useful if you want to work in the Esports industry, like me. What type of student are you? I’m a very dedicated student. My family lives in Panama, which is quite far away. I don’t take studying in the Netherlands for granted, because I had to cross the ocean to get here. What is your role at the company of your capstone project? My position at G2Esports is a content intern with the focus on post-production. Besides, I also help as a production assistent and with the audio recordings when needed. I’m a big fan of the company, so I found it by myself. I did my second internship here and now my capstone as well. What do you like the most about G2Esports? I like my colleagues and the company culture the most. They expect you to work hard and to put a lot of effort in your work. However, as an intern, they treat

LUIS MAYORCA is a 23-years old Creative Business student. He was born in Venezuela and part of his family is half-Dutch. He specialized in audiovisual post-production. Currently, he does his capstone (so he is almost an alumni) at G2Esports, which is like a famous football club, but in the videogame world. For a long time, his goal was to do his internship at the company; he made his dream come true.

you like one of the employees. There is no hierarchy. I talked with the CEO once while having a drink. It’s really chill to work there. What are your classmates currently doing for their capstone? My classmates do their capstone at various companies. It differs from marketing projects to music videos. It’s great to see the different possibilities. How did your course at BUas help you with your capstone? Honestly, BUas didn’t help much on a practical level. However, it is good they give you different opportunities to do an internship. That’s where you learn the most on a practical level and gain valuable knowledge. I gained experience in the AV department of Production House, but also taught myself some editing skills. I learned how to talk with clients and how to work in a team. My internships taught me how to work in a professional company. Do you have tips for the first-year students? Try all segments of your course, even if you’re skeptical about it. It might surprise you! BUas has a broad network of alumni. Do you want to know the story of other alumni or need advice? On this page, you can find lots of information about alumni. Basically, this is the place where alumni and students are united. You can find information about what to do after graduating, you can find vacancies, and you can find tips from alumni. Definitely worth to check out! 31

PASSION PROJECTS

At BUas, there are tons of projects. Every study has various courses with all their own projects. But which one is the most fun at your upcoming study? We asked different students on campus for their opinion. Let’s see if you agree after graduating from BUas. Live TV Show According to Creative Business students, the Live TV Show is their passion project. This project focuses on creating and organizing a Live TV Show (surprise, surprise). Students can sign up for the following destinations; Flagstaff in the USA, Bournemouth in the UK or Hilversum in the Netherlands. The project takes three weeks to be completed and the students work together in groups of around ten people to make the most wonderful creations. Board Games Students of the Games Academy are excited about the Board Games project. The project is about creating a board game every two weeks within a specific theme. This resulted in major stress but also in unique concepts. It differs from games like Monopoly, card games, and many more; every type of game is included. City game While interviewing Built Environment students, they were massively enthusiastic about the so-called City

Game. This is a simulation game where students live together in a virtual city and must build up a society with each other. Last time, there were three societies, and the choices of the students were clearly visible; there was one ‘normal’ society, one with some fights and one society where everyone killed each other. How would you act within this game? Creating an app Within Tourism Management, the passion project is creating an app mockup. This must be an app related to the Tourism industry. Think about apps like tourist Tinder, a backpack app, and random travel filters. Next to the mockup, the Tourism students need to investigate the finance, marketing, and publication methods behind it. At the end, the students pitch it to a panel of teachers.

These are four of the most amazing projects at BUas. Next to these, there are countless other awesome projects, but for these you’ll have to find out yourself the upcoming four years. With the right mindset and a nice team, every project will be fun, but there are always some projects that stand out of course. Enjoy!

lecturers album Even at a smaller institute such as BUas, I can promise you: you won’t get to know all teachers. Every year, you will encounter new lecturers, mentors, supervisors, and coordinators. Besides their experiences, knowledge, and own teaching styles, these people hold their own personality, their way of communicating, and their personal interests. Let’s not forget that your supervisor was once a student too! Don’t be afraid to get to know the sweet lecturers of BUas and to get involved on personal aspects. To be one step ahead of you; in this little-friendship-book, we introduce three lecturers of various academies that are always in for a chat.

FRASER ROBINSON

Fraser studied Film Theory and Production in Aberystwyth University and got a master’s degree in Politics, Media, and Performance. He worked for 24 years in the Film and television industry before entering the lecturing field. At BUas, he teaches content-

related courses within the Creative Business track. Think about storytelling, screenwriting, media literacy, short documentary development, and creative production. Fraser is passionate about the Film industry and has taken the chance to train the next generation of storytellers.

What kind of student were you yourself?

At first, in high school, I had terrible grades. I have no skills for numbers or science and that really disadvantaged me. When I was about fifteen years old, I started to take courses in media, drama and history. These are subjects I really identified with.

Who is your BUas colleague crush?

Buzz the Bee!

What is your funniest experience at BUas?

During my first lecture, a student asked me about the retake. I laughed. “Retake? Give me a break! If you fail, you FAIL!”. He looked horrified. I soon discovered that Dutch HBO students can take as many retakes as they want..

What is your best tip to cheat on an exam? ;)

Click here to watch this scene for a pro tip.

Do you have a secret talent?

I have several hidden talents, but my current favourite is making stock for soup. I’m pretty damn good at it.

What is your motto in life?

TCB, baby! Taking Care of Business.

What icon would you like to hang out with for 24 hours? Anyone dead or alive.

Never meet your heroes. It is always a disappointment.

With what food can students bribe you/win for you?

I respond well to hot dogs. Artisanal honey is also a good one.

For what advice can students always knock on your door?

I’m always happy to consult on career strategies or film and TV industry advice. You shouldn’t confuse that with connecting you directly to my contacts. I believe that finding connections and meeting people is a student’s job. My job is to offer tips on getting there and I’m always delighted to do so! 37

CARLA ROELSE 38

Carla has studied at the SPSO: The Academy of Integral Human Sciences. She was an enthusiastic, dedicated student and highly interested in psycho-social aspects of our fellow society members. Until this day, Carla loves to work with people. She coaches students in their professional path as well as on a personal level.

Connecting with one another is her value in life which she can implement daily within the Tourism Academy. With her own experiences and knowledge, she supervises students in developing selfawareness which is beneficial for their personal growth. Carla is the person to have a chat with. She loves to stay up-todate and learn from the new generations.

What is your best tip to cheat on an exam? ;)

Hahaha, fun question. My tip would be not to cheat. When not peeking by your peers, you will discover what your best way to study and learn is.

What is your funniest experience at BUas?

The last office day before the summer holiday, a large BBQ was organised for all colleagues of BUas. I stayed a little longer together with two other colleagues to enjoy our time together before separating over the summer. This causes us to be trapped on campus; every exit was already locked and secured. We had to climb over a high fence with sharp edges. After finding a trash container as support, we’ve climbed over the fence and escaped. It was a fun and thrilling experience that doesn’t happen daily, haha.

Do you have a secret talent?

Singing off key. It is that horrible, that it is actually a talent.

What is your motto in life?

The sun will come. Regardless anything. Always. Every day. Again and again!

What icon would you like to hang out with for 24 hours? Anyone dead or alive.

Sean Connery.

With what food can students bribe you/win for you?

Oh, there is too much to name. If I had to choose.. a richly filled salad.

For what advice can students always knock on your door?

When in need of a chat, always! Feel free to reach out.

DOMINIQUE DE KOSTER

Dominique is a former BUas Leisure Management student. She gained lots of experience while working in the Tourism and Events industry. She started working at De Rooi Pannen, which is an MBO institute in Breda that offers courses in the Horeca and Entertainment (Events and Marketing) field. Dominique fell in love

with the world of education. After giving guest lectures, she quickly returned to our school. Currently, Dominique teaches Concepting and Strategy to Leisure and Event students. She teaches how to generate a concept that will create the intended experience to flow and blossom, which is exactly what excites Dominique.

What kind of student were you yourself?

Enthusiastic and pro active, but sometimes a little bit too focused on student life.

What is your best tip to cheat on an exam? ;)

Have a cheating buddy!

Who is your BUas colleague crush?

My work wifey is Merel Rietveld.

What is the funniest experience at BUas?

Not so funny for the students.. But, due to a food poisoning, I threw up in front of the classroom. Pretty embarrassing..

What is your motto in life?

Don’t take life too seriously.

What icon would you like to hang out with for 24 hours? Anyone dead or alive.

Oprah Winfrey!

With what food can students bribe you/win for you?

Thai Food.

For what advice can students always knock on your door?

Anything really!

THANK YOU A special thanks to the following people for helping us create another amazing edition of BLEND.

Supervisors Mariëlle van Trijp Christine Vink

Meet the team Owen Metz The BUas blueprint Tirza van der Laan

Publishing team Fleur van Deijck Owen Metz Tirza van der Laan

Hotspots Fleur van Deijck

Interview contributors Britt Koen Marco Verbeek Lydia van Son Luis Mayorca

Internationals Tirza van der Laan Student well-being Owen Metz

Anna-Marie Bronkhorst Philipp Huang Lia Kim Kool

The BUas community Tirza van der Laan Alumni Fleur van Deijck

Fraser Robinson Carla Roelse Dominique de Koster

Passion projects Owen Metz

Creators of this issue Cover Fleur van Deijck

Lecturers album Tirza van der Laan

Editor’s note Fleur van Deijck Tirza van der Laan

Thank you Fleur van Deijck Back cover Tirza van der Laan Fleur van Deijck

Content Fleur van Deijck