Standing up for equal opportunities

Scholarship for a student in the Bachelor's degree program in Childhood Education

Rebecca Leutner is studying full-time in the Bachelor’s degree program in Childhood Education at Alanus University and recently received the NicK Scholarship (Nachwuchsinitiative chancengerechte Kitas) from the Foundation of German Business.

1. How did you become aware of the scholarship and what does NicK stand for in your view?

Since the fall semester of 2018, I have been studying for a Bachelor’s degree in Childhood Education. At the introductory event in the first semester in August 2018, the Institute of Childhood Education at Alanus University provided us with information about the NicK scholarship from the Foundation of German Business, after which I applied for the scholarship.

NicK stands for equal opportunities in daycare centers. Every child growing up has a right to equal opportunities, regardless of which district the child grows up in, what family background the child has, or which individual character traits the child possesses. I consider the Foundation of German Business’s approach of actively contributing to equal opportunities at the grassroots level of society through the subject-specific NicK scholarship to be a very meaningful one. I am very pleased to become active myself through the support of NicK in order to stand up for equal opportunities.

2. What criteria and requirements did you have to meet in order to apply for the scholarship? How did the application process proceed?

After submitting a written application with documents such as a letter of motivation, CV, study documents and certificates, references, qualifications, and proof of my social commitment, I received an invitation to a one-hour interview in Berlin. After one and a half weeks, I was informed that I had been accepted into the funding program.

3. What different forms of support are you benefiting from now?

The support is very diverse. On the one hand, there is project work in the respective regional groups, in which many students from different disciplines are involved and where there is an interesting exchange, and on the other hand, there is individual support, including one-on-one coaching and within small study groups. Through the Foundation of German Business’s large network, there is a wide range of different seminar offerings and subject-related so-called “workshops” on various topics in childhood education. Another added value is the networking among scholarship holders, alumni, and trusted contacts from various disciplines. The foundation provides €300 per month and, if applicable, the BAföG fees incurred.

4. What do you tell your fellow students about the scholarship?

I tell my fellow students to be brave and apply for the scholarship rather than not trying in the first place because of doubt or other reasons. After all, the attempt itself is also important, and it is not only the outcome that counts. Valuable feedback can already be received during the application process, and new experiences can be gained, even if the result is not positive. 

5. Finally, would you tell us about your next plans in your studies?

I am starting the second semester of the Bachelor’s degree program in Childhood Education at Alanus University full of energy and am looking forward to learning new content in education as well as the interdisciplinary seminars of the Studium Generale, where I engage with topics beyond education. I am also looking forward to the elective arts courses, which contribute to examining and reflecting on my personality; for example, I reconsider my convictions and continue to develop. In addition, I can hardly wait until Block Internship II begins in January and February 2020, because I will complete it through the organization AIESEC in Vitoria (Brazil), in a coastal city. There, I will help children aged seven and eight learn English, develop an awareness of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), and do both in close cooperation with the local members of AIESEC. I am looking forward to immersing myself in a completely different culture, getting to know different worldviews, and being able to continue developing through this new experience.