The life strategist

This Schleswig-Holstein native gave meticulous thought to her future after she finished high school. The degree program she chose should be as wide-ranging as possible, she calculated, to keep many different options and possible routes open for her later choice of career. Annika Wollermann Umpierrez opted for business and engineering, because the 22‑year-old had been fascinated by science subjects since her school days. She was similarly strategic in her choice of university. It was important to her that it be a small university with intensive teaching provision. Annika was also persuaded by Clausthal’s excellent placement in the CHE rankings published by the ZEIT newspaper.

Hardly having to wait for appointments with professors

Now that she has been here for a while, what she most values is the level of one-to-one support: At Clausthal, she does not have to wait long for an appointment with any teacher. “I’ve even had a professor take my classmates and me out for coffee to talk through an exam we had done,” she says, still visibly astonished. They also talked about the future, opportunities, and prospects. The proposal to write her bachelor’s thesis at the German Aerospace Center also came out of the blue, directly from her professor. “I handed in my application on a Thursday and heard I was accepted on the Monday.”

Student business consultancy – more than just a side hustle

Annika was surprised by that uncomplicated way of doing things and finds it makes working and studying at TU Clausthal very pleasant. From her involvement with a student business consultancy service, she knows that such quick decisions can’t always be expected. She gives her time there when she doesn’t have classes, gaining some initial insights into the world of work. Consulting Team supports companies on economic and strategic issues, drafts strategies, and offers solutions. Up to now, it has been just a side hustle for Annika. “But it’s so much fun that I can imagine getting into this field properly in the future,” she reports, adding, “in Canada, for preference.”

Studying in an international atmosphere

Foreign countries, foreign cultures – Annika, with her Spanish roots, basically just enjoys the cosmopolitan atmosphere in Clausthal. With 30% of its students coming from abroad, TU Clausthal is one of the most international universities in Germany. There are days, Annika says, when she uses three different languages – something not to be taken for granted at a university of technology. “I’ve even developed a sense of humor in my English. You don’t learn that kind of thing at school,” is her summary. She has herself already done one semester in Spain and finds it helpful that TU Clausthal in most cases recognizes work from other universities or counts credit points gained in other countries.

Abroad for her master’s

Annika is thinking about spending another semester abroad during her master’s program – though she doesn’t know which country yet. Just as open is the question of where she wants to actually do a master’s program. “I’ve applied to Berlin, Dresden, Karlsruhe, and Hamburg. We’ll see what happens,” she says, quite relaxed. “But the fact I don’t want to stay in Clausthal isn’t me rejecting the university itself,” Annika emphasizes, “I just want to use the opportunity offered by the Bologna Process and get to know another university and another city.” It seems Canada will have to wait.

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