mission:me – Playfully finding your favorite course of study

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THM Project mission:me

Instead of a traditional internship, students can spend two weeks getting to know the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM) – this is possible with the orientation program "mission:me," which the university has offered since 2016. After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, it took place again shortly before the start of the summer holidays – and with 110 applications and 80 participants, it surpassed all previous rounds. "The interest in science and engineering degree programs is gratifyingly high," notes organizer Julius Jay Butler from the Central Student Advisory Service.

High score like in the video game

The program is aimed at interested high school students in the region. However, it's more than just a "taster" of lectures and labs; it incorporates game-based elements – the so-called missions. THM, in collaboration with its departments and central facilities, has devised a wide range of activities for this purpose. "Participants receive points for each activity and can then earn awards," explains Butler. A high score system, similar to a video game, allows for direct comparison with other participants.

Well over half of the participants stated at the end that the program helped them to solidify their choice of studies.

“This approach is designed to encourage active participation,” says Butler. Because participation in all activities was not mandatory, the Gießen and Friedberg locations could be explored according to individual interest. Teamwork, communication, and critical thinking were fostered by tasks that could not be solved alone. More than 30 experienced students provided guidance.

The difficulty of the nearly 40 tasks varied – from "Take a selfie in front of the student advisory service" to "Visit Vice President Prof. Dr. Katja Specht." Others involved in-depth research on 15 different degree programs or required interviews with current students. Around two-thirds of the participants were young women, who are still underrepresented in many of THM's degree programs. "Well over half indicated at the end that the program helped them solidify their choice of studies," Julius Jay Butler concludes positively. And: 98 percent would recommend "mission:me.".

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