SMD / en ñ Alumni – Andreas Rothfuss /news/intervarsity-alumni-%E2%80%93-andreas-rothfuss <div class="layout layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--33-67"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--first"> <nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="-menu" class="_none block block-menu navigation menu--about-us-menu"> <h2 class="visually-hidden" id="-menu">About Us Menu</h2> <ul class="clearfix nav" data-component-id="bootstrap_barrio:menu"> <li class="nav-item"> <a href="/about-us/what-we-believe" class="nav-link nav-link--about-us-what-we-believe" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/9386">What We Believe</a> </li> <li class="nav-item"> <a href="/about-us/our-purpose" class="nav-link nav-link--about-us-our-purpose" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/6927">Our Purpose</a> </li> <li class="nav-item"> <a href="/about-us/financial-info" title="Financial Info" class="nav-link nav-link--about-us-financial-info" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/6926">Financial Info</a> </li> <li class="nav-item"> <a href="/about-us/2022-2023-annual-report" class="nav-link nav-link--about-us-2022-2023-annual-report" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/4976">2022-2023 Annual Report</a> </li> <li class="nav-item"> <a href="/about-us/leadership" class="nav-link nav-link--about-us-leadership" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/6928">Leadership</a> </li> <li class="nav-item"> <a href="/about-us/intervarsity-and-ifes-history" class="nav-link nav-link--about-us-intervarsity-and-ifes-history" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/6925">ñ and IFES History</a> </li> <li class="nav-item"> <a href="/about-us/news" class="nav-link nav-link--about-us-news" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/6929">News</a> </li> <li class="nav-item menu-item--collapsed"> <a href="/about-us/press-room" class="nav-link nav-link--about-us-press-room" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/6931">Press Room</a> </li> <li class="nav-item"> <a href="/contact" class="nav-link nav-link--contact" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/9383">Contact Us</a> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> <div class="layout__region layout__region--second"> <div class="_none block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenewsfield-news-type"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2104" hreflang="en">News</a></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="_none block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenewsfield-author"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Gordon Govier</div> </div> </div> <div class="_none block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenewstitle"> <div class="content"> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden"><h1>ñ Alumni – Andreas Rothfuss</h1></span> </div> </div> <div class="_none block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenewsfield-square-image"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field--name-field-square-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/default/files/styles/300x169/public/news/rothsfoss.jpg?itok=DnOZJoS1" width="300" height="169" alt loading="lazy" class="image-style-_00x169"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="_none block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenewsbody"> <div class="content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>As Chancellor of the University of Tubingen, Andreas Rothfuss leads one of the top research universities in Germany. Becoming Chancellor is not the career that he planned when he came to Portland State University (<span class="caps">PSU</span>) in 1992 to work on a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.</p> <p>Andreas came to Portland to prepare for a career in business. And he was also looking for a community of Christian believers. Andreas had been a leader in a group at the University of Mannheim that was a part of <a href="http://www.ifesworld.org/country/de"><span class="caps">SMD</span></a>, the German affiliate of the <a href="http://www.ifesworld.org/">International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (<span class="caps">IFES</span>).</a></p> <p><strong>International Fellowship</strong></p> <p>Soon after his arrival in Portland, he connected with ñ Campus Staff Members Fred Wagner and Ron Riesinger, who were involved with <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/focuspdx/"><span class="caps">FOCUS</span> (Friends of Overseas Citizens and University Students)</a>, part of ñ’s <span class="caps">PSU</span> outreach to international students.</p> <p>“When you go to other countries you get to know a different culture and you ask a lot of questions,” Andreas said. “It’s very helpful to get in touch with Christians. <span class="caps">FOCUS</span> is a wonderful program; they have a great love for international students.”</p> <p>Ron met weekly with Andreas and his wife Jutte for prayer and Bible study. Every Friday afternoon international students gathered at Koinonia House on the <span class="caps">PSU</span> campus. “Andreas would bring his guitar to accompany the group of eight to ten from Japan, Ukraine, and other countries,” Ron remembered.</p> <p>Another meeting was held in the evening for internationals. “Being a grad student, Andreas carefully allocated his time, so he did not come to the International Coffee House,” Ron added. “But Jutta came, bringing freshly made German treats.”<span class="caps">FOCUS</span> also introduced Andreas and Jutte to a local family, the Kirkwoods, who hosted them in their home and shared recreational activities so that they could experience more of American culture. They still stay in touch.</p> <p><strong>International Lessons</strong></p> <p>Reflecting back on the faith lessons learned during his time at <span class="caps">PSU</span>, Andreas said, “I got more love for international students, especially for Asian people.” He hadn’t known any Asians before coming to Portland. “When we went back to Mannheim we started a host family program to help international students get in touch with families, especially Christian families.”</p> <p>As Andreas continued his studies, he shifted from business administration to education.&nbsp; His PhD work at the University of Cologne focused on the differences between the American and German education systems. “There are a lot of things we can learn from the United States,” he said. “American universities are much more market oriented.”</p> <p><strong>International Influence</strong></p> <p>After graduation Andreas took a job with a government ministry which serves students. Six years later he was chosen to be chancellor of the University of Tubingen, one of Germany’s oldest and largest universities. &nbsp;</p> <p>“I am glad to have a job where I can make an impact on education,” Andreas said. “I have a high responsibility and am in touch with a lot of different people.”&nbsp; The international students at Tubingen have a special place in his heart, although he’s not in contact with them nearly as much as he would like.</p> <p>Ron and his wife visited Andreas and Jutte and their family in 2008. “God has put him in a unique position of influence,” Ron said. “He is boldly serving Christ, being salt and light in the academy.”</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="_none block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenewsfield-news-keywords"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field--name-field-news-keywords field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News Keywords</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1177" hreflang="en">University of Tubingen</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1073" hreflang="en">SMD</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1019" hreflang="en">Portland State University</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/888" hreflang="en">IFES</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/899" hreflang="en">ñ alumni</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:45:38 +0000 gordon.govier@intervarsity.org 8691 at