Interview: Rink Teertstra - President, 50th Board of MAEUR

1. Who are you?

Hi, my name is Rink, 23 years old and currently the President of MAEUR. Next to my tasks as President, I’m currently finishing up my master Business Information Management.

2. What made you choose to apply for the MAEUR board?

During the kick-off for new master students at EUR, I got in contact with MAEUR board members. They convinced me to join the Hackathon Committee, which I did. Together with my fellow committee members, we had a great year with cool events, fun drinks and a good time with other active members. At the end of the academic year, I had to make a decision: to work or not to work. I was still enjoying the student life very much and had the feeling that I could learn more. Therefore, I choose to look for something where I could develop myself in a more practical way. As I talked with my predecessor Fleur, I got really enthusiastic about a board year. This because it perfectly combined what I was looking for: student life and practical experience. Therefore, I decided to apply for the 50^th board of MAEUR.

3. What is your function and what does it entail?

As the President of MAEUR, I’m in charge of implementing the strategy (composed together with my fellow board members) and ensuring good collaboration between board members. Further, I am the public figure of the association and in charge of the communication with the university as well as other study associations. Also, I lead board meetings as well as meeting with supervisory boards. Lastly, I am part of several other boards: the Marketing Assocation Netherlands, Interfaculty Rotterdam and Platform Innovation in Marketing.

4. Describe the day in the life of a President.

After doing my usual morning routine, I get to the office by bike. Although Monday mornings can be though, it is always nice to see my fellow board members again. After catching up on the weekend, I start by preparing the bi-weekly board meeting (Monday’s and Thursday’s). During this meeting we discuss the planning of the week, events that are coming up or other things that require action. When the meeting is finished, I have progress meetings with my fellow board members individually (every other week). Here we speak about personal progress, goals and other relevant subjects. During the rest of the week, I have meetings with other study associations (Interfaculty Rotterdam, Convent e.g.), I am working on new policies or busy helping my fellow board members out. Every first Wednesday of the month, we have our Marketing Drink, which I always really look forward to!

5. What did you learn from your time as board member?

This question is really hard to answer, as I have developed myself in so many different ways. First of all, doing a board year is not like a regular group project. I have to keep my fellow board members motivated in order for them to do their best work. This also means addressing mistakes and making mistakes myself. As there are many things that I (and others) never did before, everyone is going to make mistakes. Although mistakes are not fun, it is very important how you deal with them. This is something I learned. Further, I also learned to make difficult decisions and give/receive feedback. Lastly, I learned to always have fun in what you are doing (see next question).

6. What is your most fun memory?

Next to doing a lot of serious things, a board year also is a lot of fun! It is hard to pick one thing. There are so many good memories that I have. If I have to pick one, it probably was the Sinterkerstennieuw-diner we had in January. We organized this night, because we wanted to do something fun for Sinterklaas, Christmas and New year. The idea: dress up nicely, prepare a dish for the 3-course meal and have a good time! We started around 7 o’clock and finished somewhere after 12pm. We laughed, played games and had a great time together!

7. What are you going to do after your board year?

After this year, I will start working. I am currently exploring all my possibilities, to see which jobs/companies seem interesting. Further, the MAEUR lustrum will start from next September onwards. I hope to stayed involved and enjoy all the fun events!

8. What’s your favorite quote?

That is “we may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now” by Martin Luther King. This basically shows the situation of a board year. As new board member, you have no idea who your fellow board members will be. From the moment you meet them, you are in the same boat together. I can honestly say that the board year has been an amazing time, with an even more amazing board!

9. What advice would you give to someone who is considering a board year?

During my decision process, I spoke to several people that did a board year. They all had a different story, but there was one thing they all had in common: no one regretted it. In any situation, you will learn so much about yourself during a board year. If you are ready to work hard, sometimes fail and have fun, I would definitely recommend a board year!

If you are in doubt, I would recommend talking to several people who did a board year. These people can tell how they’ve experience the year and give you interesting insights. Further, I would also write down your personal pro’s and con’s.

If you are interested to know more about MAEUR, a board year or, more specifically, being President, please message me at president@maeur.nl or +316 1379 0400.