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The Cusanuswerk takes its name from Nikolaus von Kues, a polymath and theologian (symbol picture)
Photo: Fabian Plock / EyeEm / Getty Images
The Cusanuswerk is the Catholic Church's organization for promoting talent. The prerequisites for the scholarship are, in addition to outstanding performance, membership in the Catholic Church, a practiced faith and the willingness to help shape the church.
Lara Hart, 23, knows that you can become a Cusanuswerk scholarship holder without having been an altar boy for many years ).
The decision for the Cusanuswerk
“My religion teacher drew my attention to the Cusanuswerk in high school.
She knew the support organization and said that I had good chances because of my grades and my commitment.
Although I am Catholic, I have never been an acolyte or regularly in church on Sundays.
"First of all, I asked myself: Am I catholic enough for the scholarship?"
Instead, I was part of the student council, a journalism and theater group, and I am in the fire brigade's marching band and in the carnival club.
So first I asked myself: Am I catholic enough for the scholarship?
I also thought, to put it bluntly, that to get a scholarship you have to be gifted and have already saved the world.
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Scholarship holder Lara Hart
Photo: private
But my religion teacher encouraged me to try.
During the application process, I quickly realized that it is more about dealing with the issues of faith and the church than living one's faith in a certain way.
The program appealed to me and after the selection interviews I had a very good feeling. "
The application process
»The application process is a little different depending on whether you are still applying during high school, university or doctoral studies.
At that time I had to fill out an application form and write a formulated résumé.
The curriculum vitae was based on impulse questions about my commitment, the role of my faith in my life, my study and career aspirations and my decision for the Cusanuswerk.
"I was pleasantly surprised at how openly I was able to speak about the Church."
In October 2016 I was invited to an applicant: inside day in Munich.
There I had three conversations: one with a professor, one with an employee of the office and one with a pastoral officer.
The latter asked me, for example, how church services could be made more attractive.
I was pleasantly surprised at how openly I was able to speak about the Church.
I talked to the employee of the office about my biography, my values and convictions.
One question was, in which ministry I would save money and in which one would I spend more.
There is no perfect answer to such questions, it is more about arguing in a differentiated manner and not being disturbed by asking questions.
In the same month I received the acceptance. "
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The scholarship
»As a scholarship holder, I receive the monthly tuition fee of 300 euros.
I still work as a student assistant, but I have less financial pressure.
I particularly benefit from foreign funding.
During my Erasmus semester in Italy I received additional grants and the Cusanuswerk is currently paying for my second master’s degree in Switzerland.
Without this support and role models from the support organization, who also did two Masters, I would probably have only done my Masters in Psychology.
Scholarship holders have to take part in a two-week holiday academy every two years, where we deal with a changing topic in lectures, discussions and workshops.
All other events are voluntary, including university groups, conferences and an annual meeting.
I have already participated in an engineering and a music department conference and thus dealt with topics independent of my studies.
In addition, there is a cross-university spiritual program with impulses and church services, which we scholarship holders help to shape.
I also did four days of silent retreat in a monastery.
There we meditated, did yoga and most of the time remained silent in order to reflect on ourselves.
That was an exciting experience that I would never have had otherwise.
"Within the work there is a wide range of opinions on the subject of faith and the institution of the church."
I am critical of some of what the church is doing.
But within the work there is a wide range of opinions on the subject of faith and the institution of the church.
At events we also discuss questions of church politics.
I really appreciate it.
Given the diversity of the scholarship holders, I believe that there is still potential in all of the gifted sponsorship organizations.
Through the university group commission, I am currently working with an initiative for educational justice that current and former scholarship holders have founded.
We try to target young people from non-academic households and / or with a migration or refugee background. "
Conclusion
»At the Cusanuswerk I got to know many people who are committed and have a wide range of interests. That strengthened my studies and my commitment. The scholarship made me more capable of discussion and more self-confident. "