Two masters, two students: two times cum laude and two times summa cum laude!

On Tuesday November first, two students, Suzanne Schot and Hilde Portena, both received their cum laude certificates at the graduation ceremony of the Master of Legal Studies at the Faculty of Law.

Additionally to this special accomplishment, on November second, Hilde Portena also received her summa cum laude Master degree of Dutch Law. While Suzanna Schot graduated earlier this year with the same distinction for her LLM taught in English.

To graduate simultaneously of two masters, including de Master of Legal Studies, is already an exceptional achievement. On top of this, the cum laude and summa cum laude make these academic achievements extraordinary.

The two year long research master at the Faculty of Law is aimed at talented and motivated law students that want to take more out of their master studies and who want to combine their specialization in a specific area of law with broad academic studies on a higher level. Not only did both students graduate within these two years with a cum laude distinction, they also managed to combine this with a LLM and master with a summa cum laude distinction. A very special achievement.

Suzanne: ‘During my English taught bachelors of International and European Law, I discovered I was interested in research in both criminal law and criminology. When I was admitted to both master programs, I decided to simultaneously start both masters. The combination was challenging, but definitely feasible. I was always able to go for a drink with friends and sport regularly during my studies.’

As of September, Suzanne works as a PhD student for the department of Criminal Law and Criminology at the Faculty of Law. She received and Avril McDonald Award for her research proposal.

Hilde: ‘After my bachelor of Legal Studies I did not immediately plan to do two masters. I liked everything I did next to my studies too much and thought that this more important than to only be focused on studying. However, it turned out quite quickly that I did not have to leave all that. A second master is in my opinion a very nice addition. I definitely experienced it as something positive!’.

Hilde now works as a judicial trainee at Arriva: ‘Not necessarily the first company you think of as graduated jurist, but actually a very fun and dynamic company. Often you observe the law afterwards, but I want to look at it ‘from the front’ and experience law in practice. Moreover, I want to develop myself more extensively, and next to the judicial aspect also get to know other facets of the business sector. At Arriva I am able to take all these chances!’

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This article was published by the Faculty of Law.

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