Olga Gotsulyak began her studies in International Management Eastern Europe at Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences in the winter semester of 2015. During her studies, she volunteered for the university's General Student Committee (AStA), where she headed the Public Relations department. After successfully completing her degree, Olga Gotsulyak joined the Admissions department at the renowned Mannheim Business School at the beginning of February 2019.
You completed your studies at the university within the standard period of study and were enthusiastically involved in the AStA. Do you have fond memories of your time studying in Ludwigshafen?
Olga Gotsulyak: I have very fond memories of that time. After graduating from high school, I made a conscious decision to study at in a more familiar environment, as I expected to have much more contact with professors and exchange with them and my fellow students. In the end, Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences met my expectations. The small student group, the interactive lectures with the lecturers, but also the exciting combination of business administration and the Russian language made my time at university a very exciting and instructive time.
And your time in the AStA?
Volunteering has been an important part of my life since I was at school. In my first year at university, I initially wanted to concentrate one hundred percent on my student life. At some point, however, I realized that this part of my life was missing again. As head of the PR department, I was able to make my contribution to society, which I remember very fondly.
What made you decide to study at the university in Ludwigshafen?
When choosing my university, it was very important to me to study in a small group and not sit in a lecture hall with several hundred students like at a traditional university. The fact that my degree programs promised a class size of around 25 students fulfilled my expectations
Why did you choose to study business administration with a focus on Eastern Europe?
I was very interested in business subjects, even though I had little connection to them at school. As languages were very easy for me at school, I didn't want to let go of this interest. I am also a native speaker of Russian, but I always wanted to master more than just the everyday vocabulary and I also really wanted to learn Russian writing. When I found out about this degree program, I thought it was made for me.
Were your expectations fulfilled?
After graduating, I was more than satisfied with my time at university. Sometimes I wish I had gone into more depth on some topics. However, I think it's not always so easy to make this possible in a generalist degree program like the one I studied.
You now work in Admissions at the renowned Mannheim Business School. What tasks do you perform there?
At Mannheim Business School, I am mainly responsible for two core tasks: Marketing specific Master's degree programs and recruiting students. Throughout the year, I organize information events, take part in trade fairs, hold advisory meetings, liaise closely with companies and organizations and coordinate the application and selection process.
What skills from your studies are of particular benefit to you?
As I spent a lot of time combining business administration topics with intercultural management and the Russian language during my studies, this helps me a lot in my job to look at the big picture from different angles.
Do you also benefit from your time as head of the AStA department?
Absolutely. Working in a team and independently advancing important issues with colleagues and the Executive Board taught me a lot during my time at university, especially in terms of teamwork and internal communication. It also taught me a lot about my leadership skills ;-)
Have you been back to your "old university" since graduating?
Unfortunately not. There was an exciting lecture that I really wanted to listen to, but unfortunately I didn't have the time. I'm looking forward to the next invitation to an exciting lecture!
And which topics would you be particularly interested in?
I'm generally interested in presentations that have a practical focus, including discussions with company representatives. I am particularly interested in HR topics.
Thank you very much for the interview!
Interview: Elena Wassmann
