Moritz Schön new Student Vice President at ZU

“It is both an honor and a challenge to be able to take on the extraordinary office of Student Vice President. In my year in office, I would like to encourage greater participation at our university and spark enthusiasm for this unique place in the outside world,” said Moritz Schön on his appointment to the role. Moritz also wants to take an active role in encouraging further integration of the new priority issues into ZU's structures: international networks, sustainability, and digitization. He also intends to improve access for previously underrepresented groups by introducing new diversity and regional grants.

Moritz Schön started his own business as a filmmaker even before he graduated from high school. Since then he has regularly produced commercials, travel documentaries and short films. During a one-year international volunteer service at the Sophia Mundi Steiner School in Melbourne, Australia, he expanded his passion for innovative educational concepts and public relations. He completed two internships of several months at well-known companies in Berlin and Hamburg during his studies, where he took on roles in PR and marketing. He is now happy to apply his creative talents to various student initiatives and projects at ZU. Since 2020, he has served as chair of Welle20, a student-run campus radio station, and hosts and produces several popular podcasts on topics such as the university's strategic orientation & development and higher education policy. Last year, he also organized virtual cultural events as part of digital campus life.

The takeover by the new Student Vice President also ends the term of Matthias Eckmann, who will continue his bachelor's degree in Politics, Administration and International Relations. “Although I had to contend with the coronavirus pandemic during my tenure, which presented me with new challenges, these challenges helped me to grow as a person and I was forced to find new, sometimes creative solutions. In this way, I learned a lot about myself as well as our university and always had great fun,” said Matthias, summing up his tenure. “I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone who has supported me during this exciting and instructive time and wish my successor every success.”

Moritz Schön is the twelfth holder of the post after Matthias Eckmann (2020/21), Fabian Zitzmann (2019), Josefine Meibert (2018), Said Djamil Werner (2017), Martin Bukies (2016), Hannes Werning (2015), Laura Niemann (2014), Michelle Mallwitz (2013), Nora Schäfer (2012), Lena Schulze-Gabrechten (2011) and Simon Pagany (2010).

In addition to the Student Vice President Moritz Schön, the four-member Rectorate includes ZU President Professor Klaus Mühlhahn, Vice President Research Professor Anja Achtziger, and Vice President Teaching Professor Martin Tröndle. The tasks of the Rectorate include among other matters the planning of structure and development, further development of research and teaching plus quality assurance.