Post by Marijke Baumann

After more than 20 wonderful years at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, I recently said goodbye! It’s still hard to believe - including my student days, I’ve spent nearly half my life on the Erasmus University campus! 🤩 Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to do so many different things: managing the Corporate Reputation Review, doing research and consultancy with the legendary Cees Van Riel, and traveling the world with my amazing roomie Patricia Feelders-Heijndijk. From Beijing to Miami to New Orleans! Along the way, I met so many inspiring people, including my dear friend Yijing Wang Nearly eight years ago, I was given the incredible opportunity by RSM to step into Cees’s shoes and lead the Corporate Communication Centre. For that trust, I’m super grateful. I could never have done it without Susanna Marco and Ahong Gu 谷国凤 by my side. From day one, we formed a tight team - rebuilding the programme, guiding it through the pandemic, and keeping our standards high. Susanna, with your precision, dedication, and fierce care for every detail - you helped shape the quality and professionalism we’re known for. And Ahong, your stability, warmth, and encyclopedic knowledge of everything (from IT to life advice 😉) made you the heart of the team. Together, we celebrated big wins - including two consecutive years as top master in the Netherlands - but also supported each other through life’s ups and downs. I couldn’t have wished for better colleagues!!❤️ In recent years, I’ve also had the joy of working closely with Olivia Xinyuan Zhang and Merve Eser Tokdemir, who brought new energy and spirit to the team. What a Star Alliance we became together! And I have to mention the brilliant Viktoria Halasi - a former colleague who made a lasting impact! And of course Heidi van der Ham-Hartman, Guido Berens and Joke van Oost who were always there to support us with their insights, encouragement, and calm presence. So grateful for your contributions throughout the years! A big thank you also to our brilliant faculty, who made the programme shine year after year. I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with so many inspiring minds - including Paul Argenti, Michael Etter, Oriol Iglesias, Nicholas Ind, Carola Hillenbrand, Mark Lee Hunter, Florian Madertoner, Rita Men, Sonia Ruiz, Prof. Dr. Ansgar Zerfass — and of course Joep Cornelissen, who stood alongside me as academic director and was a trusted counterpart throughout this journey. And a big thank you to all our students and alumni!! Whether we met in a masterclass, during the Summer Course, on a study trip to New York or Barcelona, or over an informal dinner - your curiosity, feedback, and enthusiasm made my work deeply rewarding. It’s been a privilege to learn and grow with you!! Now it’s time for something new. I don’t know yet where the road will lead, but I trust the unknown and am excited for what lies ahead! 🌟 🚀 PS Sharing a few highlights, though I could have posted hundreds!