This year the CIDD gave out a total of five scholarships to exceptional double degree students and Lina received first prize. Lina is completing her double degree in business in Germany at Hochschule Reutlingen and in Finland at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences.
To learn more about the double degree experience, read Lina’s Double Degree story below and don’t forget to watch her double degree video as well.
“This Double Degree has turned opportunities into concrete action, strangers into friends and networking conversations into job offers. I am very grateful I was able to do the Double Degree; it has been an extremely rewarding adventure.”
Lina’s background
I grew up trilingual, speaking German with my father, Finnish with my mother and English everywhere else as we lived in California. I lived in California for 5 years as a kid and spent a high school year in Texas and California when I was 15. I have been traveling the world all my life, mostly in North America and Europe.
Currently, I am working as a summer trainee at Outotec in Finland. I am in the Spare Parts Sales Support team, supporting the market areas in North America with their quotes and sales orders.
What motivated you to apply for a Double Degree?
At first, it was just a fun idea in my head, nothing I was actually considering for real. After thinking about it for some time, I grew more and more fond of the idea and really wanted to do it.
I had always had a connection to Finland, but had never actually lived there. The double degree was the perfect opportunity to experience the life in Finland. All of my stays abroad had proved themselves to be amazing and that is why I applied for the Double Degree.
What has your Double Degree experience been like?
In this past year, I have met awesome people, experienced a completely different teaching style, visited multiple business events and workshops, traveled the Baltics and Scandinavia and learned a whole lot about the Finnish culture and people.
This double degree has turned opportunities into concrete action, strangers into friends and networking conversations into job offers. I am very grateful I was able to do the Double Degree; it has been an extremely rewarding adventure.
Top three benefits of doing a double degree from your perspective
- International Experience, learning about new cultures
- Learning and growing personally and professionally
- It’s so much FUN – travelling, meeting new people, multiple events
What’s next?
If possible, I want to go to South America for three months next year to volunteer for an environmental organization. This way, I would improve my Spanish and work for a cause I truly care about. After that, I will look for a full-time job. In the long term, I would love to come back to Finland and live here permanently.