‘It is great to always work with fun young people’

Dorothé, can you tell us something about your leisure activities? 
‘I work out a lot; I do Pilates and boot camp and I jog regularly. I enjoy going to concerts, for example Robbie Williams, Madonna and Nena. She's from the 80s, when I was young. I also like going to festivals such as the Zwarte Cross. I come from the east of the Netherlands and still have ties there. 

I have two sons aged 20 and 21, both of whom live in Amsterdam. I love travelling and have been to many places in Europe, but also to Cuba and Mexico, for example. This year, we are going to Japan as a family. I have been working for 30 years and have been married for 25, so I thought this was a good occasion. I am working extra hours now, which will allow me to take a mini sabbatical in May.’

When did you start at NHTV and how did you end up here? 
‘I started in 1995 and was 25 years old at the time. It wasn't an easy time to apply for jobs. I had tried NHTV and also Klokkenberg (a former medical centre, ed.). I remember that the weather was beautiful and I had applied for a position as a PR & Communication lecturer. But I had my doubts. My mother and sister were also in education and I didn't want to do what they were doing. I went for an interview with Koert de Jager, then director of Tourism, and it went very well. I still had to go to Klokkenberg, but that same afternoon I got a call saying I had got the lecturer job, so I cancelled the interview at Klokkenberg. I immediately felt very much at home at NHTV.’ 

What is your current position at BUas?
‘Of course, you keep growing. I am still a lecturer, but I also have coordination tasks now. Within our organisation, you are given many opportunities to develop yourself. I have written a book together with my colleague Ronald van Olderen, I teach in English, and I have set up a specialisation based on our book. In addition, I work for the master's programme in Strategic Events Management, but I also coordinate a fourth-year minor.

I really enjoy being involved in educational development and working with real clients for the students. I supervise fourth-year projects in consultation with companies such as Jaarbeurs Utrecht and The Chocolate Factory in Veghel. 
I am also working on the Stretch project. This is an international educational project in collaboration with universities of applied sciences in Belgium, Lapland, Finland and Portugal. These are all developments that did not exist thirty years ago. The world is changing, education is changing, students are changing, but on the other hand, much is also the same as it used to be.’ 

What do you like so much about your work? 
‘What I like especially is that it's all about the students and helping them grow. I often see them from their second year onwards. Just like in the past, they are still ambitious students with dreams and uncertainties. I enjoy playing a role in that, but I don't overestimate my role. Students also develop naturally from eighteen-year-olds into young adults; I see that with my own children too. I used to feel a bit like a big sister, but now I feel more like a mother.’

‘What I do find different is the role of social media and, in particular, students’ self-image. Being a student is a period in your life when you have a lot of insecurities and are developing your own identity. On social media, everything always has to be fun and beautiful, but that's not what real life is like. You have to learn to deal with disappointments and insecurities. That's important too. Sometimes I find that difficult, because many young people have already been through a lot. Social media didn't play a role back then; it didn't exist.’ 

You do a lot with events in education. Why does this sector appeal to you so much?
‘I think events are not just about organising, but also about events as a means to an end. That's what our book is about, community building and interaction. That's what I love most about events. You see it in students too; they get motivated and have fun when they can connect with others. That's what I really like about the industry: giving meaning to events, using events as a means to an end. You see that more and more in practice. There is much more focus on team building and communication projects. For example, companies are increasingly celebrating their anniversaries internally or supporting charities that focus on giving meaning.’ 

Why do you enjoy working at BUas so much? 
‘That's a good question. I've been working here for a long time and regularly run into alumni. In practice, you often hear people say, ‘That’s an NHTV / a BUas graduate’. There's a common denominator, a certain culture that we've built up. Communication is open, and we attract a lot of sociable people, both colleagues and students. It's nice to always work with fun young people. I know plenty of people who never work with young people.

It's always changing, and I enjoy working with young colleagues who have a lot of practical experience. But I also wear many hats. I supervise students, then I'm in Kortrijk for an international project, and then I’m working on my book. That gives me a lot of energy, but it's also a challenge to keep all those balls in the air. I enjoy that dynamic and I have the energy for it.’ 

What is your fondest memory? 
‘A few years ago, I spent four weeks as a guest lecturer in Shanghai with Peter van der Aalst. It was my first time in Asia. A very special experience and a different culture. We were often on the bus at six in the morning to teach. It was difficult to gauge the students' level. We had prepared a workshop, but we couldn't even divide them into groups because all the tables were stuck together. It was really a process of discovery. But we laughed so much. For example, I really can't eat with chopsticks, and I tried to eat hot cucumber in one of the school's canteens, but it totally didn’t work. I also love jumping in at the deep end and not overthinking things – I’ll just do it. This is an experience I will never forget.’ 

‘I also often think back to the School for Events, which I set up together with lecturers Thomas van Velthoven and Jacco van Mierlo. Thomas has since left BUas. We were going to present this new project on a grand scale to the industry in the Amsterdam Arena. Ideally, we wanted to do this on the centre spot, but that was impossible because it is considered sacred ground. I almost wet my pants laughing that day.’ 

‘We were ready to leave for Amsterdam and Esther de Beer was also coming along. She said to Thomas, ‘Are you going to wear that?’. She didn't think Thomas was dressed smartly enough. When he left the meeting room to go home and change, he bumped his glasses against a glass door, breaking them. Once at the Arena, he tried to turn on his Macbook, but there were all kinds of technical problems. We went backstage to sort everything out. There were chairs stacked up there, which he sat on, but they were wet. So his trousers were completely wet. It was so hilarious. When the equipment was finally connected and he started his presentation, his daughter called him on his laptop. Via video calling, which was still relatively new at the time, she suddenly said, “Hi, dad!” in the middle of his story.

We had announced this presentation in the Arena with a lot of hype. It was Murphy's Law in action. Fortunately, the presentation went well in the end, and from that, our current specialisation, Events for Business, was born.’

Do you still talk to former students often? 
‘I recently spoke to Bart van Wanrooij. He is a former student and former lecturer. He has worked at various companies, but I am still in touch with him. Bart said, ‘Those days, the friends I made back then, that connection has always remained.’ I recognise this from my own time as a student. It's an important time in your life and I think it's great to play a part in that. 

I also often see former students at companies such as KAAT&Co, Jaarbeurs and Ahoy. Here’s a nice story. I had a fourth-year student in my class who really wanted to work at Ahoy, but she couldn't get in. Coincidentally, I saw a vacancy and spoke to a former student who works there. They didn't have a graduation project for the student right away, but sometimes they see something in you. They hired her in the end, which I think is really great. Those little successes, being able to make connections and bring people together.’ 

What would you like to say to your former students? 
‘I think and hope that they look back on a wonderful time at our school. You may forget the theories, but the personal development you experienced during your time at BUas will obviously continue. Please stay in touch with us, even if you graduated more than ten years ago. You are always welcome to contribute. I would love it if former students wanted to stay in touch, for example online or when we organise something. Hopefully, they still feel welcome. Regardless of whether we can do anything for each other, it's always nice to catch up!’ 

Interview by Elles van Steenis