First recipients of the Heilbronn Universities‘ Elite Sports Scholarship presented

Around 75 guests celebrated the presentation of the certificates and the admission of the student athletes to the scholarship program.

The evening was opened by Klaus Greinert, initiator, main sponsor, and, together with Sarah Seidl, managing director of the elite sports scholarship. In his speech, he expressed his delight at the latest developments in Heilbronn. The certificates were then presented to the new scholarship holders by the following representatives of the partner universities:

• Prof. Dr. Nicole Graf, Rector of DHBW Heilbronn
• Prof. Dr. Ruth Fleuchaus, Vice Rector of Heilbronn University
• Prof. Dr. Boris Alexander Kühnle, Director of the DHBW Center for Advanced Studies
• Dr. Sarah Schwab-Jung, Head ofTUM Campus Heilbronnoffice

A strong signal for dual careers (studying and top-level sport)

The first cohort consists of 18 athletes from 13 different disciplines. All of them are studying at one of Heilbronn’s four partner universities. The support is initially limited to three semesters and includes both individual organizational and financial assistance, such as tutorials to help prepare for exams and a monthly financial allowance of up to 200 euros to cover living expenses. In addition, Jan Willner, the top sports representative at Heilbronn’s universities, is available to them as a direct contact person for comprehensive organizational support during their studies. This needs-based support is intended to help them successfully balance their studies and competitive sports.

This is exactly what the three scholarship recipients from TUM Campus Heilbronn emphasize. “The scholarship is a very important and great thing. It is difficult to coordinate studying and everyday life as a competitive athlete. The scholarship provides the necessary support and contacts in this situation. Hopefully, there will be more and more cooperation with universities in the future so that all competitive athletes can pursue their goals in a good environment,” says Information Engineering student and table tennis player Ramona Betz, who competed in the European Championships last year.

Important appreciation and valuable support

The support is also very valuable for rower Felix Nack, who studies Management & Digital Technology at TUM Campus Heilbronn: “The scholarship is a great help to me in mastering the balancing act between a demanding degree program and competitive sports. The financial support allows me to concentrate even more on my training. It is also an important recognition of the great effort we put in as competitive athletes and sends a strong signal to the outside world. The insights I receive from Jan Willner and the exchange with other scholarship holders who are in a similar situation are particularly valuable to me,” says the German university champion in lightweight double sculls, who rows for the club Heilbronner Rudergesellschaft ‘Schwaben’.

Niklas Matusik, who is studying the same subject, also emphasizes the great importance of the scholarship: “I received the information about being awarded the elite sports scholarship by email. I was naturally very happy about this, as I had already been in contact with my contact person on campus and had received advice on one or two matters. The scholarship means a lot to me and allows me to combine my athletic career with my studies at TUM in an ideal way. It gives me the opportunity to develop both academically and athletically without having to make any compromises,” says the handball player, who plays for TSB Heilbronn-Horkheim in the third division.

Parallels between top-level sports and top-level research

Sarah Schwab-Jung explains the reasons for her campus’s commitment: “The TUM Campus Heilbronn supports the top-level sports scholarship because we are convinced that peak performance—whether in sports or science—requires targeted support and a strong environment. With the top-level sports scholarship, we want to help young athletes successfully combine their academic and athletic careers – without having to choose one or the other.” Top-level sports and top-level research have a lot in common: ”In both, it’s not just about performance and endurance, but also about the willingness to constantly break new ground. Like sports, research requires teamwork and the ability to take responsibility.” She encourages potential applicants: ”Take advantage of the opportunities this top-level sports scholarship offers you. Balancing your studies and competitive sports is challenging, but it shapes you and makes you responsible individuals.”

Positive conclusion and further outlook

Larissa Schilde and Sarah Seidl, both overall coordinators of the elite sports scholarship program, draw a positive conclusion: “We are very pleased with the successful start of the program in Heilbronn. The initial feedback from the athletes has been overwhelmingly positive, and we have already received expressions of interest for the next year.”

The next application period for the Heilbronn universities‘ elite sports scholarship will begin on May 15, 2025.