Course Speakers are elected by their peers at the beginning of each academic year. For any questions and/or concerns please contact the DASI-4 Team (dasi@da-vienna.at).
Name: Matt MOYERS
Nationality: United States & Croatia Previous education: BA Political Science, University of Colorado at Boulder
"It is a privilege to serve as one of the two course speakers for the 26th MAIS class. Our class, which is comprised of 68 students and represents over 25 nationalities, is emblematic of the international vision and focus on which the DA prides itself. A little about me – I spent the first 20 years of my life in California. In fact, I hadn’t left the U.S. until my undergraduate studies when I had the opportunity to travel the world as a part of a program called Semester at Sea. This experience piqued my interest towards international affairs, so upon graduating from the University of Colorado I continued to seek out an international lifestyle by moving to the land of my ancestors, Croatia, eventually obtaining Croatian citizenship after having lived there for 5 years. I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that come with this role, and I promise to do my best to make our time at the DA a fun, productive, and meaningful experience."
Name: Claudio WEDENIG
Nationalities: Austria & Italy Previous education: BA Political Science
"Having been raised bilingually and in-between the Austrian and Italian cultural space made it hard to feel like one belongs fully to either nationality. This partly fueled my motivation to study Political Science and dive into the international sphere. Starting at the DA, on the other side, felt immediately familiar. The influence of so many interesting people, their stories and cultures are a solid basis for a dynamic multicultural community built on mutual respect and trust. I see my role as a course speaker in fostering these qualities and giving my best to make sure our shared time at the DA brings out the best in every one of us. It will be my pleasure and honour to represent my cohorts interests and to make sure our voices are heard."
Name: Roberta BEZZI
Nationality: Italian Previous education: BA Political Science, University of Vienna
"Italian passport but international heart. In search for a new challenge and adventure, after my high school education I decided to move to an entirely new country, where I was faced with a new language and culture. Slowly, I built a life here in Vienna and finally found a new family at the DA, a family made of some of the most amazing people I have ever had the pleasure to meet. I am most thrilled to be able to represent my comrades, friends and their ideas this year. Indeed, it is a privilege to be a course speaker for MAIS-2 together with my colleague Lara Siebrecht. We will always make sure that the interests of our fellow students are heard and respected. Furthermore, we guarantee our availability throughout the whole academic year. Let's make this year memorable, together!"
Name: Lara SIEBRECHT
Nationality: German and British Previous education: BA in Political Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
"Already during my childhood, I was exposed to an international environment through my family (one side German, the other Scottish) and our various stays in Europe and the Middle East. That did not change when I decided to pursue my undergraduate degree in the United States due to my athletic career. Academic encounters in the U.S. ultimately led me to the DA. At the DA, I value our tight knit international community and feel very honoured to be a MAIS 2 course speaker this academic year. My role as a Course Speaker is to represent the interests of second year students in the MAIS programme. I also provide them a safe space and advice if needed. My fellow MAIS 2 Course Speaker Roberta Bezzi and I feel privileged to take on this role and we will do our very best to ensure that MAIS 2 interests are well communicated between staff and students."
Name: Anna STRIGL
Nationality: Austrian Previous education: BA in Business, University of Applied Sciences FH Wien der WKW
"As ETIA course speaker, I want to represent and enforce the interests of my fellow students. In addition to this, my main goal is to strengthen the community within our program to create a social, transparent, and fair environment for everyone. Due to my various stays abroad, internationality is an essential part of my life, which I want to live and represent at the DA. In addition to this, I will do my best to contribute positively to the community and enable all students to realize their goals at the DA."
Name: Sabrina KASCHOWITZ
Nationality: Austria Previous education: MA Conference Interpreting: Italian, Russian; University of Graz
"After my numerous study and work stays abroad, the international and multilingual community of the DA is where I feel most at home. As the majority of our courses this year take place at the TU Wien, I see my role as a course speaker as a bridge between our small ETIA-2 cohort and the DA. I will work alongside my colleague Marta to represent our fellow students at both universities and support them with any kind of difficulties they might encounter throughout the year. Especially in these insecure times, we will make every effort to reach out to our colleagues and make everybody feel like they are part of the community."
Name: Marta WAWRZYNIAK
Nationality: Polish Previous education: BA in International Relations, University of Leeds
"Having an opportunity to live in three different countries, I was exposed to the beauty of diversity. Moving to Austria was a decision marked by multiple challenges, but DA welcomed me with kind and international community, in which I can challenge myself and broad my horizons easily. I feel very honoured to be able to represent ETIA-2 as a Course Speaker. ETIA is an unusual program, in which students spend their first year at the DA and then second year fully at the TU. As a Course Speaker, my main goal is to make sure that all students feel the part of the community and their needs are met and properly addressed. Together with my colleague Sabrina, we will do our very best to ensure smooth communication between stuff and students, both from the DA and TU."
Name: Ernst-Benedict HÖFTER
Nationality: Germany Previous education: BA European Economy and Business Management, FH BFI Vienna
"As a course-speaker for the 58th Diploma Programme of the DA I represent the student body and assist the administration. My goal is to help foster lasting and meaningful relationships and support the student community in every way possible. Together with my fellow course-speaker colleagues, I strive to uphold and enrich the environment of excellence for which the Academy is renowned. Teamwork and effective communication are at the very heart of my work-ethos. I believe in open-mindedness, approachability, and responsibility as the core qualities of a good course-speaker. By upholding these qualities, I hope to make a lasting impact on the DA's superb student culture."
Name: Anna TUTNER
Nationality: Austrian Previous education: BA in Business, FH Joanneum Graz - University of Applied Sciences
"As a DLG Course Speaker, my goal is to maintain an environment of a strong community. I want to be that person for you who you can approach, tell your interests but also concerns. Additionally, I think it is really important that we keep the exchange and cooperation in between the different programs. I want to put particular focus on that because I think this is also one of the reasons why this kind of feeling being part of the DA family even exists. In terms of cooperation, I think in the future we can definitely emphasize our work there and start further initiatives. Team work, caring for the students' well-being and being supportive are the values I personally share, and the ones I hope to embody as a DLG Course Speaker."