At Nyenrode, you can exceed your own expectations as a student

In addition to their studies, students at Nyenrode Business Universiteit can develop themselves in the area of personal leadership. One example of this is the task of organizing the “Nyenrode's got talent” event: an evening of performances by talented Nyenrodians in the Wapenzaal of the castle, organized by students and staff for students, their families and Nyenrode colleagues. Piano, guitar, singing, magic: Nyenrode has a lot more talents than people know. What does it take to organize such an event, and what did first-year Bachelor of Science in Business Administration student Willem Kriele learn from his experience?

Domingo Chang, student and organizer of the previous edition, encouraged Willem to complement his good academic performance by taking the lead in the event's organization. Willem had never organized an event of this size before.

Successes and lessons learned

Willem says bringing together all of the artists was his favorite part of the organization process: 'It gives you a clear picture of what the program will look like. Once the program starts to take shape, other things automatically fall into place more easily as well. It's great to see how performances improve the more you get together to practice. That was really rewarding for me.'

At the same time, Willem is also critical: it’s difficult to put together a team that can truly focus completely on the organization. The collaboration was therefore the best with students who would be performing in the show themselves. This makes him want to take a more structured approach next time. 'I would start by assembling the team (preferably made up of artists), then setting goals together and dividing tasks. Next time I'd like to delegate more. I think that's my biggest lesson learned.'

Campus Dean Arvid Gustafsson guides students in their personal development during their studies. 'Students can develop themselves in a variety of ways on campus. We knew that Willem was a top student, but the most important thing he has learned is that he was able to put new skills into practice in the area of leadership and organization.'

Exceeding your own expectations

Willem has now experienced firsthand the opportunity to exceed your own expectations at Nyenrode: 'I never thought that I would be able to organize a talent show like this one and that it would end up going so well. And speaking in public in front of such a large group to introduce all the performances was totally new for me. I'm glad that everyone enjoyed the evening so much and I've already promised to help organize the next edition. Now I know how much work it is, but also how energizing it can be.'

Lastly, Willem has a few tips for his successors: 'Your team should ideally consist of students who will also be performing during the evening themselves, so make sure to give them time to rehearse as well. It's also important to start on time and write everything down to prevent stress at the end.'

To see photos and videos of the evening, check out the Facebook page of Nyenrode's Campus Dean.