Freedom Team Interview
Freedom Team Interview: Katharina Steegmans in Focus
Meet Katharina Steegmans, a Berlin native with a passion for exploring the world.
After more than three months of working as an intern at the FNF East and Southeast Europe office in Sofia, Bulgaria. Kate bids farewell to her colleagues. Her time there was incredibly rewarding, and she's grateful for the experience and knowledge she gained. With her departure, isn´t it urgently necessary for an introduction, or rather an afterword?
What means being liberal to you?
When asked about what being liberal means to her, Katharina passionately advocates for democracy and freedom. For her, being liberal means standing up against discrimination, oppression, and injustice, and promoting policies and ideas that respect and protect human rights, diversity, and inclusion. She believes that liberal values are essential for creating a just, peaceful, and prosperous society, where everyone has the chance to succeed and thrive.
What brought you to us?
Katharina's thirst for knowledge led her to pursue her interest in film, and she even enrolled in a one-year film program at the European Film College in Denmark. Eventually, she decided to delve into the exciting world of Communications and Marketing and enrolled in Marketing Management at Copenhagen Business Academy. As part of her course requirements, she eagerly sought out an opportunity to complete a mandatory internship, which brought her to FNF.
What is your attitude towards living abroad for your internship?
Katharina's fascination with living abroad began in high school and led her to participate in various exchange programs across different countries like England, Scotland, and the United States. Studying in Copenhagen, Katharina is definitely used to living abroad. During her latest adventure it finally brought her to Eastern Europe, Bulgaria after the first culture shock wore down she was more than impressed with Sofias friendly citizens and extraordinary cuisine.
What did you appreciate the most about your internship at the FNF?
When asked about her experience at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, Katharina Steegmans expressed her appreciation for the positive aspects of her internship. She felt privileged to have worked alongside experienced and inspiring colleagues who provided guidance and support throughout her time there. The welcoming and supportive environment created by her colleagues made her feel valued and appreciated, and she was able to learn at least three new things every day from them in various fields.
Furthermore she appreciated working most of the time independently. Made her feel like a respected employee with responsibilities whose work matters and not just the strenuous intern.
Katharina found the different projects did not only provide daily task alterations but in addition to be highly interesting and thought provoking. Among these projects, the one that inspired her the most was the Liberal Communications Network (LCN): empowers liberal communicators worldwide to take part in its annual sessions to learn and adapt cutting-edge communications strategies, innovation, and marketing trends for the mission-driven sector. As part of her work, she reviewed old sessions and learned from the best about Advertising and Marketing strategies, and wrote articles summarizing the most important content. Writing about these lessons not only took away her fear of writing articles but also changed her views on Marketing practices that she can incorporate into her future career.
Katharina's film education and work experience in the industry over the past years proved to be a useful skill in her work in the communications sector. As the FNF outsources designers and film crews for their events, effective communication is key to achieving the best possible outcome. Katharina was able to integrate more and more with the designers and finalize film projects, which she loved doing the most.
Future plans?
Now that Katharina is moving on to the next chapter of her life, she'll be heading to London, England, to continue her studies. She's excited about what the future holds and looks forward to all the amazing experiences and opportunities that come her way.
Any last words?
Finally, Katharina expresses her heartfelt gratitude to everyone at FNF for the warm welcome and for making her time there unforgettable. She thanks them for the memories, the lessons, and the fun times, and wishes them all the best in their future endeavor!
