Nyenrode Fund Thank The Donor Day 2017

On Saturday, October 7th, 2017, Nyenrode Fund (Stichting Nyenrode Fonds or SNF) held its annual Thank The Donor Day. The fund organizes this event each year to pay tribute to its donors. Nine students also received the checks for their scholarships, awarded in celebratory fashion by representatives of the donors who made the scholarships possible.

University update

In his introductory speech during the afternoon, Rector Magnificus Miša Džoljić commented on the developments taking place at the university. He discussed, among other things, the strategy update and its focus on research, internationalization and educational innovation. 

Student numbers at Nyenrode are looking good, according to Džoljić, causing the campus to sit at full capacity and making it necessary to explore other avenues for the university’s continued expansion. This is currently happening in places such as Amsterdam, where participants in the Full-time MBA have been studying since this summer and where the Full-time MSc in Management program will also be offered as of next year for students who prefer the urban setting of Amsterdam over the campus in Breukelen. Džoljić answered questions from various donors on this topic.

Adapting to the times and needs

Juliette Jonker-Duynstee, art historian and expert on the Vechtstreek region, subsequently spoke about the origins and 750-year history of Nijenrode Castle and the estate. The castle is part of the series of around two hundred manor houses in the region. As many as eighteen castles once stood along the rivers Vecht, Angstel and Aa, most of which did not survive the test of time.

In her presentation, Jonker-Duynstee showed how the inhabitants of Nijenrode left their mark on the castle and estate throughout the centuries. Time and again they adapted it to their taste and needs, and the castle even had to be rebuilt several times after being destroyed.

Past, present and future

The mission of Nyenrode Fund is to invest in the past, present and future of Nyenrode Business Universiteit. The fund facilitates donations for maintaining Nyenrode’s past, such as the monuments, heritage and traditions. With regard to the present, investments are made in the facilities we have as an institution. The fund also contributes to the future by making scholarships possible for students who otherwise would not have the financial means to study at Nyenrode.

Revenues on the rise

SNF’s revenues have risen sharply in recent years, according to Tanja Visser, director of Nyenrode Fund. As a result, a total of nine degree scholarships were awarded in 2017: eight for students from the Full-time MSc in Management program and one for a student from the Full-time MBA. Fourteen participants from the Social Entrepreneurship Course received scholarships as well.

Other large projects in which the fund has been involved this year include the restoration of the Oranjerie on the estate, the restoration of the monumental grand exit gate, maintenance works on the carillon and the India project of the Nyenrode New Business School in Amsterdam.

Projects in 2018

The following are some of the projects planned for 2018:

• Restoration of the monumental Menagerie on the estate, including a duck decoy, aviary and pheasant cottage, dove loft and bird feeder
• Requesting the status for professional maintenance of monuments, which makes it easier for the organization to qualify for maintenance grants

• Offering the possibility for companies to adopt lecture halls

• Making new scholarships possible for various degree programs and the Social Entrepreneurship Course

Revolving scholarships awarded

The Thank The Donor Day concluded with the awarding of revolving scholarships to the total of nine selected students from the Full-time MSc in Management program and the Full-time MBA. These scholarships, presented by representatives of the donors, will make studying at Nyenrode possible for talented students who otherwise would not have the financial means to do so. The scholarships are “revolving” in nature, which means that after the recipient completes his or her studies, he or she is expected in turn to make another scholarship possible for a new student. Alumnus Fred Zeeven (class of 1953) shared what receiving a scholarship once meant to him.

The scholarship donors in 1953, 1958, 1977 and 1985 were the Hong Kong circle of Nyenrode Alumni VCV, Rotary Clubs in the region, Johan Deelstra (in memory of his late wife Grace Doughty), and Mr. and Mrs. De Vink.

At the end of the Thank The Donor Day, Antoine Boelen, President of Nyenrode Fund and himself an alumnus of the BBA and MBA programs, stressed the importance of giving back to one’s alma mater. This can be done by means of a financial contribution, but could also take the form of coaching or mentorship. To conclude, he thanked the SNF donors for their contribution along with the employees of the fund and the university.

Contact and donations

For more information about Nyenrode Fund and donation possibilities, please contact director Tanja Visser: t.visser@nyenrode.nl, +31 346 – 295 997.