On the 1st of July 2020, Mrs Zociana STAMBOLLIU succeeded Mrs Michaela SIMAKOVA as President of the Alumni Association of the College of Europe. A few days before she officially took over the torch from her predecessor, we had the opportunity to interview Mrs STAMBOLLIU at our Verversdijk campus in Bruges.
For the Greek-Albanian alumna of the John Maynard Keynes Promotion 2016/2017, it is still very special to come back to the city where she spent an extraordinary year and of which she still has lots of amazing memories. At the end of June, in the immediate run-up to that new challenging chapter as head of the Alumni Association, Zociana "Zoey" STAMBOLLIU was kind enough to answer a few questions.
How was it to be a student of and an ambassador for the College of Europe?
To be a student at the college was an amazing and definitely a life-changing experience. When you join as a student you are immersed into a very multicultural, international and intellectually intriguing setting. You live together with 300 other students in Bruges or around 100 students in Natolin and everybody is very driven and passionate. So of course, this intense process of interaction with people that are as passionate as you are, enriches your intellect. I would say that it was a very formative experience when it comes to personal development, but also when it comes to career perspectives, because the college definitely teaches you how to think in a different way and equips you with all the skills you need to succeed in a tough yet rewarding world. And of course, you also develop very strong friendships throughout the year. In a nutshell: it was a very important experience in my life and it goes beyond the career and academic level. It's about personal development and personal relationships as well.
As an ambassador and graduate, you are contacted by younger people that are in the situation that you were a few years ago. It is a very enriching process to share the memories that you have and the perspective on things with prospective students. It's very rewarding to be an ambassador of the college and I think it is always nice to share how important this experience was for all of us and to offer some guidance to passionate young people. It’s great to be able to connect with young people and to give something back to the college by sharing what you have learned with the rest of the world.
My year at the college was a very important experience in my life. It goes beyond the career and academic level. It's about personal development and personal relationships as well.
Zociana STAMBOLLIU
Are you still in touch with your fellow students of the Keynes Promotion?
Yes, I often see them in Brussels and I’m still very connected to my college environment. I was lucky that most of my very close friends from the college moved to Brussels later on, but for other people it can also be other cities in Europe. Still today, we are forming our lives and next steps together. I call them my second family because they are the family that I have as an expat in Brussels and we are really supportive of each other. Also professionally, we would not have evolved as much if we didn’t have the support that we had and if we didn’t push each other in a positive way to strive for more. In my case, I’m definitely one of those that benefited a lot from the friendships at the College of Europe. The College formed to a big extent my work ethic, equipped me with skills that I consider pivotal to succeed in a fast-paced and often harsh environment and above all, gave me friends for life that make me become better every day.
What are your greatest memories of the College of Europe?
I remember so many things, so it's a very difficult question to answer. Given the setting here in Verversdijk, I would like to mention the graduation ceremony. It was amazing and very emotional. We knew that the academic year and our time at the college was coming to an end. It was quite emotional that the day after we wouldn’t wake up and plan the day together with our friends as we used to do. It was also a moment of appreciation, where we embraced what had been done and what was fulfilled and completed. It was an intense year and that was the peak of it: we worked hard and the culmination was on graduation day. It was a moment to feel proud about all the hours of courses and thesis work. That day was also a very quick flashback and throwback to all those amazing discussions we had and the wonderful people we met like the professors and our friends. It was a very intense day, but also a day of appreciation. We felt very grateful that we had the opportunity to live and experience such a year. Actually, I was one of those students who cried.
How important was your year at the College with regard to your career path and professional curriculum?
My year spent at the college was crucial for my career. Not just because of the name of the college, that is very strong - especially in European networks - but personally it really formed me as a professional because I studied and prepared myself for this international setting, the intense procedures and the multitasking. The difference between the experiences at the college and a job related to European affairs is not so big. You still have a very multicultural setting and you still have to be open to other ways of expression and of dealing with things. You have to be very open-minded and the college really prepares you for that kind of situations.
Today, I still apply a lot of the things that I learned in my courses, the simulation game for example. Some of the very specific details I remember from my education at the college make the difference in my job, because I had to study deeply and implement that information during the simulation game. That year was so intense that it is forever marked in my memory. Every day I use the knowledge gained here, so I think that I can say that the college was pivotal for my career. And as mentioned before, there's also the social aspect. You have an environment where you are a young professional and expat and it’s very easy to feel alone and to play with the idea of giving up and perhaps even going home, but the college has already equipped you with the necessary strength and skills, but also with the social network to cope with such an environment and to basically strive and do better.
The College formed to a big extent my work ethic, equipped me with skills that I consider pivotal to succeed in a fast-paced and often harsh environment and above all, gave me friends for life that make me become better every day.
Zociana STAMBOLLIU
What was your personal motivation to become President of the Alumni Association?
It was a step by step process. I first got involved when I graduated, doing a few activities here and there, then I became a board member of the association and eventually I applied for the role of president. My motivation came through the process, I would say. I was exposed to the activities and the wide range of actions and activities that were taking place in the association. I could see the potential and how you can make a difference. I started being curious and I was already very driven and wanted to continue the feeling of the college spirit. I noticed from this side of the association that there was a great potential and free space to implement your ideas as long you have the energy.
It’s an amazing platform, you know. If you’re determined you can really take it to the next level and do great things. I was very much inspired by my predecessor Michaela SIMAKOVA. She showed me that the sky is the limit when you are truly motivated and determined. My discussions with Michaela resulted in the idea to become even more committed and to undertake the role of president. I consider this as a responsibility and we have so much to achieve through the association that it really made me think that this is an investment of my time that is really worth making. I really want to see the association grow, so that was the philosophy behind my candidacy.
What is your ambition as new President of the Alumni Association? What do you want to change or achieve?
The Alumni Association has already achieved a lot of things, especially bearing in mind the fact that we are talking about volunteers, about people who are quite busy. On top of that, it’s not only an association based in Brussels, it’s a very broad network with all of our regional groups. So, sometimes it’s a little bit difficult to organize as there are several obstacles. You rely a lot on the personal energy and motivation of the people who work for the association. We are lucky to have very committed alumni in our Association, but given the fast-paced lives that we all live, often the message of the possibilities that the Association offers does not pass through our entire network. We have a broad and big network with alumni in every single country of the world and I hear every day, also from my friends, that they want to come up with ideas related to the College but they are not exactly aware of the possibilities, how they can do it through the association.
The main challenge I want to work on is to convey the message to every single graduate that the association is an open space where you can really share your ideas and we will do our very best to support you in implementing them, as long as they strengthen our college spirit. Apart from that, what I see from our members is that there is a necessity, an inner passion to give something back to young people. Apart from communicating better, the other focus would be on our activities related to mentoring. We already have our mentoring program, which is a successful program with a lot of people participating, but I think we can extend it even more. Given the strong network of the College, there is still some space for expansion and to put people in touch in every single city of Europe and every country of the world. It’s really important for us to enhance the program.
The main challenge I want to work on is to convey the message to every single graduate that the association is an open space where you can really share your ideas and we will do our very best to support you in implementing them, as long as they strengthen our college spirit.
Zociana STAMBOLLIU
How do you see the future of the Alumni Association? How will the role of the association evolve?
I definitely see this mandate as an excellent opportunity to go beyond what we have been doing so far. We had a very interesting general assembly with a lot of candidacies for the positions of Board Members and a lot of refreshing ideas. It was a very tough one and it was really hard to vote and to select the people that actually got the position in the end. I already feel and see a new breeze, a very refreshing mood in the air. We have people with a lot of energy. They want to do things and they want to be innovative. We want to leave a bit our traditional way of doing things. We want to go a little bit beyond that to attract more people and younger people.
One of the challenges is that the association is perhaps being seen as a more conservative association while we want to attract all types and profiles. Alumni include all different ages, backgrounds and countries. Seeing the new board, I feel a new breeze that comes with the eagerness to modernize the association, to go beyond what we have been doing so far. We want the association to be a cool platform to be part of.
We will make a start in the next three years of our mandate and eventually in five or ten years we will be the association that, first of all, every alumnus of alumna has heard of and on which every alumnus can rely if they need to organize something within the alumni network. And secondly, that nobody finds it boring to be a part of the organ, but that they are looking forward to participate in our activities because they are modern, cool and fun.
Seeing the new board, I feel a new breeze that comes with the eagerness to modernize the association, to go beyond what we have been doing so far. We want the association to be a cool platform to be part of.
Zociana STAMBOLLIU
Why should prospective students choose for the College of Europe in Bruges or Natolin? What arguments would you use to convince them?
If you are looking for a very interesting and international academic setting and an institution that offers both the academic background and strong expertise, but also the international and multicultural setting, you have many options and possibilities. But what makes the college so distinctive is the fact that you connect with people who are inspired and really passionate about the European Union. And when you come, you will find like-minded people. And yes, sometimes it can be a little bit tricky because you come to an environment where everybody more or less shares the same ideas, which can lead to the fact that you become less open-minded then you are, but I actually think that the CoE does exactly the opposite.
We all start from the same values, more specifically that we want more cooperation and that we respect the values of the EU and that we want the Union to grow, but we all have critical minds, so we also see that there are different ways in which Europe can improve. The College is a hub for very driven and curious young people that challenge each other intellectually everyday. That process makes you grow as a person and individual. If you really want to be part of an international setting that is intellectually stimulating and full of people that are curious, driven and enthusiastic about Europe, then the College of Europe is the place to be. And on top of that, you leave the college very rich in expertise about European Affairs, but also very rich in all the skills that you developed because of the very intense process. It really tests you and it makes you grow a lot in a way that you are prepared for what comes next.
If you really want to be part of an international setting that is intellectually stimulating and full of people that are curious, driven and enthusiastic about Europe, then the College of Europe is the place to be.
Zociana STAMBOLLIU
How important is the location of Bruges with for instance the proximity of the European capital Brussels?
Of course, the location is key, but I don’t want to disregard the fact that we also have a lot of students who return home after their year in Bruges. But yes, it’s the perfect location. For some people it’s maybe not that interesting as going to London, New York or Berlin, but I would say that the scale of the city is precisely one of the biggest assets. The fact that it is a smaller city makes it less stressful or chaotic than London, for example, while it gives and offers you the possibility to travel to Brussels in only one hour. The size only creates a community vibe with your fellow students, but you always have the option to travel in the weekend, you also get to see things and you can easily get to your interview appointments in Brussels for your thesis and go to conferences in the capital. Paris is only two hours away. Even London is super close with the Eurostar. So, you have this dual mode of being small enough to create the feeling of community and close enough to other big cities to feel connected and have access to many opportunities. It allows you to interact and you won't miss any chances for interviews and conferences.
Do you have any career or personal advice for students who graduate at the College of Europe?
If I was talking to myself a few years ago, I would probably say to myself: work hard, stay focused and stay committed and it will happen for you. If you work hard and you are dedicated, there’s no reason to stress or to question yourself. People who work hard will always get where they want to get and the hard work will pay off in the end. It’s not only a piece of advice from a personal point of view, I have seen it with my friends as well. And don’t forget to have fun either, we can’t be serious all the time!
The scale of Bruges is one of the big assets. It is small enough to create the feeling of community and close enough to other big cities to feel connected and have access to many opportunities.
Zociana STAMBOLLIU
| What's your favourite location or spot in Bruges and why? |
Ah, we’re getting serious now (laughs)! It’s actually pretty hard to say. Can I name a bar? It’s really hard to choose because everybody knows how gorgeous the city is and it’s just such an amazing place. But I would go for ’t Poatersgat, the cave bar underneath a church in the Vlamingstraat. It’s very close to the Biskajer residence. There is this very small door to the stairs going down. It’s pretty well-known in Bruges. For us, that was the place where we all got together. The beginning of the year was celebrated there. We had drinks with our department and at the end of the year, right after the graduation, we went there after the last Biskajer party. It goes hand in hand with all of our big events. We would go there after a very stressful day of courses to have a drink with friends to just let go of things. We have very nice memories with our friends. Friendships were built there. So, I think that is a great summary of what the College is really about: intellect, but also fun. |
| What do you expect from Federica Mogherini as new rector of the CoE? |
I was very, very excited when I heard that Mrs MOGHERINI was elected as a rector. She is a role model for many of us. She has a very impressive track record and the expertise and knowledge that she is bringing to the college is something that every institution would be very happy about and I’m personally jealous of the students that will have her as a rector and will be able to benefit from her experience and knowledge. I think that the College will only win from her new position as a rector. I have interacted with Mrs MOGHERINI very little, but I can confirm that she is an amazing person to communicate with and I think it’s going to be wonderful to work with her in our activities with the association. I also speak on behalf of the entire board of the Alumni Association when I say that we are all thrilled and excited that such a big personality for the whole European Union has now been elected to become the new rector. It also adds trust to the name of the college and will help to bring fresh ideas and a new breeze in the way that we are working and dealing with things. We are really looking forward to working with her, I think it’s going to be amazing. |