Lea Sofia studies in the fifth semester of the Bachelor International Business program at Munich Business School and has just returned from her semester abroad. She was an Erasmus student at EDHEC in Nice, where she focused on Digital Marketing and Strategic Management. Now she is looking forward to her last year at MBS as a Bachelor student before she starts working on her thesis. Prior to her studies, she completed an apprenticeship in marketing communications, worked in event management and as a journalist. Besides her studies, she is a working student at a communications agency in Munich.
As every year, she will open and moderate the Unicef press event for World Children’s Day in Cologne in mid-September. We got into conversation in regards to this event:
What are you going to do at World Children’s Day in Cologne?
On 16 September 2019, I will open the press event in Cologne City Hall with my own song for this year’s World Children’s Day motto “We Children Have Rights” and moderate the event. For the big World Children’s Day Festival on 22 September, I will rehearse the song with some children on the guitar and we will perform it together on stage for the official opening. By the way, I write most of the songs on the train, because I’m particularly productive there. More information about World Children’s Day: https://www.weltkindertag-koeln.de
Why and since when have you been involved with Unicef?
I’ve been involved with Unicef for around eight years, when we organized the World Children’s Day celebration together with the German Child Protection Association in Giessen and the Unicef Group. Children are very close to my heart, which is why I volunteered at an early age. During my school time I worked as an au pair in Ireland for half a year and still give tutoring regularly today. In my opinion, every child in this world should have a right to peace, freedom, education, play and fun – after all, children are our future! During my A-levels, I did an adult assistance course at Unicef Germany. I then set up a junior team consisting of young people between the ages of 12 and 18. Since I have been living in Munich, I have been involved in the local junior team. Together with other volunteers from the university group, we organize information sessions and other events. In the third semester at MBS, some of my fellow students and I were part of #Poetry4Peace, a poetry slam in favor of Unicef – over the rooftops of the city. This month this format is already in its fourth round!
What do you appreciate about your studies and the atmosphere at MBS?
I really appreciate that we work in diverse teams, because that means that I study and carry out projects together with people from different countries. This enables us to learn from each other and broaden our horizons every day. We regularly work on practical case studies in groups and present our results together. This requires a lot of work, but also helps us to develop our organizational and intercultural skills. I find the course “Business & Cultural History” particularly exciting, which in the past semesters coveres Europe, World History and Cultural History. This semester the subject is philosophy and literature. In the course we learn to look beyond our own horizons and to critically question things. The courses “Presentation Skills” and “Intercultural Competencies” will also remain in my positive memory. The lectures are incredibly interactive and the language of instruction is English. I also take a French course. Studying abroad at the partner university EDHEC in France was a valuable experience and at the same time a great opportunity for me.
What would you like to do after your studies?
I am currently working in marketing, which gives me great pleasure! Here I can live out my creativity and am confronted with exciting tasks on a daily basis. In addition, I have a great interest in strategic management or HR topics. Where exactly I am heading is still in the stars. It is clear that I would like to continue my voluntary commitment.
Dear Lea Sofia, thank you very much for the interview and your time. We wish you a great event at the World Children’s Day, and are already very excited about your song!
