Teresa Grünhage-Bilitza can still remember her time studying at the Hochschule Niederrhein from 2006 to 2009. The seminar on the foundation courses of aesthetic design at the beginning of her studies with Mona Meis is still particularly present, because the seminar required the transfer into practice. The cultural educator still remembers: "What initially felt like a jump into cold water was the best thing that could have happened to me: For me, it was a foundation course and a trigger for my freelance work parallel to my studies. Through the project I initiated, I was able to make contacts that I could use further."
A seminar held by guest lecturer Bettina Pelz also left a lasting impression on her. The seminar, which focused on professionalization, involved creating personal portfolios and talking about resumes and perspectives. "For me, it was the foundation course for all the successful applications that came after that," Grünhage-Bilitza emphasizes.
She describes her typical student life as a time of trial and error. The focus was on networking with fellow students and gaining practical experience. She also said she used the time intensively to further her personal and professional development.
She describes the best memory of her time at the university as being able to observe which friendships and connections developed from her time at the university and are still of great importance today.
It is especially important to Theresa Grünhage-Bilitza to show the students what opportunities they have with a degree in cultural education.
The cultural educator, who has also worked as a freelance artist and in art education and cultural management since 2007, has worked for the paritätisches Bildungswerk Bundesverband e.V., among others, and has held museum, school and media education positions in Vienna, Cologne and Duisburg. She is still a project manager for the Montag Stiftung Kunst und Gesellschaft in Bonn and will take over as museum director at the children's museum "mondo mio!" in Dortmund in May 2021.
