Meet the new student Programme Committee members of Cultural Anthropology
Daria Koch, Marijke Breunesse, Maria Moser and Mateusz Kolasiński are the newly appointed student representatives on the Programme Committee (OLC). This committee provides advice to the Executive Board and the Faculty Board on various educational issues, including the development of Course and Examination Regulations and the evaluation of courses. In addition to the student members, the OLC includes lecturers John Boy (chair), Tim van den Meerendonk, Suzanne Naafs, and Benjamin Fogarty. Get to know the new student members for 2026-2027, and learn about their motivations for joining the OLC.
Daria Koch: First-year bachelor
¡Hi, I’m Daria! I’m a first-year CADS student from Germany, though I grew up moving between Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium and Spain, so switching languages, schools and cultures has been a big part of my life throughout my childhood. Before coming to Leiden, I spent a year studying Psychology at Tilburg University. This experience made me realize, not only what I want to focus on during my studies, but has also shown me the importance of a program’s structure, communication and the environments atmosphere, and its impact on a student’s every day life.
My first month at CADS has been inspiring, and I’d love to help make sure first-years just like me, feel heard while we find our way, in this new country, new city and foremost in this new educational system.
Whether you feel overwhelmed, confused or even anxious, feel open to reach out and share your ideas, feedback, or your experiences with me. I’ll always be happy to talk and grab some coffee together! I look forward to see all of you on campus!
Marijke Breunesse - second-year bachelor
Hi everyone! I’m Marijke, the new second-year student representative for the Programme Committee here at CADS. For me, the most important part about this position is listening to my fellow students, and hopefully conveying their concerns or ideas adequately to the rest of the committee. I’m looking forward to it!
Maria Moser: third-year bachelor
Hi, I am Maria and now starting my third year of CADS! Being on the Programme Committee last year was not only an enriching experience personally, but gave me the opportunity to make sure that my fellow students’ feedback can be meaningfully implemented and made me realize the importance of transparent and constructive communication between teachers and students at all times.
Now that the bachelor thesis is just around the corner, it feels more important than ever to maintain a space where my peers know that they are supported along the way and their concerns do not go unheard, which I hope to be an approachable contact for. I am looking forward to continuing this journey!
Mateusz Kolasiński: master student
Hi! I'm Mateusz, a Visual Ethnography grad student from Poland.
My fourth year at Leiden University, and the first (and hopefully only) of my master's degree is packed with uncertainties we have to somehow navigate. I hope that being in this position, I can help as many folks as possible deal with these challenges!
The position of the student representative is one of the few ways in which we can give feedback as well as question the workings of our course. I want this channel to be as useful and efficient as possible. It might not be much but, given the opportunity, we should voice our opinions, be they good or bad.
You can text, email or chat me up anytime there's something that needs to be addressed. I'm looking forward to talking to you all!