Alumni Prize for Social Involvement

Alumni Freiburg e.V. awards an annual prize worth €2000 to students or student groups that have either launched innovative measures for improving living, studying, and working conditions for students at the university or rendered outstanding services to society volunteering for social organizations.

The application and selection procedure for 2021

Students and employees of the university as well as employees of the Studierendenwerk are called upon to submit their nominations to the faculty alumni representatives or directly to the main office of Alumni Freiburg e.V. by 3th September 2021. The nominated candidates or groups must be matriculated at the University of Freiburg.

The board of directors of Alumni Freiburg e.V. reviews the nominations and selects the awardee in accordance with a selection procedure set by the association. The selection committee is chaired by the rector. The 2021 Alumni Prize for Social Involvement will by awarded by the rector Prof Dr. Kerstin Krieglstein at the official opening of the academic year on 2021/22.

 

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2018 Alumni Prize for Social Involvement Goes to Two Student Groups

Two student initiatives will receive the prize in 2018 and split the 2000 euros in prize money: The Alumni Prize goes to the student projects “Rock Your Life! Freiburg” and “Refugee Law Clinic Freiburg.”

Award ceremony in the Audimax (from left): Director Rudolf-Werner Dreier, Benjamin Bajmel, Bruno Ortiz, Jan Wunschik, Antonia Keshmiri, Adrian Koch, and Rector Prof. Dr. Hans-Jochen Schiewer. Photo: Patrick Seeger

The association “Rock Your Life! Freiburg” trains students from the University of Freiburg and the Freiburg University of Education as mentors, who then volunteer to provide lower secondary school students from disadvantaged social, economic, or family backgrounds guidance as tandem partners on their path to a vocation or higher schooling. The goal of the two-year mentoring relationships is to help the school students realize their individual potential and broaden their horizons. Students who have successfully completed the program shape their future on their own authority and with self-confidence. The association’s 130 members are currently supervising 40 such tandems at three Freiburg schools. Besides the mentoring itself, the association organizes events for all participating school students and mentors and holds annual summer and winter festivals.

The Refugee Law Clinic Freiburg is a student-led association that offers free legal advice to refugees in the Freiburg area. In a foreign country and uprooted by their escape, they are completely dependent on state authorities and are initially forced to find their way in this system on their own. In this situation, the students at the “Refugee Law Clinic Freiburg” advise their clients on dealing with public authorities and legal matters. All volunteers first complete a semester-long training program. Regular supervisory meetings between attorneys specialized in migration law and the students ensure professional guidance and quality advice. The “Refugee Law Clinic Freiburg” is tackling one of the most urgent issues facing our society today with its work and is at the same time providing students with an opportunity to get involved in a social cause and acquire practical legal advisory skills.

The students Benjamin Bajmel, Bruno Ortiz, and Jan Wunschik from “Rock Your Life! Freiburg” and Antonia Keshmiri and Adrian Koch from “Refugee Law Clinic Freiburg” accepted the “Alumni Prize for Social Involvement” at the official opening of the academic year 2018/19 on 17 October 2018. The prize was awarded by Rector Prof. Dr. Hans-Jochen Schiewer and Mr. Rudolf-Werner Dreier, board member and managing director of Alumni Freiburg e.V.