European Summit & Talent Weekend
Each year, students from across the European campuses of Webster gather for a weekend of activities, including a student leaders’ summit, an intercampus football (soccer) tournament and the European finals of “Webster’s Got Talent”. Student Affairs in Geneva, led by Kristina Shimkus, were hosts for 2019, and welcomed about 50 student leaders and participants from Webster’s Leiden and Vienna campuses.
Student Government Summit & Welcome BBQ
The weekend began on Friday with an EU Summit for the Student Government Association
leadership of the three campuses. Student-led presentations kicked off discussions
to promote best practices for enhancing campus life, student development and engagement
on campus. The Summit was followed by a welcome barbeque, with about 120 total students
in attendance.
Football (Soccer) Tourament
On Saturday, annual traditions continued with a football/soccer tournament which included
an inaugural womens’ team competition—and the Webster Leiden team took home the first
annual womens’ trophy. Teams from all three campuses competed in both mens’ divisions
(some campuses sending two teams), with Webster University Geneva’s “A” Team seizing
the championship for the men.
Webster’s Got Talent: EU Finals!
The weekend ended with Saturday night’s main event, the “Webster’s Got Talent” competition,
for which each campus sent its top two acts from its own, internal campus competition.
Parents, alumni, faculty and staff joined in attendance, to celebrate the occasion.
Performances ranged from music acts (singles and duos, original and cover songs, from
ballads to rap) to slam poetry to dance, with the winner selected by a panel of three
guest judges, and the winner was a jaw-dropping (time traveling!) magic act that kept
the whole audience in suspense. Webster University Geneva student volunteers organized
the logistics, managed the staging and emceed the evening, which was livestreamed on facebook. Emcees Aya Ayouche and Mehdi Hyjazi delighted the crowd between acts. A special
performance by one of our guest judges--Webster University Geneva alumna Shana Pearson,
just back from a 19-concert tour in Asia—included a soon-to-be-released original and
a cover song by Sam Smith that had everyone singing.
ALL EYES ON THE PRIZE(S)!
Webster University Geneva congratulates winners of the weekend:
Women’s Football Best Player:
Alyson Egizio (representing Vienna campus) Women’s Best Goalie:
Abbey Mercer (representing Leiden campus)
Men’s Football Best Player: Daniel Safonov (Geneva A team) – who insisted to share the Best Player award with
Valentyn Trehub (Webster Vienna)
Men’s Best Goalie: Eric Roche (Geneva A team)
WOMEN’S TEAM TROPHY: Leiden team
MEN’S TEAM TROPHY: Geneva A team
And our 2019 European WGT Final champion: Alexandros Asimakopoulos (Magic)
Webster University Geneva extends special thanks to: SGA Geneva - Maya Roncevic and
Aya Ayouche for hosting the SGA Summit and SGA Vienna and SGA Leiden for participating
Faisal Albulaihid, Alex Asimakolopulos and Mo Nassier for organizing the SGA kick-off
BBQ Colleagues Christine Benninger from Leiden and Tuende Tarnoczy from Vienna for
their participation Estelle Besnainou for organizing WGT Europe, Tim Young for media
support, Jose Lima for logistic support, Shana Pearson, Jonny Sender and Shauna McCarthy
for serving as judges at the event and WebsterLEADS students for their help throughout
the weekend, Zain Abbas and Caitlyn Fish for photos, all the soccer players - Leiden
and Geneva girls teams, Vienna two boys teams, Leiden boys team and Geneva two boys
teams!
Lots more photos from the weekend can be found on the Webster Geneva Facebook Page.