Science - January 13, 2005

Student of the year from Wageningen

Lieselotte Heederik was elected student of the year by the ScienceGuide.org, an internet magazine for the Dutch knowledge sector, and the national student organisations LSVB and ISO.

The organisations praised Heederik for her contribution over the past eighteen months to the building up of democratic processes in the Ukrainian national student union UASS. Heederik was in the Ukraine as an observer during the presidential elections on 26 December and will return in March to help with a seminar on institutional strengthening of the UASS. ‘I regard international solidarity and commitment very important, but the other members of the international working group of the WSO also deserve this prize,’ said Heederik on reflection.

She graduated in development studies last November. She was pleased that the rector magnificus Professor Bert Speelman had said he was proud of her, and added: ‘If he’s really so proud of the social commitment shown by students he could contribute some money to our project.’ When she confronted Speelman and the New Year’s reception on the issue, the rector agreed to raise the issue with the Executive Board. / YdH