Alumni Stories

“It’s only in hindsight that a career follows a straight line”

As the son of Limburg entrepreneurs, Rolf Driesen was destined to take over his father’s construction business. From age 14, he used to chip in during the summer holidays. After a degree in business engineering in Diepenbeek, he obtained another Master’s degree at Vlerick Business School and spent some time working abroad. All indications were that he would one day take over at the helm from his father. But things turned out quite differently. These days, Driesen is the CEO of Deloitte Belgium. 

"Helping children grow, with every exercise they do"

The Van Daele family has always taken a keen interest in education. Seppe Van Daele’s mother is a care coordinator, and his sister is a teacher, so many a kitchen-table conversation inevitably focused on how to ensure that every child is truly included. “This can be a real challenge in large, diverse groups of kids”, he says. What started as a frustration gradually morphed into an idea. And ultimately into a mission.

"What energises you also shows you the way"

As a child, Cyriel Kortleven wanted to be a clown. To make people laugh and energise them, allowing them to break away from the daily grind for a bit. These days, that is exactly what he does, albeit not with a red nose, but with insights that resonate and incite people to take action. From NASA to IKEA and Unilever, the UHasselt alumnus helps organisations around the world to understand what needs to change, but also how they can do it. An international speaker on change mindset, Kortleven delivers more than 50 keynotes each year and has already gotten teams moving in more than 40 countries.

"Football is a dream, but it also tests you, every day again."

Sari Kees has a dream job: she is a professional footballer for Leicester City F.C. The UHasselt alumna’s life is all about turf, studs and stadium lights. From the training pitch to the match day. From a recovery session to the next selection. Because in the UK, football is not just a sport; it’s a universe unto itself, where nothing is a given, except the intensity.

‘I have an unquenchable thirst for new knowledge’
‘From molecules to the patient’: that is how Sharareh Hosseinzadeh likes to summarise her career to date. At age 18, she left Iran with a suitcase full of hope and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. In Canada, she built a new life. Becoming a doctor was not an option. Instead, she found her calling in toxicology and pharmacology, namely to understand how science affects people.

“I am a designer first and foremost”

You may know him from Belgian TV programmes like Blind Gekocht, Huis Gemaakt, or from his own interior design books, inspirational pathways, and masterclasses. An architect, entrepreneur, TV personality, born storyteller and Limburger through and through. But who is the real Bart Appeltans? “In essence, I’ve always been a designer. Everything I do always starts from the same premise: giving form to an idea.”

“Always evolving. Always moving forward.“

Completing a master’s in medical physics in just one year instead of two. Writing a PhD while holding a full-time job. Ans Swinnen did it all and more. ‘When you have found your sparkle, hard work doesn’t feel like work,’ the UHasselt alumna says with a laugh. ‘And I happened to find my sparkle in radiation therapy. That’s where you see first-hand how abstract physics can really make a difference in people’s lives.’

“Dare to take the leap and plunge into start-up life.”
From engineering and ICT to public speaking tutor, skydiving instructor, and host of a podcast for young entrepreneurs, Niels Jongen’s journey is anything but illogical. In fact, he sees it as one natural movement towards impact and connection. “As a project manager, I quickly noticed how crucial communication is. How do you tell a story in such a way that you really convey your message? How do you use your voice, your posture, your timing to move people or get them on board? I’ve always found this tremendously fascinating.”

‘I create architecture for the silhouette’

Katerin Theys was always passionate about fashion. At the age of six, she already loved to sew and was fascinated by fabrics and how to cut them. While studying interior architecture at UHasselt, her passion continued to flourish, but it was only in Hong Kong, one of the world’s most creative cities, that she found her true calling. And the hand-made fabrics, refined craftsmanship and endless energy only fuelled her dreams. ‘Those beautiful jacquard fabrics were simply begging to be transformed into elegant garments,’ says the Belgian fashion designer.

‘Anyone can become a notary’

Becoming a notary without having parents who were notaries? Selina Haesevoets is living proof that it’s possible. Her mother was a child carer, her father a factory worker. Going to uni was a bit of an uphill battle. However, since 2024, the UHasselt alumnus, who has a law degree, is a notary in her own right. ‘These days, if you really want it and you work very hard, anyone can become a notary.’

'As a child, I dreamed of Africa'

A deep-seated commitment to society, passion, and the desire to make a difference as a doctor: that is what drives Kristien Brouwers and Koen De Decker. This is also what brought them to Alice Springs (Australia) 22 years ago, where they now work as GPs for First Nations communities.

'Every place I have lived has shaped me into the person I am today'

From Diepenbeek to Amsterdam, New York to Berlin, Bendetta Roux’s journey was more than just a quest for a career and success. An alumna of our alma mater, the commercial engineer previously managed the communications and PR department at Christie’s New York before going on to set up the fundraising and philanthropy department at the prestigious Bard College in Berlin. “Every place I have lived in and every encounter along the way have shaped me into the person I am today,” she says.