Romy Roomans, Alumna MA Culture of Arts, Science and Technology (Research)

What made CAST stand out to me was its diversity and interdisciplinary nature. Our class was a vibrant mix of students from all over the world, with backgrounds ranging from Biology and Cultural Studies to Anthropology and Visual Arts. This blend of perspectives made the programme incredibly enriching.

One of my favourite courses involved analysing how public intellectuals present themselves. I ended up writing a research paper on Audre Lorde, which I had the opportunity to present at the Persona Studies conference in 2021. It was an amazing experience to explore the topic deeply and share my insights.

Of course, my biggest challenge during my studies was dealing with the impact of Covid. I started my master’s programme in September 2020, just after the first lockdown, and the subsequent two years were marked by ongoing restrictions and lockdowns. It wasn’t the most ideal situation, but we all had to adapt.

Despite the challenges, I absolutely loved my time in Maastricht. I’m still based here, working at Theater aan het Vrijthof, and I often walk past FASoS. Sometimes, I even stop by Bandito’s for a coffee, just like in the old days. My student life wasn’t typical because of the pandemic, but I managed to make the most of it. I founded a student association for vegan-minded students, which was a great way to connect with others, even if it was mostly online or one-to-one. Maastricht offers so much beyond bars and shops; I spent a lot of time enjoying the nature around Hoge Fronten and St. Pietersberg.

Now, I’m working as a Marketeer at Theater aan het Vrijthof, promoting operas, family shows, and comedy performances. My role involves managing various marketing projects, from promoting individual shows to producing the family brochure. I handle tasks like writing marketing plans, newsletters, social media posts, and even more practical tasks like ordering promotional materials and managing the marketing budget. Since this job is part-time, I also do freelance marketing and editing for other cultural institutions to supplement my income.

The skills I acquired during my bachelor’s and master’s programmes have been invaluable in my current career. Although I ultimately decided not to continue in academia, I use critical and creative thinking, analytical skills, project management, and a lot of writing and editing every day in my job. My academic background has prepared me well for roles in marketing, communications, and project management in the cultural sector.

I’m still in touch with my old professors, as I often run into them around Maastricht. My friends from the programme have all moved to exciting new places, but we keep in touch through our group chat and text messages. It’s great to maintain those connections even after we’ve all gone our separate ways.