Photo: Hang Proud
This all started when we met in the summer of 2002. We started business school, ready for yet another challenge in our lives. Since then we have had many incredible rides in this roller coaster, and -- for all parts of it -- it has been fun. There is no recession here.
In the summer of 2007 we went on a trip to our favourite city, New York, mixed with a road trip through New York State, through Connecticut, and Rhode Island to Boston. After having spent some time in Boston with a friend at Harvard, we headed back down towards Manhattan. On the high-way, we came to think of how lucky we actually were and how many people we were thankful to for making it thus far in our lives.
And that is when we decided to pay it forward. You want to make a difference, and so do we. We are not the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (which, by the way, is doing a fantastic job) -- but we are Christoffer and Bjorn. And we will do all we can to pay it forward to you. Our journey starts here. Travel with us.
For the third consecutive year, we are awarding our Scholarship. This year, the recipient is Morten Veith Schroeder, who is going to the University of Pennsylvania on exchange in the Fall of 2010. Morten is already in the United States, travelling with a few friends.
We were impressed by Morten's genuine approach to paying it forward. His teaching, as well as private tutoring, comes across as a highly impactful way of paying it forward. Morten's reflections on this, and on what this meant to him as a person truly impressed us and underlines a humble and candid approach to life.
As part of his application, Morten wrote the essay Basketball - more than just a sport -- if you read it well, it provides important lessons for life. Read it here.
As mentioned, this is the third year of our Scholarship. We are still impressed with the applications we get. Also, during these three years, this has inspired other people to start another two scholarships on their own. This is the essence of "pay it forward"
Best,
Christoffer and Bjorn
We are happy and proud to have awarded Nina Lisa Sø Johansen our 2009 Scholarship for her exchange to Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, this coming Fall.
We were impressed by Nina, who came across as a refreshingly open and honest person with an empathetic approach to life and a natural pay it forward mindset.
As part of her application, Nina wrote the essay Passion -- a tribute to her mother. Read it here.
We are also happy to see all the continued support for the Scholarship in its second year, especially by all of the applicants for the Scholarship. We hope and trust that all of you will contribute to the "pay it forward" spirit.
Best,
Christoffer and Bjorn
We are happy and proud to have awarded Rikke Krause our 2008 Scholarship for her exchange to the University of Pennsylvania in the United States this coming Fall.
We have come to learn Rikke as an outstanding person with great people skills and inherently strong passion and drive. She will do great both in the States and when she returns -- both for herself and for the people whose lives she will touch on the way.
As part of her application, Rikke wrote the essay Markets go bad -- Heinz never goes bad about her passion for Heinz tomato ketchup. Read it here.
We are also happy to see all the support for the Scholarship in its first year, especially by all of the applicants for the Scholarship. We have been impressed by what you have achieved so far. We feel certain that you will contribute positively to the people around you and hope that you will also maintain the "pay it forward" spirit that you have shown in your applications
Christoffer and Bjorn