On November 21, 2017, Alumnity e.V. hosted the second lecture in the “Alumnity Presents” series at Café Raab in Mainz-Gonsenheim. Claudia Huberti, the association’s chairwoman, and the café’s owner, Michael Raab, welcomed the approximately 40 guests in attendance and then immediately turned the floor over to the speaker, Dr. H. Wahler. Dr. H. Wahler spoke about “stress resilience” in the new 21st-century workplace and the role it plays in our long-term health and performance. He is an expert in stress resilience and burnout prevention, as well as a neuropsychological coach. “I’m passionate about my profession,” said Dr. H. Wahler about his relationship to his work. After a presentation that was as engaging as it was authentic, there was no doubt about that. The young entrepreneur took plenty of time to answer questions from the audience and impressed not only with his knowledge but also with his down-to-earth, personable manner. Quote from Dr. Hendrik Wahler: “I am convinced that every life is worth pursuing great goals.”

On Tuesday, October 10, 2017, as announced, the Alumnity get-together took place at Weyer’s ErnteHof. The Weyer family has been running this establishment for twelve years. It is likely the only wine tavern in the area. Online, the location is even mentioned as a nightlife recommendation in Mainz. By around 7:00 p.m., the majority of the 22 registered members had already arrived. To everyone’s delight, in addition to the alumni and the board, we were also able to welcome five current students from the Department of Economics.
The menu featured everything from home-style dishes (pancakes, tarte flambée…) to steaks and other delicacies. The selection of drinks was also very extensive, with prices that were just as reasonable.
It’s wonderful to see Alumnity growing, but it’s just as wonderful to witness new connections being made and friendships developing. The broad range of generations leads to incredibly interesting conversations. As the evening progressed, the last guests arrived—those who had followed our recommendation and attended Prof. Dr. Hanno Beck’s lecture. The participants had some interesting insights to share on the topic: “Happiness—What Really Matters in Life.”
Due to the lively discussion that evening, we completely forgot to take pictures this time… but we see that as a good sign.

This year, Alumnity—in keeping with the hot weather—supported the summer festival on June 20, 2017, with a "donation of ice cream."

ALUMNITY FOLLOWS IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF FSV MAINZ 05 — MEMBERSHIP MEETING AT THE OPEL ARENA This year, the Alumnity* membership meeting took place on June 10, 2017, right next to the university. The association met at the Opel Arena, the stadium of the FSV Mainz 05 professional soccer team. How long did it take to build the stadium? What do the players’ locker rooms look like? Where do the press conferences take place, and why is there under-turf heating? Association members learned all of this during a 1.5-hour guided tour of the stadium. Numerous facts and anecdotes allowed the participants to immerse themselves in the multifaceted world of professional soccer. The actual general meeting was then held in the upper stands, in the Lotto Rheinland-Pfalz box. During the meeting, the board reported on the activities of the past year. The “Communication” and “Events” working groups presented their findings and, in particular, took valuable suggestions from the membership regarding the topics of “web presence” and “marketing.” Master’s graduate Soufiane El-Bali, who has been active in the “Communication” working group for some time, was elected as the 4th alternate director. In addition, student Laura Burkhart was confirmed as the second auditor and will thus assist Mr. Achim Neyer with the audit next year. To wrap up the evening together, some of the participants met at Weyer’s ErnteHof after the regular general meeting concluded. There, they had the opportunity for further discussion and networking.

This year, for the first time, Alumnity decided to organize a separate event for former professors of the department. Eight professors who had previously worked at the department therefore accepted the invitation from association chairwoman Claudia Huberti on Monday, May 8, 2017— . The meeting took place at the university’s campus on Lucy-Hillebrand-Straße in Mainz. No effort was spared for this occasion, and an informative program of events was organized. Over coffee and cake, Alumnity e.V. was introduced to those present, and attendees were given an insight into the latest innovations and developments in the department. The report on current university developments regarding the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, presented by the dean, Prof. Dr. Anett Mehler-Bicher, generated great interest. Prof. Dr. Andrea Beyer then reported on changes to the full-time Business Administration program. Among other things, she described the course “Methodology, Systematics, Presentation,” which is designed to help students successfully write academic papers. She also discussed the “Integrals” offered by the department, which are open to first- and second-semester students. One example is the “Must-Haves for Executives” Integral, which, according to Prof. Beyer, is designed to help students “think outside the box.” Following this, Prof. Dr. Sven Fischbach provided an overview of developments in the area of work-integrated/dual degree programs and the differences between the part-time and full-time study structures. Ultimately, there was less time left for networking. More time will be allocated for this in the coming year. Overall, the event received very positive feedback and led to a suggestion to hold it annually. It was also very gratifying that, spontaneously following the event, a former professor expressed his willingness to become a member.

On April 11, 2017, the first of two annual Alumnity get-togethers took place. This year, Weyer’s ErnteHof was chosen as the venue because of its diverse food selection and very inviting atmosphere. Located right next to the Mainz University of Applied Sciences campus, the 21 members who attended took the opportunity to exchange ideas and get to know each other better. Student members who joined in 2017 were also able to participate in the Alumnity community for the first time that evening. This shows that Alumnity is active and is becoming increasingly appealing to future graduates. There was a lively exchange of personal experiences and stories from their time at the university; new connections were made, and attendees enjoyed seeing familiar faces again.

On February 4, 2017, the Department of Economics celebrated the 40th anniversary of its work-integrated study program (BIS). Board members Guido Seibel and Christian Nagel assisted Chairwoman Claudia Huberti at the Alumnity information booth. Following the very diverse and celebratory ceremony, attendees had the opportunity to mingle and network over delicious refreshments. The three board members took this opportunity to provide information about Alumnity’s initiatives and offerings. It was also wonderful to have several former professors in attendance, which delighted their former students as well. And even our member and former colleague Nina Macher, who used to work for the association, returned to her former place of work with her daughter to attend this celebration.

On January 29, 2017, 36 Alumnity members gathered at the “Ballplatz-Café Novum” in Mainz for a delicious New Year’s breakfast. Chairwoman Claudia Huberti warmly welcomed everyone with a glass of sparkling wine. In a relaxed atmosphere, attendees had the chance to network and exchange updates about the association and the university. Continuing their conversations, the group then headed to the Gutenberg Museum, where a guided tour provided interesting insights into the art of book printing. One member’s son was even allowed to help create a sheet print. A film rounded out the successful event. This was a wonderful start to the association’s 2017 year, during which recruiting new members and networking among members will be a priority.