The RUAS Excel Yourself Scholarship 2020 has been awarded to WdKA Product Design and RASL minor Re-imagining Tomorrow Through Arts & Sciences graduate Maaike van Papeveld.
Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences rewards special future plans of Honors' students with the Overtref Jezelf Beurs (Excel Yourself Scholarship). With this 5,000 euros scholarship, the graduate gets a better opportunity to make an ambitious kick-off of the career. This scholarship finances one project with which the graduate plans to further develop in the desired direction. The project can be anything: from an investigation, the implementation of knowledge gained from research, an individual training course or any different form of personal development.
A Different Approach to Design Issues
Maaike van Papeveld won the Overtref Jezelf Beurs for coming up with a different approach to design issues. She calls this approach working as a 'Reflective Practitioner'. A designer reflects on society, the environment and his own way of working and is, therefore, able to work together with the necessary disciplines. Maaike thinks that this approach can initially be applied to the design stoves of the Willem de Kooning Academy. At a later stage, it may also be used elsewhere. Maaike: "I developed this idea on my own from my bedroom during Corona times and I can now get to further develop it, I am really looking forward to this new challenge". View Maaike's graduation project, also nominated for Drempelprijs Commercial Practices 2020.
Maaike van Papeveld:
"Throughout my time at WdKA, I have been experimenting with different ways to address Wicked Problems through design. But as I grew more and more sceptical about the effectiveness of my work, I decided to take a step backwards and search for more effective approaches. By doing so I stumbled upon my passion: exploring new design methodologies that might contribute to a better future."
Phototography Danny Bok
