Published in November 2011
My name is Juliane Petsch, I am 21 years old and I come from Austria, Vienna. I graduated from “University of Natural Resources and Lifescience” in July 2011. I have now a Bachelor of Environmental and Bio-Resource Management. During my time as a student I did some volunteer work in Austria as well as abroad (Costa Rica and Ghana) and an internship (coordination office of Austrian environmental organisations).
How to find the right Master of Social Entrepreneurship program
During my last one and a half years of studies I started to think about my academic future, which Master program would fit my interests. I focused on universities outside Austria, mainly USA, UK and Australia. I preferred studying abroad right away; I saw it as an opportunity to become more independent and to optimize my English language skills.
A Master in Environmental Issues?
My research was long, intense and seemed never ending. When I did some volunteer work in summer 2010 in Ghana things changed, I changed. –For me experiencing another culture is extremely important, it always has been- living eight weeks in a Ghanaian host family and working in an orphanage influences you, it influences your mindset ... at least that is what happened to me! After this trip I focused more on development and social impact, my desire to make change happen grew intensely. It was the driving force in my further research about Master programs. In begin of 2010 I finally applied for a Master in Environment and International Development in the UK and got a conditional acceptance. I saw myself as finally settled in a program. I already looked at accommodations, the onsite places to visit and so on.
Finding Hult International Business School
Nevertheless things changed –again-! I might should say now that I found out about this amazing International Business School named HULT which was offering a new Master program, Social Entrepreneurship, and this completely changed my plans ... but that would be a lie. I want to be completely honest with you. So in short the REAL story why I am, where I am right now: take a very curious moter add a newsletter -from a Business School named HULT- with a new Master program and all the brief outlines of my interests (social, sustainability, change, etc.) contained in it. My curious mother was now sending my telephone number to get more information about this program. About four hours later I received a call from this School, Hult International Business School. I was quite surprised and even more impressed –but also bit confused-. After this call I started my research again.
Hult International Business School?! Does this School really exist (this thoughts really went through my mind, and I am not the only one asking myself this). Further I never saw myself in a business school, which has a focus on building leaders.
Applying and listening to the inner voice
First I was uncertain if it is the right thing for me, the right Master which was worth paying money for (since most Master programs are for free in Austria). But in the end it was not paying money rather than an investment. An investment in my future, in my knowledge and mostly an investment in myself. At this point I decided to apply, having in mind that I already had an acceptance at another University.
This is what I actually stated at my application. I wanted an answer as soon as possible since I already had another Master program in sight, planed out for me. From then on things happened to be quite surreal, when I look back now. I sent all the required papers, got a call –the interview- and then had to wait. I put my expectations low, my whole family did actually. Then less than a week after the interview a call, the answer “I am happy to tell you that you are accepted ...” WOW! The next 24 hours my brain was thinking at full speed, is it really the right program, should I go for a Business School rather than a University? A lot of questions were in my mind. But then my deep desire gave me the answer, like an inner voice guiding through a jungle of uncertainties and doubts.
Be an entrepreneur - be a social entrepreneur
“Make change happen” ... who can do that?! How can I be part of this change?! The answer was simple, MASTER OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP. Be an entrepreneur, an active actor in business and society. Get taught in a culturally diverse and international School. Live abroad in a metropolis such as London. Get in contact with people from all over the world and further work with them in group projects. Have academia as well as practitioners as professors. Attend a Master program, unique in its structure and the first one of its kind. Challenge yourself, give more than 100% and get to know yourself, mobilze your full potential ...
Going for a Master of Social Entrepreneurship
Right now I can proudly say: “My name is Juliane, I am a Master student of Social Entrepreneurship and I am an HULTonian!” In one of our first classes, lifetime career management, we were talking about how to plan your career. What so ever, sometimes you also need luck, fortune or opportunity! This can be seen in the story about my application and the final decision to take this once in a lifetime opportunity and study at Hult. I had not planed to study at Hult and start the Master of Social Entrepreneurship program. It all started with a random newsletter and ended in me being completely sure for the first time that I found the right thing, the right Master program for me. I was searching for a challenge, a program where I can become a change-maker ... Right here, right now I am where I can fulfil this desire of mine.
Juliane Petsch
Master of Social Entrepreneurship
Hult International Business School
