Sebastian Schmid Receives WHU Foundation d’Esterpreis

The traditional festive New Year’s Dinner, held by the WHU Foundation at the Industrie-Club in Düsseldorf on January 23, 2024, celebrated the latest recipient of the d’Esterpreis [d’Ester Award]. This year, the award, which honors the outstanding commitment of students enrolled in a bachelors- or masters-level program at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, went to Sebastian Schmid (BSc 2023). With his technical expertise, hard work, and dedication, Schmid, the Head of Event Engineering, set the stage of the success of a number of events held on WHU’s campus in Vallendar, including the Campus for Finance, Idea Lab! – WHU Founders’ Conference 2023, WHU Euromasters, and forumWHU. Dr. Toni Calabretti, Chairman of the WHU Foundation, bestowed Schmid with the award in the form of a glass trophy. Schmid had been selected for the honor by the student body in an anonymous vote.

The d’Esterpreis

The d’Esterpreis traces its lineage back to the d’Ester family, who, in the 18^th century, commissioned the Marienburg in Vallendar, today home to WHU. It has been said of the well-to-do family, prominent and reportedly rather hospitable to others, that they cared strongly for the well-being of the town’s residents. It is for this reason that the award, which honors students who have shown an outstanding level of commitment for the school and fellow students, bears the family’s name.