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.