Helen Spangler: Committed to Europe

What do you remember most about your time at ZU and how did it shape your future career?

Helen Spangler: When I think back to my time at ZU, I think of a beautiful Lake Constance and an architecturally fantastic campus. I enjoyed both very much and was happy to make the most of the scope they offered me. Friedrichshafen may not be the biggest city, but the ZU students make up for it by creating their own program. The many initiatives have stayed in my memory because they have brought a lot of variety to my student life. I am also very grateful for the broad sports program at ZU. For example, I was able to try out lacrosse as a sport, which you don't get to do everywhere.

To what extent did ZU encourage you to get involved in politics, including as Chairwoman of the Board of the Young European Friends (JEF) Bodenseekreis?

Spangler: The Young European Friends of Europe (JEF) Bodenseekreis already existed before I came to the lake. During my second Bachelor's year at ZU, they were looking for successors. I was then elected Chairwoman of the Board of JEF Bodenseekreis e.V. in 2017 and later became involved as the main organizer for Pulse of Europe e.V. Friedrichshafen for several years. I felt that working for both was something very worthwhile, because I often have the feeling that Europe is perceived as something that is simply a given these days. For this reason, I was very happy to get involved within the JEF and always had the impression that the ZU supported me very well. For example, it has provided rooms and equipment for events.

Which values at ZU do you find most important or which do you share the most?

Spangler: I was inspired by the attitude "change it, if you don't like it", which is strongly practiced at ZU. You took the initiative to take a stand, develop solutions or exchange ideas with other students. This is still very much present in my mind and has greatly encouraged me during my time at ZU and strengthened my self-confidence to tackle things that I want to stand up for. Another value that comes to mind is the pronounced curiosity for new topics and perspectives. Thanks to the very broad and interdisciplinary nature of its degree programs, ZU doesn't dictate exactly where you have to go, but leaves room to discover new courses and perspectives.

What motivated and inspired you to finally work at BwConsulting and what distinguishes BwConsulting from other (in-house) consultancies?

Spangler: In my Master's degree, I focused on the field of security policy. For this reason, I wanted to gain an insight into how the Ministry of Defense and the Bundeswehr work and how they interact with each other. At BwConsulting, as the Bundeswehr's in-house consultancy, the focus is particularly on the one customer. As a result, the projects I worked on were of a medium to long-term nature, which in my opinion made them more sustainable. You have enough time to familiarize yourself with a topic and understand which stakeholders are involved in certain projects and how to deal with the individual participants.

You recently successfully completed your Master's thesis at the Hertie School. Where do you see parallels to your studies at ZU, what is different in research and teaching at the Hertie School?

Spangler: There are parallels in the strong interdisciplinary approach. At ZU, you start to study in a very interdisciplinary way and become increasingly focused. For example, ZU got me interested in political science, but at the Hertie School I am now specializing in security policy. I see differences in the internationality. This is certainly more pronounced at the Hertie School, even if ZU is catching up here with the recently added English-language degree programs. Especially in the field of security policy, the international orientation of the Hertie School is very important and a great enrichment. Another parallel between the two universities is the strong practical orientation, which is made possible by the large number of internships you do during your studies. In general, ZU has many other small unique selling points such as the beautiful campus, the great sports facilities and the WHU Euromasters, all of which I really appreciated.

What career stage or direction are you aiming for next?

Spangler: From the beginning of October, I will be doing a Blue Book traineeship at the European External Action Service in the Security, Coordination and Policy Division. After that, I'm curious to see what happens next. Maybe I can stay in Brussels or come back to Berlin. In any case, I will continue to work in the field of defense policy.

If you were asked about the ZU alumni network. Which aspects do you particularly like and what else would you like to see?

Spangler: There were many people at ZU who took things into their own hands. For this reason, I have the feeling that ZU produces a lot of characters who you would like to know what opportunities they have seized. The network that forms from this is therefore characterized by many exciting and interesting people who make the network unique. I also like the alumni work on offer, consisting of events such as Alumni in Town and the regional groups.

What podcast or book suggestion do you have for the alumni community?

Spangler: I really enjoy listening to podcasts because of the long commutes within Berlin. I have three podcast suggestions that I would like to share with the alumni community: I regularly listen to "Lage der Nation" to keep up to date with political events. I am particularly interested in the latest legislative proposals. The second podcast is called "Sicherheitshalber" and deals with topics relating to security policy in Germany and is also suitable for non-experts. The third podcast is called "The Lazarus Heist". This is a cybercrime podcast about the Lazarus Group, which - presumably controlled from North Korea - carries out cyberattacks in order to criminally obtain funds for North Korea.