Unser Team

Our Team in Kleve

Our Team in Kamp-Lintfort

• Ana Maria Rivas Sandoval
• Belinda Boateng 
• Aqilah Isham 
• Michalina Bialek 
• Alisha Omondi 
• Adina Musrepova 
• Maria Alejandra Romero Sanclemente
• Ludwig Leyna
• Viet Phuong Tran
• Roman Pistun
• Julia Geiger
• Karim Abou-Dargham
• Mariana Yurrita del Cid
• Noah Windhövel

• Leen Hito
• Amarda Rexhepi 

Ana Maria Rivas Sandoval

Hello everyone! My name is Ana, I come from Colombia and I am a student of International Business Management. Throughout the years working at the university I have been able to gather lots of experience in order to help students with the different struggles that come when stuying abroad. This is why I am very happy to be able to help any of you who is finding their way in Germany and/or in our university, and try to make it a smooth and enjoyable experience to be remembered. 

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Belinda Antwiwaa Boateng 

Hello everyone, my name is Belinda Antwiwaa Boateng. I was born in Ghana and moved to Germany some years ago. I live in Hamburg and studying International Relations here in Kleve. I am very friendly and consider myself as a social person. I love having fun in my own ways and like to do things that will make me happy. I speak English, German and other Ghanaian languages like Twi and Ga. I am open to learn other languages as well.

As a migrant, I understand how it feels to be stranded in a different country and not knowing what to do and that is why I choose to work at the Welcome Centre so I can be of help to my fellow students. Working at the welcome centre is a great opportunity for me to get to know the diversity of our University and the different cultural background of the students.
I am willing to help and support all students in the best way I can. If you are going through any difficulties and challenges and you want someone to talk to kindly contact us and we will help you find solutions. We are here for you and to make your life in Germany a smooth one.

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Aqilah Isham 

Hey besties! My name is Aqilah and I am in my 4th semester of Sustainable Agriculture. I was born in Malaysia and was raised in Brunei, Netherlands, and Qatar, so I guess you could call me Mrs. Worldwide. I moved to Germany back in 2018 and somehow, I’m still here. I speak English, German, and Malay (but with a raging American accent). In an alternate universe, I’d like to think I’m fluent in Spanish, but one can only dream.

During my first semester, I was incredibly motivated to join the Welcome Centre as they were the team that I immediately encountered during Freshers' Week. As a struggling student myself, I completely understand what it feels like to be overwhelmed with visa inquiries, German documents, and the adapting process in a new city. This is where we, the Welcome Centre team, chime in! It brings me much joy to help, guide and support students through their inquiries and as a bonus, make a couple of friends along the way.

I look forward to meeting you in the office and talking up a storm!

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Michalina Bialek 

Hi there! My name is Michalina and I am studying Sustainable Agriculture here in Kleve. I come from Poland. I've only been living in Germany for a few of years, so my German skills are still a work in progress. It's definitely been a challenge, but I'm determined to keep learning and improving so that I can better connect with the people and culture around me.

I am fluent in Polish and advanced in English, and I'm always looking for opportunities to use my language skills. I really enjoy being able to help people, whether it is through volunteering, tutoring, or simply having conversations with people, I find joy in being able to connect with others and lend a helping hand whenever possible. This is why being a part of the Welcome Centre team is so special to me.

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Alisha Omondi 

Hallo everyone I'm Alisha Awino Omondi. I was born in Kenya but moved to Germany right before my 16th birthday. I lived in Bremen but I moved to Kleve for my Studies. I believe I am a very social person, I love to help people out that makes me and them happy in the end. I speak, Luo, Swahili, English, German fluently and currently learning Spanish. I'm studying Gender and Diversity and I'm definitely enjoying it.

Migrating and settling in a foreign country that speak a different language was not easy and I joined Welcome Center to offer tips and lessons I have had to learn in the past years living and going to school here in Germany. Feel free to connect and contact me incase of any questions, I will be glad to help.

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Adina Musrepova

Hey everybody! My name is Adina and I’m from the heart of Kazakhstan, Almaty. I’m studying my Master in Sustainable Development Management. Being a Master degree student gives me a chance to help people struggling with getting into the university lifestyle using my (in granny’s voice) years of experience. I adore helping others hence why I chose the study program that builds on helping those that need it the most. I speak English, German, Russian, and Kazakh and I’m always trying to learn more about other people’s languages and cultures.

I did my bachelor's at the Kazakh-German university so studying in Germany has always been a dream of mine. For years I’ve been researching everything connected to being an international student in Germany so now I want to share this knowledge and help others on their journey. As an immigrant, it’s always hard to adapt to a new place. You have to make a completely foreign place your new home. So if you are struggling with that I understand you, I chose to be a tutor exactly because I know what it feels like and if I can help at least one person, it was all worth it.

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Maria Alejandra Romero Sanclemente 

Hi everyone :) 

My name is Maria Alejandra Romero Sanclemente but most in HSRW know me as Mariale. I was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, and speak Spanish, German, and English fluently. I moved to Germany already 4.5 years ago for my studies, being now in my 8th semester of the B.A. International Relations, and have a deep interest in helping students of our community to thrive.  To do so, I have gotten involved in many areas of our university. I have 1+ years of experience in our Welcome Centre and StuPa, and over 1.5 years of experience in the FSR S&E. 

I am very acquainted with the struggles of moving to a new place, intercultural exchanges, and adaptation as I have done an exchange program in high school, my Erasmus in Poland, and overall moved to a new continent for my Bachelor's degree. It can be challenging to find the right guidance points or straightforward information at the beginning, and the process can feel lonely and difficult. I would be happy to use my gained experience and knowledge to hopefully assist others and be an active part of positive change that empowers others, granting them the right tools to face potential challenges. 

All of us, tutors of the Welcome Centre, look forward to meeting you and assisting you in any way we can. Feel free to come by our office, email us, call us, or join one of the many events we organize for you. 

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Ludwig Leyna

Hello everyone, My name is Ludwig Leyna, a Mechatronics Systems Engineering student. I come from Tanzania (a very beautiful country in East Africa). I speak Swahili, English, and a little bit of German. I moved to Germany in 2021, this was my first time outside of my country (Tanzania) and it wasn’t easy to cope with everything (new culture, new language, new systems, new weather, etc.), at some point everything was overwhelming. It's a good thing that the Welcome Centre was there for me!

Being in Germany for some time has enabled me to understand the struggles and challenges faced by most international students and also native students, hence I am very glad to be part of the Welcome Centre since I will be able to directly assist students whenever they need help. Feel free to reach out to us, we are here for you! 

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Viet Phuong Tran

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Hey there! 
I’m Phuong, an International Relations major, and a fellow international student. I know firsthand how juggling visa issues, finding housing, insurance, etc and classes can feel overwhelming in a new country! That’s why I love working at the Welcome Center – we’re here to help make your transition smoother. I've been part of this team since my second semester and have learned a ton. I speak Vietnamese, English, and German, I can also understand a bit of Korean from my semester abroad! I cannot wait to share the tips and support that have made my journey easier with you. 

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Roman Pistun 

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Hello hello everyone! 
I'm Roman, coming from a small Eastern European country and currently studying Mechanical Engineering. I'm passionate about modelling and simulation, as well as investing and finance, and I co-run a Student Investment Club. 😉
I love sports, especially cycling, and enjoy playing board games with friends. Speaking five languages helps me connect with people from different backgrounds.
I plan to stay long-term in Germany but love travelling to explore new places.🚵 I'm always eager to learn and grow, both academically and personally. 🧙‍♂️If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out. I'm here to help and look forward to connecting with you! 🌍

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Julia Geiger

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Hey guys, my name is Julia. Currently, I'm in my second semester of International Relations. Even though I was born and raised in Germany, I grew up more with the Eastern European culture of my parents. Therefore, I speak English, German, French, and also some Russian and Croatian. I adore supporting students because I know what it's like to have questions and to look for help - I was a lost newbie myself last year :).

I've moved around quite a bit and been exposed to various cultures, so I understand the feeling of being new in town and feeling overwhelmed by the range of cultural differences. Whether it's helping you with a translation, finding accommodation, giving advice, or just having a small talk, I'm here to help and share my experiences.
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Karim Abou-Dargham

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Noah Windhövel

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Hello everyone! My name is Noah Windhövel and as you can tell from my last name, I‘m from Germany. I grew up in Bonn but wanted to study in a smaller city and currently, I am doing my bachelors in Sustainable Agriculture. I speak German and English fluently and was able to speak French once (but that has suffered severely over the years).

Having surrounded myself with international friends in Kleve, I can see the difficulties that my friends had to go through concerning bureaucratic matters. I know first hand how difficult the German bureaucracy can be to deal with, so I’m eager to help out international students. I look forward to seeing you in future Welcome Center events!

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Mariana Yurrita del Cid

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Leen Hito 

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Amarda Rexhepi 

Hello everyone! My name is Amarda Rexhepi and I am from Albania. A few years back, I decided to pursue my studies abroad and relocated to Germany. Currently, I am enrolled in Infotronic Systems Engineering at HSRW's Kamp-Lintfort campus. In terms of my personality, I consider myself an outgoing and friendly person.
I can speak English, German and Italian and I also can understand some Spanish.
As an international student myself, I can understand the challenges we have to face and how overwhelming it can become. This is one of the reasons that I decided to join the Welcome Center team, to help students and to support them in the difficulties they will face in this journey.
Looking forward to seeing you in the office!

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