Sarah Hündgen
Sarah Hündgen graduated from ZU with a Master's degree in Communication & Cultural Management and currently works as an Account & Project Manager at Utopia GmbH / Utopia.de.
How did your studies prepare you for your current job?
"Studying at ZU formed in me the habit of observing more closely, putting everything in a larger context, and critically questioning the status quo. In this respect, it may not have prepared me directly in terms of content for my current professional activity at the sustainability portal Utopia.de, but it did influence me quite decisively in my choice of employer. At ZU, you are also encouraged to keep looking at other perspectives and approaches. This "structured curiosity" comes in handy today when I look after very different partner companies - from eco-pioneers to trendy start-ups to large corporations on their way to greater sustainability."
Why CCM exactly?
""I first completed my bachelor's degree in business administration, and I also still believe that the economy or money determines our world and our togetherness to a large extent. What one thinks of it is another question. In my CCM studies, however, I wanted to go a step further and look at how systems work in general, how they can (possibly) be changed, and why the status quo is so often reproduced. The change of subject through the non-consecutive master's program has enabled me to always carry around "two sets of glasses" through which I can view situations and problems and question assumptions. This enriches my life immensely - and complicates it in parts because there are no more simple truths."
Looking back, what has ZU accomplished that another university doesn't begin to offer?
"Es gibt sicher andere Universitäten, die einen zu einem „besseren“ Arbeitnehmer machen. Aus meiner Sicht als Mensch und aktiver Teil der Gesellschaft kann ich aber jedem nur empfehlen, ein Studium an der ZU mit all seinen Höhen und Tiefen, Herausforderungen und Chancen in Erwägung zu ziehen. Nicht zuletzt war die „Kultur des Scheiterns“ eine Erfahrung, die mich in meinem Entscheidungsverhalten – auch über das Berufliche hinaus – geprägt hat.""There are certainly other universities that make you a "better" employee. But from my point of view as a person and an active part of society, I can only recommend everyone to consider studying at ZU with all its ups and downs, challenges, and opportunities. Last but not least, the "culture of failure" was an experience that shaped me in my decision-making behavior - even beyond the professional."
