Serhat Yildirim (27), studies at Harvard University
Serhat Yildirim, like Elisabeth later, is studying at Harvard, the elite university in Boston, Massachusetts. That’s where the comparison ends. He grew up in Nevele, the son of illiterate Kurdish immigrants. She is the daughter of the Belgian king. “But just because you are crown princess doesn’t mean they just open the door here. To get here, you have to pass tough selection tests.” Serhat did that, and so after studying medicine in Ghent he was able to start the two-year Global Health Delivery program at Harvard Medical School. “That study is focused on practice: how do you organize healthcare in difficult settings around the world?”
“At Belgian universities, the professor teaches, the student reproduces the learning material and takes exams. Things are different here. We work as a community. We discuss a topic with professors and students and learn in this way. And it is enriching how international it is here. A fellow student is a professional from Thailand. There are human rights lawyers and doctors. I am one of the youngest, the oldest student is 55.”
“The privilege of being able to study here is not so much in the name of the university, but in the environment in which you find yourself. The approach is less hierarchical, the buildings are in top condition. I’m in a classroom with 25 screens around me. Networking is really a thing here. This place opens doors. And this is where I learned the principle of ‘FOMO’. Fear of missing out, the fear of missing out. There is so much to do here. I like going to lectures. The former Prime Minister of the Palestinian state was here recently. Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law was here. At the Kennedy School, where Elisabeth will study, there will be one interesting speaker after another.”
Serhat Yildirim — © if
“It’s my Harvard tip to the princess: go for it, but also give yourself some breathing space. Discover, explore, and enjoy. Because the opportunities you get here, the encounters you can have with students and professors, are unique and endless.”
Louise Willocx (28), studied at Yale University
Louise Willocx from Dendermonde studied law and philosophy at KU Leuven and then went to Yale, that other university in the Ivy League, the circle of top American universities, for a master’s degree in law. “I had written to them all. Quite stressful. You have to write motivation letters, make research proposals and collect recommendations from professors. Then you have to raise funds: the second major stressor. I am lucky to have been awarded some major grants. And studying at Yale has already given me a lot in my career. I was able to do an internship at the law firm where I now work: Doughty Street Chambers, an important human rights firm where Amal Clooney also works. (human rights lawyer and wife of actor George Clooney, ed.) associated with it.”
But an elite university is not just a stepping stone, says Louise. “Above all, it is an incredible environment to be immersed in. Princess Elisabeth is 22. I was the same age when I was at Yale. It is an age when you want to move forward. You aim for incredible things in the future. But my advice to her would be: don’t think too much about that future. Live in the moment. Have fun. Once you’re there, the rest will work out. Especially for her.”
Louise Willocx — © if
Hanne Borstlap (23), studied at Princeton University
Hanne Borstlap from Wilrijk is a pole vaulter. A top athlete. She is the sister of Dries and Kaat Borstlap, the top performers in ‘Camp Waes‘ made jaws drop. She is also and above all an excellent student. After her secondary education at the top sports school in Ghent, she was immediately able to go to Princeton. “It’s the slightly less well-known version of Harvard. But we say: Princeton is better. There is healthy competition, especially in athletics. My freshman year, I showed up for the Ivy League Championships at Harvard. There were Barack Obama’s daughters watching the game.”
Hanne is now pursuing a PhD in environmental sciences at the University of Virginia. She graduated from Princeton two years ago with a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering. “Only two percent of those who apply get into Princeton. Fortunately, sports are extremely important at American universities. That’s how I got in. I loved it. Everyone lives there on campus, it was one big bubble. And extremely chic. Princeton has a lot of money, which they also spend on beautiful buildings.”
“At the same time, the studies are extremely difficult. It is the elite of the elite who get in there. Not necessarily in terms of money, but in terms of performance. Everyone there is extremely smart. The pressure to perform is very high, everyone wants to be the best. Initially it was an adjustment. You have to be able to deal with it. I loved it. The classes are always with ten students or less. The libraries are open 24 hours a day, so you can really study there at any time of the day.”
“The opportunities you get at these universities are enormous. They offer so much. I did an internship in San Diego. Twelve weeks on a boat, diving in the sea and living in Bermuda, for scientific research. Everything offered by the university. I would say to Princess Elisabeth: enjoy all those opportunities. From contacts with all those interesting people. but don’t panic. Don’t be intimidated because everyone around you is such a hottie. Everyone who starts there is great at something. Don’t compare too much. Just enjoy what you can learn from all of them.”
Hanne Borstlap — © if
