Klara Richardt always had an interest in world cultures. “My hometown had so much diversity,” says Richardt. While she was growing up in Kiel, Germany, she met lots of first and second-generation Germans with Turkish, Syrian, Egyptian, and Polish backgrounds. "So I grew up with many different cultures since elementary and middle school," she says.
In addition, beginning when she was five years old, she sailed in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea reaching the shores of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. These sailing trips offered her even more opportunities to meet people with cultures far different from her own.
While on these trips, conversing with those who had different backgrounds was exciting to her. These experiences helped her develop a sense of cultural awareness because she was surrounded by diverse social interactions. Richardt grew comfortable traveling and learning to adapt in different environments.
After Richardt graduated from high school she took a gap year. One day she just decided to book a one-way ticket to Chile where she had the opportunity to participate in an agricultural internship. “Such a beautiful place,” says Richardt. She stayed in Chile for three months and then continued traveling and working in other countries in Latin and Central America such as Brazil, Panama, and Mexico. This spontaneous decision still has an impact on her even to this day.
The Cultural Entrepreneurship Dual-Degree
Richardt, who is a sophomore, is one of the UMD students studying cultural entrepreneurship. Aparna Katre an associate professor and program director serves as one of her mentors. Through a special agreement, Richardt will receive an interdisciplinary B.A. in International Cultural and Business Studies from the University of Passau and a B.A. in Cultural Entrepreneurship from UMD.
“Dr. Aparna Katre and Dr. Olaf Kuhlke have been incredibly helpful,” Richardt said. Katre and Kuhlke helped her with adjusting to the courses at UMD as soon as she got here and they are also the instructors for her course work.
Richardt is one of the first students to join the UMD cultural entrepreneurship dual-degree program. She is the pilot project to check the practical compatibility of the two B.A. programs in Passau and Duluth. “It’s an unparalleled opportunity,” says Katre. The "One-of-a-kind" major has potential because the business world is changing.
“The creative economy is a growing industry in need of diverse talents,” says Katre. “Cultural industries provide an exciting field of employment in creative startups, event management, cultural and agra-tourism, marketing, and citizen diplomacy-- just to name a few.”
Why UMD
Richardt chose to study international cultural and business studies because from a young age she really liked the sales and public relations from seeing her mom work in print media, sales, and marketing. Thus, the cultural entrepreneurship B.A. at UMD seemed like the perfect option.
Studying abroad offered another benefit to Richardt. She excels with academics under the U.S. model. ”In Germany, our whole school career is based on one important exam,” she says. It’s especially tough for Richardt because she has a hard time focusing during exams. On the other hand, projects show off her potential as a student. “I always try my best on homework; quality for me means a lot,” says Richardt.
Looking glass into the Future
Coming to UMD, Richardt felt welcomed with open arms. She shares that in Germany everyone lives off campus and “you would never see people sharing rooms,” she says. Although it’s different, Richardt has been settling in well and expressed that her roommates are great.
Richardt has been in Minnesota now for two months and has been enjoying her time here. Aside from school and classes, she loves hiking. "I've already been on two hikes," she says.
Richardt is still thinking about the different fields she can further dive into such as her interest in public relations, international sales and marketing, or even one day becoming a diplomat. Richardt is passionate in social justice and would also consider working for non-profit organizations (NGO). The options are unlimited.
About the UMD Cultural Entreprenuership program
This story was written by UMD student Eva Moua, who is majoring in communication. Eva works with Cheryl Reitan in University Marketing and Public Relations.