Membership forges friends for life

Revisited 3 min Swaans Communicatie

Celebrating 95 years of St. Olof Tilburg Student Corps.

Like Tilburg University, student association St. Olof, Olof for short, is celebrating its 95th anniversary. Two generations of members compare notes: Bart (54) and Joep Wiertz (21), father and son, share their stories.

“My student days happened last century,” Bart laughs. “I studied Bedrijfseconomie (business economics) between 1989 and 1996, which today probably goes by some catchy English name. It took me 6.5 years to graduate, and today that’s pretty much unimaginable. I joined Olof and its oldest fraternity, Black and White. I’m still a member, even if I’m now one of ‘the old guard’. Joep has joined the same fraternity. That is special, because that sort of thing doesn’t happen often.”

After graduating, Bart held a variety of commercial management positions, mainly with multinationals. He no longer lives in Tilburg but does enjoy coming back to it. “Especially now that Joep is a student here, I go there more often. He lives in the same house I once did. The city has changed for the better, I think. As has campus. It’s really good to see so much has been invested.”

Thirty years on

Following in his father’s footsteps, exactly thirty years on, Joep started his Bachelor’s in International Business Administration at Tilburg University. “One of those programs with a catchy English name,” he laughs. “But he never pushed me into studying in Tilburg or joining Olof. I was raised on his stories about student life, of course, so joining a student association was an obvious step. I opted for Tilburg mostly because TiSEM is a top-rated school in the Netherlands.”

Work and play

Joep finished his Bachelor’s before the summer. “Faster than my father did, but these days that’s a no-brainer. In the new academic year, I’ll be serving as vice-president on the Olof board, the Senate, which means I’ll fully commit to the association’s day-to-day affairs for a year. Especially in relationship management, sponsoring, and external contacts, which is also a good fit with my degree program. This experience is an opportunity for me to grow. It perks up a résumé; potential employers are likely to notice candidates who did more than just pass exams. And there will of course be time to have a few beers with friends. It’s looking to be a good year and I regard it as the frosting on the cake of my student days. I’ll start my Master’s afterwards.”

Proud dad

Bart never held a board position at Olof. “I did serve on several committees, as was expected of members. Those jobs can be easily combined with academic work, but joining the Senate means something will have to give for a while. It’s not an open invitation and it comes with responsibilities: candidates have to be up for it, their standing with the membership must be solid, and they must be prepared to make time for it. I’m greatly impressed with Joep’s academic performance to date: graduating on schedule with a grade average of 8. I hope he will enjoy his term on the Senate, and I have no doubt he will learn a tremendous amount.”

Students’ attitude towards their course work has changed over the past thirty years

The added value of a student association

Joep concurs, adding that the additional experience is not a mere side order. “Students’ attitude towards their course work has changed over the past thirty years. Pressure has been stepped up. Financially, following the abolition of the basic grant, but also in terms of gaining practical experience. Today, job applicants simply disqualify themselves if they can’t show they’ve gone the extra mile. Things like internships, a professional sports career, a relevant job on the side, international experience, or active participation in a student association or a political party. At Olof, I develop my commercial skills as well as my organizational and collaborative competencies. I’m also building a substantial network and that, too, will stand me in good stead once my student days are over.”

Friends for life

Back in the day, Bart did not have to think twice about joining a student association, and he also underscores the value of engaging in extracurricular activities in the business community. “In my line of work, I read stacks of résumés, and I certainly want to see how candidates stand out. Even so, I would urge Joep, and others who read this, to not do things because they ‘look good’ on their résumés. Do the things that you truly enjoy doing. That will bring the most. For me, joining Olof and Black and White was the best possible way to meet a great many people in a short time. We experienced a crucial formative phase in life together. Membership of Olof added zest to my student days. I’ve made friends for life, and we still meet up regularly. A few years ago, for example, I joined a group of fraternity members my age on a trip to Tanzania and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.”

Do not do things because they 'look good' on your résumé

Traditions then and now

Of all student associations in Tilburg, Olof is the richest in tradition. Joep: “To me it’s all new, of course. Sometimes, visiting home, I tell stories only to find out that things are exactly like they were thirty years ago. I think that after 95 years Olof’s core values have remained intact. Traditions continue to play a vital role, even if they are less explicit. The ‘stiffness’ has gone out of it.” And to Bart, that is how it should be: “Every generation has a different outlook. Evolution is good. But it is nice to see that certain features endure.” One such tradition is the association’s anniversary, the dies. Joep: “On that occasion, we still go to Mass, in morning dress. Both the university and our association have Roman Catholic roots. That used to imbue and express a strong sense of identity, but today it’s more of a formality. The solemn church service is followed by a big party. That will likely be the same in thirty or sixty years’ time. And who knows, perhaps my father then has a grandson attending,” he laughs.

Traditions continue to play a vital role, even if they are less explicit

Jubilee celebrations are another one of these traditions: members and former members gather every five years to mark another milepost. “Just before the pandemic hit, we celebrated our fraternity’s jubilee. And this summer it’ll be Olof’s 95th anniversary,” Joep says. “That’s when current members find themselves chatting to octogenarians whose sense of pride and connectedness has remained strong. These are moments to cherish.”

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