Volunteering

Meet Mette Skov Antonsen, born and raised in Kolding, who spends much of her free time volunteering

Kolding offers many volunteer associations, giving students opportunities to connect with others and apply their skills.

Campus Kolding interviewed Mette, who is studying Marketing Management at the International Business Academy. Mette shares her favorite things about Kolding, her volunteer work, and how she stays career-oriented.

See the interview and read the full article below.

“I was born and raised in Kolding, and I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.”

Tell us about your studies

I was born and raised in Kolding, and I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.

Initially, I considered moving to Aarhus because it seemed like what everyone else was doing. But I realized I really liked the intimate atmosphere in Kolding, which reminded me of my high school, where I also attended a smaller school.

I’m studying Marketing Management at IBA Erhvervsakademi Kolding. It’s small and intimate, so you build a relationship with your instructors, and they get to know you, making daily life easier. My dream right now is to work in the event industry—planning, coordinating, and finding creative solutions in various ways. But our program offers so many possibilities.

What’s the best thing about Kolding?

It’s an incredibly cozy city. There are several scenic spots where you can take a walk, enjoy a cup of coffee, or just relax. I think that’s amazing. And there are so many cafés. It’s always easy to stop by for coffee, a drink, or a glass of wine with friends. That’s one of the best things about living here.

What do you do in your free time?

I do volunteer work for the student council 'De Studerendes Råd' (DSR), where I help plan the event 'Meet IBA.' What I enjoy the most is being creative with campaign development. That’s probably also what makes it so exciting to plan something like Meet IBA, where you get to play with ideas about what this target group might like, how we can capture their interest, and what colors and angles we should use for this task to achieve the best possible result.

I was born and raised here, so I know the area well. Being part of introducing “my city” to my new classmates, who might not be familiar with the Kolding area, is something I really enjoy.

Volunteering seems important to you - would you encourage others to volunteer?

Even though volunteering might seem a bit intimidating, it can also be incredibly rewarding for you personally, especially when you’re sharing knowledge with others. So, I think all the volunteer opportunities offered during your studies should be taken advantage of if you have the time and interest, of course, because it always looks great on your CV.

You can clearly feel that being part of DSR has allowed me to meet people across different programs at the school, people I wouldn’t otherwise have had the chance to get to know. And it’s really cool to expand your social network in that way.

“It’s really cool to expand your social network in that way. ”

You mentioned volunteering is great for a CV - have you utilized career resources?

I attended Career Day at the end of my first semester. While it’s not highly relevant for us yet—since we don’t start internships until the last semester—I think it’s an advantage to explore these opportunities early. I like to take part in events offered by the school, as I believe there’s no harm in taking advantage of what’s available.

I believe meeting companies face-to-face has more impact than sending a virtual application. Attending Career Day also gave me insight into what direction I’d like to take for my internship. I’m already considering an internship at an agency since it allows you to work with many different types of assignments and businesses. Even though it’s not my ultimate career goal, it’s a great way to try out various things. I like keeping my options open until I’ve explored them further.

Do you have any advice for other students?

I think it’s a great idea to take advantage of everything you’re offered, both from the school and the campus. You have nothing to lose by participating. Especially anything that can give you a taste of what your future career might offer you. Even if you already have an idea of what you want to do, it can still be beneficial to get inspired by others. Because you might discover that you find something else exciting.

An example could be a lecturer who invited one of the E-commerce lecturers to give a presentation. Initially, I thought that wasn’t the direction for me at all—it felt too narrow and just not my thing—but the way he presented it was incredibly engaging. Now, it’s actually one of the options I’m considering.

As long as you’re still in the education process, you should take advantage of all the opportunities offered because you might be able to use some of it in the future.

“Take advantage of everything you’re offered, both from the school and the campus”