At the beginning of October, first-semester students in the master’s program International Health & Social Management (IHSM) at MCI organized a charity dinner. This event was part of the course “Fundamentals of Management & Strategic Thinking” and was held in cooperation with Sindbad, a social enterprise that offers mentoring for young people. The evening raised over € 1,200, which was donated to Sindbad.
The students organized themselves into teams to manage menu planning, financing, marketing, entertainment, and, of course, cooking. They served a seasonal three-course menu featuring pumpkin soup, Kaspressknödel (cheese dumplings), and cheesecake. Between courses, speeches by student and Sindbad staff member Manar Qandas and Sindbad mentor Melanie Liedoll offered the guests and students fascinating insights into the organization’s work and the individual stories behind the project.
Jennifer Mandl, who served as head chef, later shared, “With around 80 guests, teamwork was everything! When we suddenly ran out of an ingredient, one teammate had to dash to the store – definitely a little thrill!” Project coordinator Olga Kricsfalusi also emphasized how crucial it was to communicate clearly and delegate tasks effectively. “Only by doing this could we flexibly tackle small challenges and stay calm.”
For Mara Winkler, responsible for marketing, securing sponsorships was the biggest challenge. “You need to approach every possible opportunity with an open mind and creativity to secure funding,” she explained. The three students agreed that the event noticeably strengthened the team spirit among the student group “It brought us closer together and built trust within the team,” Jennifer added.
Looking ahead to future events, the students advise good preparation and flexibility. “Getting familiar with the kitchen space in advance can make everything run much smoother,” said Jennifer.
Their partnership with Sindbad was especially meaningful. Olga explained, “With Sindbad, we had a partner whose work directly impacts the lives of young people.” Mara added that the shared values made the project particularly authentic.
Sindbad welcomes further support – whether through donations or new mentors. Those interested can learn more about the mentoring program at regular info sessions.
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"Managing the Public Interest" is the motto of the Social, Health & Public Management program. If you don't want to wait for things to change in our society, then be part of the change! You can find information about the program here. We are always happy to receive applications from motivated people!
The cooking team ©MCI
Speech about Sinbad by Manar Qandas ©MCI
Students in the kitchen ©MCI
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