Shashwat’s experience as a firstie in the Externals Committee

“As an External Affairs Committee (EAC) member, I have gained valuable experience, network with professionals, and prepared myself for a successful future in business. One of the most valuable aspects of joining the EAC is the opportunity to get to know the companies that sponsor Vectum. This has given me valuable insights into what companies do and what kind of possibilities there are after my studies. As an EAC member, we organised the Vectum Business Trip and the Consultancy Tour with Asset|Econometrics, Tilburg, and assisted the External Affairs Coordinator with company case days or in-house days. For example, I was in charge of planning the FlowTraders In-house day, which taught me how to work effectively in a professional setting.

If you are a student who is interested in the business side of Vectum, I highly recommend joining the EAC. It is a great way to gain valuable experience, network with professionals, and prepare yourself for a successful future.

Here is a summary of the benefits I gained from joining the EAC:

Gain valuable experience in event planning, marketing, and networking.
Network with professionals from a variety of industries.
Learn about different career paths and companies.
Develop valuable skills in teamwork, problem-solving, and communication.

I encourage you to consider joining the EAC if you are looking for an opportunity to get involved in Vectum, make a difference, and learn new skills.”

Quinn’s take on the Activities Committee

“The heart and soul of Vectum is the community, if not family, that it creates. Bringing together multiple years of study, a diversity of backgrounds, and a multitude of perspectives. Our Tuesday events are a key part of creating such a tight group.

Being part of the activities committee allows you to assist in organizing and planning these events. Personally, I still remember the meetings we had and laughed at those times. It was an honor to be able to help plan many of the events. But the capstone of this experience is planning the best part of the year for the Vectum family: the member’s weekend. Seeing everything that I, the rest of the committee, and Asem, had been putting in the works for months at that point was exhilarating.

I know that when you sign up for this year’s committee your experience will be amazing just like mine. And I can’t wait to see the events you come up with as the new committee!”

Chiara’s creativity on the PR Committee

“Last year, I made the decision to join the PR committee primarily to enhance my CV and venture into something new. However, it turned out to be a far more enriching experience than I had anticipated. I discovered an incredibly welcoming environment and had the opportunity to connect with amazing people with whom I could share ideas and collaborate on a special project - the creation of PerVectum magazine. It was astonishing to me how, in just a few months, we transformed empty pages into a nearly 40-page publication filled with articles, images, and much more. Whether it was describing events, capturing the essence of Maastricht student life, designing page layouts, or brainstorming memes and games, PerVectum is what I loved the most about being on the PR committee.

By becoming a part of this committee, you can connect with more people, enhance your teamwork abilities, improve time management, and enjoy designing, without it ever feeling overwhelming. I absolutely loved being a part of it, and I'm certain it contributed significantly to my first year here in Maastricht.”

Edwin and his experience in the Summer Committee

“During the season in which Maastricht is mostly devoid of students and Vectum goes into hibernation, there is one committee that holds down the fort: the summer committee.

Last year I was lucky enough to count myself among the chosen ones to carry out this most sacred quest. During somewhat irregular meetings in the burning heat of the afternoon sun, we planned Vectum's social activities in the most important period: the first.

As the days got shorter, we returned Vectum to its regular activities schedule, including the scavenger hunt, beach volleyball, and, of course, Oktoberfest 🍻

From successfully setting up a huge tent during a thunderstorm to scheduling cooking tasks across 3 kitchens, helping organise the first-year trip was my most character-building memory with the summer committee.”

Perhaps you, dear reader, will be among the chosen ones this summer. One can only hope.

Amel for the magic of the Activities Committee

“Hi there, all of you new Vectum blood!

I'm Amel, and I've been a part of the activities committee in the year 2019-2020. In the activities committee, you are responsible for organising the weekly activities you will surely come to love. There's a certain magic to seeing the wild plans you have come to life on a lifely Tuesday evening. I have many great memories - from driving shopping carts full of Schultenbräu down the Maastricht hills to thinking of the craziest challenges for the Scavenger Hunt. And next to it, it's just lots of fun to brainstorm activity ideas, dive into the details, and afterwards go for a pizza or a drink. Don't take it all too seriously and join the activities committee; 'tis where the magic happens.”

Time for you to make some magic happen?! ✨

Joshua’s know-how about the External Affairs Committee

“The external affairs committee allows you to come closer to the business side of Vectum. In this committee, you can help organise business trips and other related events while getting to know the companies that sponsor Vectum. For me, the external affairs committee gave valuable insight into what companies do, and it shows what kind of possibilities there are for after your studies.

Inside the external affairs committee, you help the Vice President with their responsibilities, such as organising the Business Trip. Here, Vectum goes on a 4 to 5-day trip to visit companies in the Randstad. As a committee member, you’d, for example, find a suitable hotel, help create the brochure and PR, and you could also contact companies to further organise the trip. Another important factor is helping out with the occasional company case day or inhouse-day, where you’d again help the Vice President with similar affairs. Via organising these activities, you get to know these companies and are responsible for a large formal event.

Lastly, and maybe the most essential part of joining a committee, you work together as a team to try and solve challenges throughout the year. This gives valuable experience of how to work in a close team, and you get a feeling of togetherness. Also, with committee work, you can go on lovely dinners, do fun activities, and proudly look back on the achievements you made together. 10/10 would recommend.”

Are you one for some serious business?

The veteran of the PR Committee, Radi, speaking

“After being in the PR committee in my first year, I liked it so much, I decided to join for 2 more consecutive years. There is no one single reason why being in the committee was (and still is) close to my heart. All I can say is, every year was different because the people in it were what made it special.

In my first year, I had the great opportunity to bond with some interesting upperclassmen, get their advice on the study and even go on a trip with them to Spain. I also got the hang of our responsibilities, the biggest of which is, writing and publishing the magazine PerVectum and taking pictures at events. The magazine contains articles that document Vectum events as well as anything that can be closely related to Maastricht or econometrics.

The second time I joined, I wanted to represent the PR committee as there is some friendly competition between all of the committees. We also got the chance to have an amazing active members dinner before Covid hit us.

In my third year, we started using the graphic design service Canva that allowed us bigger creative control. I can say I'm the happiest with the product we came out with that year.

Although I won't be applying for the fourth time, I can recommend the PR committee as a worthwhile extracurricular activity. You'd get to bond with fellow students on a closer level, develop your skills and boost your CV, all while not having an overbearing workload.“

Time to let your creative side shine? 🌟

Roderik and the Ski Trip Committee

“The annual ski trip is, in my opinion, the most fun week of the year. In this week, Vectum heads into the Alps with mountain enthusiasts of all skill levels. Having the opportunity to help organise this trip was a lot of fun and not only helped me develop my organisational skills in a fun and laid-back environment but has also led to friendships with fellow skiers that will last a lifetime. However, please don’t think you need to be a seasoned skier or boarder to join this committee as all you need is an interest in organising a trip for friends and a willingness to learn (and probably also at least a mild appreciation for apres-ski). It is also a very rewarding experience. The last trip we organised was a huge success, just ask anyone who attended, and I am very proud of my contributions to that.

I’m looking forward to seeing how this great Vectum tradition will be continued, hopefully by enthusiastic people such as yourself ;)”

Ready to bring Vectum to the slopes? 🎿