Two-Way Inspiration: Third Group Of Reinhard Mohn Fellows Is Gütersloh-Bound

All five of them have done amazing things at a very tender age, have set up organizations and launched initiatives with the overriding goal of helping other people. They make a contribution to society – their own or that of a different country – in their own creative, committed and determined ways. Now Dannis Fafard from Canada, Marvin Fernandes from India, Kevin Edward Long and Jasmine Taylor from the U.S. and Christian Rickerts – the first Reinhard Mohn Fellow from Germany – will enjoy one-of-a-kind support from Bertelsmann in their endeavors: Starting in May 2006, they will spend a year collecting entrepreneurial expertise in the media company’s various divisions as members of the third Reinhard Mohn Fellowship program. Later, they will be able to use this experience in their own project and put it at society’s service. At the end of a five-day selection conference at the Grand Hyatt in Berlin, a panel consisting of three noted judges announced its decision on Thursday afternoon.

“I am absolutely impressed by the quality of all the candidates and their projects,” declared “National Geographic Germany” Editor-in-chief Klaus Liedtke, who chaired the panel of judges. Addressing the candidates, he added: “I am especially impressed with the kind of enthusiasm and personal commitment you bring to serving society. Now five of you will be given the unique opportunity to gather experience at Bertelsmann – experience that you will later be able to use for yourself and your initiative.” The other judges were Professor Johanna Mair ( IESE Business School ) and Professor Ernst Buschor (Vice President ETH, Swiss Federate Institute of Technology), assisted by Bertelsmann’s HR Chief Detlef Hunsdiek and the RMF Program Director, Anette Bickmeyer.

“Our understanding of Corporate Social Responsibility is reflected among other things in the Reinhard Mohn Fellowship program,” Bertelsmann Chairman & CEO Gunter Thielen had declared during a shared dinner with the twelve candidates and Liz Mohn the night before. Reinhard Mohn has codified his idea of entrepreneurial leadership through partnership in Bertelsmann’s unique corporate culture. “We believe that this corporate culture and the entrepreneurial spirit that it is based on are important cornerstones of our success,” said Thielen. Sharing this experience with people who are working to make the world a better place is a fundamental goal of the Reinhard Mohn Fellowship program, which was given by Bertelsmann AG to its postwar founder on his 80th birthday. “Our hope is that you will be inspired by what you learn at Bertelsmann,” Thielen said in closing.

Twenty-six candidates for the fellowship had arrived in Berlin from all over the world on Sunday, Nov 27 to meet with twelve experienced executives from Bertelsmann’s various divisions during the three following days and present themselves and their projects in presentations and group discussions. “Approximately 150 applicants had submitted their information to us by the beginning of August,” reports Anette Bickmeyer, the Project Director. “Our team screened them all carefully and selected 70 candidates who were invited for a phone interview in September.” In the end, 27 applicants were invited to the several-day selection conference in Berlin . Twelve finalists were given the chance to present their projects again on Dec 1– Decision Day– this time to the panel of judges headed by Klaus Liedtke. The projects’ current and future contribution to society was assessed, along with the benefit that the participant would potentially be able to draw from the Reinhard Mohn Fellowship experience.

Dannis Fafard, for instance, is the founder of the “Godisa Technologies Trust” in Botswana, Africa. To date, it has made inexpensive hearing aids available to more than 10,000 needy people with impaired hearing. Meanwhile, Marvin Fernandes lifted old Indian myths from obscurity and brought them into the modern world of TV to preserve this cultural heritage, among other things as cartoons for the country’s youngest viewers. A project set up by Kevin Edward Long teaches sign language to deaf students in developing countries and helps them find a new perspective for their future. Christian Rickerts’ “Studenten helfen Leben” foundation supports children and teens in Southeast Europe , through funds generated by German children and teens volunteering for a day. The “Community Harvest Foundation” in America co-founded by Jasmine Taylor reaches out to children from socially disadvantaged urban districts to help ensure that their background doesn’t determine their future. But the projects were just one aspect under scrutiny. The candidates themselves were also called on to win over the judges with their personality: their leadership qualities, management skills, team spirit and entrepreneurship.