He has recently graduated and has been working at GovernEUR since the summer. Marijn Stouten (23) studied Delta Management at HZ University of Applied Sciences and went on to complete a Master’s degree in Public Administration at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Marijn wants to bridge the gap between his study field and society: “How can you harness society’s ability to solve problems? Which administrative frameworks help tackle complex problems? I want to connect science with practice so that my work has an impact on society.”
Marijn grew up in Zeeland. He discovered his interest in the interaction between man and nature at an early age. “My father works at Rijkswaterstraat. When the Maeslant storm surge barrier closed for a test closure, he took me with him. Something like that makes an impression!” His choice for Delta management did not come as a surprise. However, Marijn did not have an easy time during his high school education. “As an adolescent, I could hardly motivate myself to keep up with my homework. Halfway through my education, my parents said: ‘You’re transferring schools. Here, you don’t get enough out of school and the school doesn’t get enough out of you.’ They were right. I don’t do so well on extrinsic motivation.”
Finding Your Motivation
Marijn’s motivation changed when he went to college. He didn’t have any difficulty keeping up at college or university. “I made a choice that I fully supported and that I knew suited me. I was 21 when I obtained my Applied Sciences Degree (hbo). I found myself relatively young to start working and wanted to continue my studies.” A Master Track in Policy and Politics at ESSB followed, which Marijn successfully completed as well. Although the most common route to university is through pre-university education (vwo), Marijn proves that it can be done through higher general secondary education (havo) and higher professional education (hbo): “Once you find your motivation, you can go a long way!”
Internship at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management
At the end of his master’s, Marijn completed an internship at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW). “Rijkswaterstraat had my interest from an early age. The fact that I ended up at the Ministry through my studies was a wonderful opportunity for me which I seized with both hands. I look back on that time with great pleasure.” Marijn says that during his internship, he was able to observe how complex problems tend to require complex solutions. “There is space for a feasible solution only when you’re able to make all the concerns clear.”
Good Preparation
Marijn expresses that his education did not stop when he obtained his diploma. “In fact, I see that my knowledge has deepened in the field. I have noticed that I laid a good foundation for the future with my studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam. What I value about EUR is that it is outward-looking and makes personal connections. EUR looks beyond the campus. Not only observing society from above but standing inside it with both feet.” Marijn says that during his internship, he had a lot to gain from his internship supervisor at the Ministry of IenW, Tom Radstaak. “He reassured me. If I couldn’t find my way out of something, I gave him a call and he took the time to help me. He stimulated my eagerness to learn and said it’s good to admit when you don’t know something: ‘that makes you a better colleague’. After 2 months, my internship supervisor told me that I was performing at the level of a full-time participation advisor. That gave me a kick. At the same time, I noticed that with my fresh perspective, I could be of assistance to my colleagues at the ministry. That made me more confident. My internship was good preparation for me to enter the field as a professional.”
Connecting Delta Management and Public Administration
Marijn feels as though he can evolve at GovernEUR. “I want to continue exploring what I am good at and ways I can strengthen our team from there. With my knowledge of how participation contributes to good governance, I can lead the Netherlands further. Areas of development in Zeeland and the South of Holland still interest me. This being said, I would like to play a role in connecting the fields of delta management and public administration. At GovernEUR I can work together with my colleagues who have current knowledge in these fields, and this makes me happy in the work I do!”
Tom Radstaak
“I look back with great pleasure on the time Marijn interned with us. Marijn was a fine colleague, both personally and professionally. He contributed refreshing new insights that continue to help us today. Marijn laid the foundation for a research and knowledge agenda at the Ministry of IenW. It’s a foundation we are grateful for and continue to build upon. The great thing about university interns is that they can think academically and conduct structured research. After working at the Ministry for a while, you can get a bit stuck in the civil servants’ jargon. You are less able to think outside the box. For my colleagues and I, EUR interns are indispensable in this respect. They hold a mirror up to us. That always makes the entire experience better. I think that it’s a shame Marijn had to leave us. At the same time, I am happy for him and his new employer GovernEUR that he can apply his knowledge and skills on the same topics!”