All good things come in threes: After two extremely successful rounds, the OWL Study Fund Foundation is calling on its current and potential new sponsors to take up the "Matching Challenge 2025" and donate to six more scholarships by December 17. The challenger is Dr. Georg Greitemann, a Frankfurt-based lawyer who is committed to supporting students through scholarships. He is offering a donation of €2,700. However, this is subject to conditions: the foundation must find another donor from among its own ranks (or from among its sponsors) who will also contribute €2,700.
This donor was quickly found in HLB Dr. Stückmann und Partner mbB. The Bielefeld-based law firm and auditing company has been supporting the OWL Study Fund for many years by financing scholarships. But that's not all. The real challenge is to double this announced donation amount of €5,400. To this end, the foundation is looking for individuals, organizations, and companies who are willing to contribute to achieving the challenge goal with their donations. Every euro counts, just as every larger sum does, and contributes to the success. In the best-case scenario, this will result in €10,800, which will then be doubled again by the federal government in the "Deutschlandstipendium" program.
With a total volume of €21,600, six additional scholarships could then be awarded to committed and high-achieving students at Bielefeld University, Paderborn University, Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, the TH OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, and the Detmold University of Music.
The scholarship award ceremony at Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences provided a festive setting for the launch of the challenge. As chair of the study fund's board of directors and President of the host university, Professor Dr. Ingeborg Schramm-Wölk welcomed over 200 students and more than 150 representatives of the sponsoring organizations, as well as numerous private donors. She praised the sponsors for their long-standing commitment and congratulated the scholarship recipients on their acceptance into the study fund networks.
In addition to the financial aspect, many sponsors are also heavily involved in the non-material support program, which accompanies students and expands their degree program in both personal and professional terms, according to Schramm-Wölk. She expressed special thanks to the members of the selection committees within the universities participating in the OWL Study Fund, who volunteered their time in the summer to review and evaluate the 2,000 applications in order to select the suitable scholarship recipients.
The topic of volunteer work was in the spotlight throughout the evening. Under the slogan "Committed. In the OWL Study Fund and beyond," presenter and study fund alumnus Tobias Tönsfeuerborn interviewed both sponsors and scholarship recipients about their motivations for their commitment. Entrepreneur Jaroslaw Klose, owner of klose brothers GmbH, and private donor Ute Holzgrewe explained to the audience why scholarship funding is so important to them. Scholarship recipients Nele Kühle, Philine Müller-Hanssen, and Thorben Rodewig explained how the funding is used and what opportunities it provides. With their involvement in healthcare and the organization of extensive cultural evenings, all three gave impressive certificates of the opportunities that a scholarship can offer.
This year, Julia Girolstein, Vice President Corporate Human Resources at dSPACE Group SE & Co. KG, gave the traditional welcome address on behalf of the sponsors. As a sponsor from the very beginning, the Paderborn-based company has been a long-standing supporter and is firmly convinced of the necessity of the scholarship program.
Members of the university management teams of the other universities involved in the OWL Study Fund Foundation, including TH OWL, were also present in Bielefeld and took the opportunity to personally present the students with their certificates at the reception held later with the sponsors.
The program was accompanied by music from an ensemble from the Detmold University of Music: Emilia Mladenovic on the cello and Roman Balatel on the accordion played wonderful pieces by Elgar and Cassadó. Both are supported by a scholarship from the Studienfonds OWL foundation.
This was followed by a reception on the festively illuminated main hall and adjacent rooms of Bielefeld University, where the scholarship recipients received their certificates from their sponsors, made initial contacts, and toasted with a sparkling drink.
Support from the OWL Study Fund Foundation: Up to €300 per month and comprehensive non-material support
The OWL Study Fund Foundation awards scholarships to students at Bielefeld University, Paderborn University, Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, (TH) OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, and Detmold University of Music. Students from all disciplines who demonstrate outstanding results and commitment have the opportunity to receive a Germany Scholarship. Overcoming obstacles in one's life is also taken into account positively.
Scholarship recipients receive €300 per month and access to a comprehensive non-material support program. This includes workshops, company visits, fireside evenings, projects, cultural events, and much more. In addition, the OWL Study Fund Foundation awards social scholarships based on special financial need. Ten percent of scholarship recipients will receive such a scholarship this year in the amount of 1,800 euros per year and will also participate in the non-material support program.
