The founding of StudIT began in the summer of 2002 with Vera Krey and Sonja Paasche, who wanted to offer a support program for international students in Tübingen. Vera had benefited from a mentoring program during her year abroad, while Sonja had experienced what it was like to spend a year abroad without the guidance of any international club. Motivated by their shared experiences and considering the previous guest program coming to an end, they presented their idea to the Dezernat of the International Office, which gratefully accepted their proposal and immediately hired both of them. They began their first activities at StudIT by creating flyers and presenting their ideas at the “Markt der Möglichkeiten” during Dies Universitatis in October 2002.
Soon after, Tina Horn and Suse Kröber joined the team. The four of them held weekly office hours, organized the first leisure activities, and launched the mentoring program.
In January and March 2004, Vera and Suse were succeeded by Jochen Kopitzke and Kristina Koehler. Both had been involved in the mentoring program from the beginning, qualifying them as “insiders” for the job. Thanks to Jochen’s great effort and creative talent, StudIT got its own website in the summer of 2004, which significantly increased its recognition. Kristina had already been involved in an international club at her university in the USA, bringing with her plenty of experience that greatly benefited the team.
Also in the summer of 2004, Tanja Schubert took over Sonja’s position in the team. Tanja returned from New Zealand with great motivation and brought fresh ideas with her, including the idea of a ski weekend at Feldberg in the Black Forest, adding a winter excursion to the program alongside the summer excursion. All former members have contributed important impulses to StudIT with their personalities, interests, and experiences.
We hope to be able to successfully continue their work and are sincerely grateful for their hard work!