Gaining management experience for the family business
Nothing ventured, nothing gained - that could be Kevin's motto. He jumped in at the deep end and moved to the Pader for his studies. At university, he clearly expressed his opinion and that of the students, and at less than 30 years old, he took over a company. Kevin has dared to do a lot and he has no regrets.
Being the CEO of a company at the age of 31 is certainly the goal of many business students. That wasn't the case for Kevin at first. He first studied in a completely different direction: process, energy and environmental technology. However, he quickly realised that this direction wasn't really his thing after all. But which one is it then? After sifting through his interests, Kevin could imagine studying economics and came to the conclusion that this degree programme would be a good alternative. At the time, he had no idea that he was absolutely right.
Studying economics - but where?
Well, the degree programme has been decided. Then you just have to decide which university you want to go to. For Kevin from Wuppertal, Paderborn was not really his first choice. "I didn't know the city and had never been there before. But I was accepted relatively quickly. That's why I chose the university - in hindsight, it was a real stroke of luck."
Kevin began his Bachelor's degree in Economics in the 2009 winter semester and remained at Paderborn University until he completed his Master's degree in International Economics and Management in 2016. There were several reasons for his decision to stay in Paderborn: "Firstly, I already knew the university, had made friends and had a good part-time job. I simply liked it in Paderborn." The course content appealed to him as it covered the full range of economic topics and at the same time offered many opportunities to specialise. "I was always particularly interested in economics. Although business administration with a course or two in accounting would have been the smarter choice for my current job."
Growing with the tasks
He is now learning his accounting skills in practice as Managing Director of H. + R. Meckenstock GmbH in Wülfrath. He is the third generation to run the family business with 40 employees, which specialises in metalworking. However, this path was not necessarily mapped out for him.
After completing his studies, Kevin did not go straight to the head of the family business, but instead became a strategic buyer at Hettich. He stayed in Spenge for two and a half years until his father finally asked him if he wanted to join the family business. "You might think it's easy from the outside, but it's not. You have to be keen to take over a business like this and be able to handle the pressure. A lot of responsibility is transferred to you." Kevin has now been the CEO for two years and has no regrets about this development. "I'm glad I took this step."
Giving the students a voice
He already proved that he can take on management positions during his studies. He was active in the student council for economics from his second semester until the end of his studies and held various positions there until he even took over the chairmanship. "That was a great time. We started out with maybe twelve members. Later, there were more than 50. It wasn't always easy to organise, but it was a lot of fun."
Kevin got to know many fellow students and was able to take a look behind the scenes of the university organisation. His position as a student assistant at the Chair of Microeconomics with Prof Dr Haake also helped him. With the student council, he campaigned for the interests of the students and gave them a voice vis-à-vis the lecturers and the administration. You can also see the person behind the professors, who you only know when they are giving a lecture in front of hundreds of people. "In my own experience, the professors are often on the side of the students and it's easy to negotiate with them. They also want to make studying with its bureaucracy easier for the students. But they rarely agree on everything." When you get to grips with the university, it changes your own experiences and views.
Swimming against the tide - towards East Westphalia
His view of Paderborn and UPB has also changed a lot as a result of his studies. "Paderborn wasn't at the top of my list at the time, but in hindsight I realise I underestimated the university and the city. UPB does very well in the university rankings, especially in economics, and the professors are often recognised worldwide. Paderborn somehow flies under the radar."
That's why his tip is not to be guided by the masses when choosing where to study. He has fond memories of his studies in East Westphalia and continues to maintain the contacts he made back then. "We still meet up with the group from university once a year. A degree programme like this stands and falls with the people and that's why students should go through their studies with open arms and get to know as many people as possible. You make friends and come into contact with many different personalities and cultures. This also influences your own world view and eliminates many prejudices."
He sees the Paderborn University and the city of Paderborn as very good opportunities for socialising. Kevin enjoyed campus life with its many events and programmes. "You don't just keep to yourself in your degree programme, but also meet students from other disciplines. And because the city centre and the campus are well laid out, you always meet up again. That broadens your horizons and your circle of friends."
You all have a voice!
Kevin's appeal to the students: "All students have a voice at the university! You can always turn to the student council if there are problems or you see potential for improvement. The student council stands up for the interests of the students. Criticism is also allowed, even in the speech on Economics Day, which Kevin gave at his graduation in 2016. Because: "If you don't make your voice heard and don't address problems, then nothing will change."
Do you want that too?
Discover the diversity of economics in our Bachelor's degree programmes. Each degree programme usually lasts six semesters and prepares you for a career start or a postgraduate Master's degree.
More information about
