Meet the new members of the International Studies Programme Board
Since the beginning of the academic year, there are two new student members on the Programme Board, who are they, what do they want to achieve and how can you reach out to them?
Meet Stijn Verbeek
Hey everyone, my name is Stijn! I am a 22-year-old, who grew up in the Hague (yet I still get lost all the time, how??). Before I started International Studies last year, I obtained a BSc in International Business -yes eww, maths- at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam. I realised, however, that I did not enjoy that at all, so I decided to switch to International Studies, a choice I've not regretted so far! Within International Studies, I specialise in East Asia with Korean as my language of choice, as the fast-changing economical and political situation of that region has always greatly interested me (also, a K-pop addiction back in my high school days may have contributed). In my free time, I like to read a lot, take walks, meet up with friends, and complain about the horrible Dutch weather. As a member of the Programme Board, I hope to represent your needs, so always feel free to approach me with any thoughts/comments/questions about International Studies you might have. My focus this year will likely be students' mental wellbeing, but in general I will seek to improve the quality of uni life for all of you. Contact me at: stijn.verbeek@hum.leidenuniv.nl
Meet Stephen Eijbergen
Hi everyone!! My name is Stephen, I am 21 years old, Dutch-American. I grew up in Washington D.C., a true center for politics and cultural diversity! I specialized in the region of Africa within the BA International Studies in order to delve deeper into my interest for international development and gain a more in-depth understanding of previous efforts and challenges that have affected communities and states. I took French as a language in the hopes that I will improve my speaking and reading abilities and one day be fluent. I am also part of the Honors Program of the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs (FGGA) and the courses I took sparked my curiosity towards the challenges faced by governments during times of peace and crisis and how such changes can have an overwhelming effect on development. In relation to this I decided to study global governance, hence my minor choice in Global Affairs. Last year, I worked at a local NGO which helped me apply the concepts learnt during my BA. However, I must be honest: work is not life and life is not work. I definitely enjoy taking some time for my own hobbies, such as road cycling (even though now I am on a forced break from it), playing football, and rugby (which I am now getting back into after a few years)!
Ultimately, my goal as a student representative for International Studies is to increase and improve communication between students and staff, fostering an environment where the concerns of students are heard and valued. I am proud to be a representative for international studies and I look forward to hearing from you. If there is anything you would like to share or have ideas for the program, Stijn and I are always available.