University of Lübeck celebrates 917 first semester students: A new phase of life begins!

University of Lübeck celebrates 917 first semester students: A new phase of life begins!

The University of Lübeck gave its new first-semester students a warm welcome in the University Church of St. Petri on Monday, October 7, 2024. The church was filled to capacity, a clear sign of the great interest in the study places. Prof. Dr. Gabriele Gillessen-Kaesbach, the acting president, enthusiastically welcomed the 917 new Bachelor students who will begin their studies in the winter semester of 2024/25. “Today is the beginning of a particularly great phase of life for all of you,” said Gillessen-Kaesbach, who wished the students much success. In addition, 341 students are starting their master's programs.

The event was also supported by other important figures of the city. Dr. Bernd Schwarze, the pastor of St. Petri, and Henning Schumann, mayor of Lübeck, were also there to welcome the new students. Representatives of the General Student Committee (AStA) also brought warm greetings and wished everyone a nice start to their studies. The celebration was musically accompanied by the Orchestra of the University of Lübeck, the Lübeck University Choir and the Lübeck Pop Symphonics.

Special awards and prizes

A highlight of the event was the presentation of several awards. Egem Gencer was honored with the DAAD Prize for her outstanding achievements. Since moving to Lübeck from Turkey in 2019, Gencer has not only successfully completed her bachelor's degree in Molecular Life Science, but also achieved top grades in psychology. She is also actively involved in various student organizations.

In addition, Florian Marwitz and Nina Eichler were awarded the Hendrik Lehnert Prize, which is given to students who are particularly committed to student life. Marwitz, as the former chairman of the AStA, worked intensively for the interests of his fellow students, while Eichler established an important support network for refugee students. Prof. Dr. Hendrik Lehnert, the former president of the university, was personally present and emphasized the importance of students' commitment to social issues.

The great interest in certain courses of study was clearly reflected in the registration numbers. With 193 first-semester students, human medicine is the most popular course, followed by psychology (100), molecular life science (79) and computer science (78). This high demand underlines the appeal of the University of Lübeck as a training facility in these areas.

The AStA is offering new students a varied program from October 4th to 11th so that they can discover the city and the campus in community with their fellow students. Information about this can be found on the AStA website to ensure that none of the new students miss out on the opportunity to quickly find their way around the new location and make contacts.

This celebratory welcome to the first semester students not only represents a new start for the students, but is also a clear sign of the lively academic community at the University of Lübeck. As they embark on their academic journeys, it remains to be seen how they will overcome the challenges of college, reports www.uni-luebeck.de.