President’s Medal for Citizenship awarded to Oleksandra Shvets

Winners of the KLU President’s Medal for Citizenship don’t come much more worthy than Oleksandra Shvets.

Over the course of her Bachelor in Business Administration studies, she has been a student ambassador, served on the academic senate as a student representative, was Head of Workshops for the student consultancy advisupply, and co-led student club KLU Thinks Big, which she then helped transform into a hugely successful TEDx KLU event.

Currently studying for her Master in Global Logistics and Supply Chain Management at KLU, Oleksandra is also on the Dean’s List, which honors students consistently performing at the top of their studies, and recently won the DAAD Prize, an award that recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of foreign students studying at German universities.

Valuable contributions to the KLU community

Presenting the medal at this year’s graduation ceremony, held in Hamburg’s magnificent Elbphilharmonie concert hall, KLU President Andreas Kaplan was full of praise for Oleksandra’s engagement at the university.

“As a student ambassador you promoted KLU and supported KLU community initiatives,” Professor Kaplan said. “As a member of advisupply, our student led consultancy, you applied your skills to real world challenges. You strengthened student life by actively by encouraging and supporting student organizations and associations. As a student representative to the KLU academic senate, you consistently approached complex topics with pragmatism, efficiency and effectiveness.”

Oleksandra, who comes from Ukraine and joined KLU on a refugee scholarship, said after the ceremony that she was “surprised but also very happy” to have won the award.

“The medal is not just about the award itself, but about the acknowledgment of the time, effort, and heart I put into strengthening the KLU community,” she elaborated. “I truly enjoy helping others and contributing to making our environment an even better place. Every day at KLU brought new experiences, opportunities to learn, and meaningful connections.”

Living student life to the full

Being actively involved in the KLU community, the 21-year-old believes, is one of the most important aspects of the student experience.

“From the beginning, I was inspired by the diversity of people here - students, professors, staff, and even guests at different events - each with unique perspectives and backgrounds,” Oleksandra explained.

“Through different initiatives, I got to know incredible people and learn from them. Co-leading the TEDxKLU Hamburg initiative, attending open days and visits to schools as a student ambassador, and taking part in various student clubs have all been truly rewarding - not only in terms of the skills I gained but also in the relationships and networks I built.”

The rewards of social engagement

Looking ahead to the future, she said she was excited about continuing to be active in KLU student life during her master’s, including as a member of the founding team of Young Founders Forge, a new initiative that fosters entrepreneurial spirit and builds innovation skills.

In addition to remaining a student ambassador, Oleksandra is running for the position of spokesperson of the student body, having served in the academic senate for the past two years. She is also a working student in Hapag Lloyd’s global reefer strategy department.

“I’m very excited to see how KLU will continue to grow in the coming years, and I am grateful to be part of this journey. Being socially engaged here has given me so much, and I look forward to continuing to give back.”