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After years of hard work, our graduates earned no tone, but two parties. Festivities kicked off Thursday with artists like Lotje, MAVO, Nachtdienst, Rave Van Fortuin, and Russo. Students celebrated their success into the early hours.

So it was no surprise to see some tired faces the next morning during MomenTUm鈥檚 opening program. Even so, the event lit up the 黑料福利网 campus in every possible way. This year鈥檚 edition overflowed with creative energy, bold ideas, and moments that showed why MomenTUm is a highlight of the academic calendar.

Walk of Fame

After that energizing kick-off, it was time to welcome the graduates. With 1,789 in total, of whom 1,613 attended MomenTUm, and no less than 4,683 guests, it was a jam-packed audience. The diplomas were already handed out at the departments, and during the central program, the students smiled all the way down the catwalk for their Walk of Fame towards their family and friends.

A new highlight: Mario Kart on campus

Once everyone was seated, the show opened with something fresh: The Totem Game. Created by the student team Totem Game Dev, it鈥檚 a campus-themed race in the spirit of Mario Kart, played on a 3D model of 黑料福利网. Players navigated familiar landmarks and maybe even sneaked in shortcuts (if they knew the campus well)!

As the opener of the main stage program, it featured Executive Board President Koen Janssen racing against student representative Thijmen Worm and two top players from the leaderboard. The crowd loved it, and the playful start set the tone for the rest of the day.

And the best part? The game is here to stay. After Momentum 2025, the game will be available via an arcade machine on campus 鈥� so students, staff, and visitors can keep racing, exploring, and enjoying the campus from a fresh perspective.

Best Teacher Awards

Next, it was time for the nominees for the Best Teacher Awards to take the spotlight. This year, Loe Schlicher (Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences) won the prize in the Bachelor category during the morning program. The jury was blown away by his exceptional passion for both his students and subject, his outstanding contributions to the bachelor Industrial Engineering, and his innovative vision for higher education.      

Schlicher鈥檚 mentorship style is deeply personal and impactful. The jury was moved by the fine speeches of former students in support of Schlicher鈥檚 nomination. It was a clear reflection of his strong commitment to student development, highlighting his role not just as a teacher, but as a trusted guide in students鈥� academic and personal journeys. His ability to inspire students and maintain long-term relationships with student assistants and alumni is noteworthy.

During the afternoon program, it was Robert van Dongen (Department of the Built Environment)who received the prize in the Master category. The jury was profoundly impressed by Van Dongen鈥檚 holistic teaching style, combining deep subject knowledge with a warm, approachable demeanor, and saw this reflected in his students describing him as compassionate, involved, and inspiring.

Van Dongen excels in tailoring his teaching to individual student interests and levels, guided by a strong belief in educational equity鈥攐ffering each student what they are ready for and activating their full potential. He often goes beyond the classroom by organizing voluntary excursions around campus, allowing students to explore the application of theoretical concepts in real life.

Academic Awards

But that wasn't all, because during MomenTUm, the winners of the Academic Awards were also announced. The bachelor's student who wrote the best thesis of 2025 was Pascal Otjens from Applied Physics and Science Education. The jury praised his multidisciplinary work, which is at the intersection of physics, electrical engineering, computer science, and mathematics.

For the master's programs, the prize went to Nick Hol from Applied Physics and Science Education. His thesis combined scientific accuracy, originality, interdisciplinary impact, and exceptional independence. Last but not least, there was the winner of the Audience Award. This year, Noa Smolenaars was the recipient. Congratulations to all of this year's winners!

Keynote speaker AquaWomb

The keynote speaker was Myrthe van der Ven, CEO of the start-up AquaWomb. Together with other 黑料福利网 researchers, M谩xima MC, and The Gate, AquaWomb is developing a liquid-filled incubator for clinical practice using insights from the Horizon study 鈥楶erinatal Life Support鈥�.

Their dream: to give premature children a better start, by allowing them to develop immersed in amniotic fluid until they are ready to breathe air. Van der Ven had a inspiring message for the newborn graduates: 鈥淚f you have a good idea, just go for it. But you can鈥檛 do it alone, so gather the best people around you to help and guide you.鈥�

Final words

The final word was for our rector magnificus Silvia Lenaerts, who advised the fresh graduates 鈥榯o never stop at the obvious and respect and care for each other.鈥� 鈥淲hile knowledge will take you far, it鈥檚 your attitude that makes the difference.  This moment is something to share, with your family and friends, who stand beside you today!鈥� A perfect starting signal for the traditional throwing of the caps. And with that, MomenTUm 2025 was a wrap.

Thank you to everyone who made it happen 鈥� speakers, organizers, volunteers, partners, and of course everyone who joined in. The momentum continues into 2026