On the University of Twente’s 62nd Dies Natalis, Master's in Applied Communication Science (2004) and Master’s in Applied Education Science (2005) graduate Shira van Lohuizen will be presented with the twenty-first Marina van Damme Grant. Van Lohuizen is currently working as an independent entrepreneur. In recent years, she has focused on encouraging collaboration in complex networking environments.
Shira is forty-one years of age and started her career at a health insurance company, making her way up to manager of its customer contact centre over the course of nine years. She then went on to work as a board member for the Startup Apeldoorn foundation. In 2017, she started her own business, under the flag of which she has held various interim management positions.
“In my case, collaboration in complex networking environments often concerns tackling major societal challenges, such as the energy transition, labour market shortages and healthcare innovation. Such collaborations don’t always go smoothly from the outset and that’s where I come in.”
JURY
The next step for Van Lohuizen is to further develop her leadership skills and qualities. She has a clear vision of modern leadership, which is required in contributing to the various transitions, and would like to take on a wider and more influential role in this respect. In support of her ambitions, Shira van Lohuizen would like to take a course on leadership and complexity at Comenius (affiliated to the University of Groningen).
The jury thinks that this course will give Van Lohuizen the opportunity to specialise and reinforce her leadership and to develop new skills. Shira’s plan of action is clear and transparent, giving the jury every reason to believe she is worthy of receiving the Marina van Damme Grant. She is goal-oriented when it comes to her future and the grant will certainly help her achieve these goals.
THE MARINA VAN DAMME GRANT
The Marina van Damme Grant is awarded to successful former female students of the University of Twente. This year, the prize was awarded for the 21st time. The grant is conferred by the Twente University Fund and has been made possible by a donation from Dr M.A. van Damme-Van Weele. Van Damme obtained the first doctorate to be awarded by the former Twente Technical College (now the University of Twente), in 1965. The grant is intended to support the career advancement of talented and ambitious female alumni of the University of Twente and help them achieve new ambitions. The accompanying award consists of a sum of money of €9,000, a certificate and a work of art created by Mohana van den Kroonenberg.
62ND DIES NATALIS IN MAY 2024
