HSG students collect donations for the St. Gallen women's shelter

‘We wanted to support a local institution. It is also important to us that the money raised directly benefits women and children who need help,’ says Sophie Harms. She is a visiting student at the University of St.Gallen and is studying in the international CEMS Master's programme.

The CEMS Club St.Gallen, which has around 60 members, organised a concert and charity evening entitled ‘Give & Glow’ at the Tonhalle St.Gallen on 13 December. All proceeds from the evening will be donated to the Frauenhaus St.Gallen women's shelter.

St.Gallen companies also involved

The musical entertainment for the evening was provided by the collective ‘Keys for Change’. Behind it are professional musicians who regularly play concerts for charitable causes. The audience included around 60 HSG students, alumni and lecturers, as well as family members and friends.

After the concert, the CEMS students held a raffle. The prizes were donated by around 20 St. Gallen companies and shops. " We contacted companies and also spontaneously visited shops in the city centre. The openness and helpfulness were impressive," says HSG and CEMS student Elin Jung.

During the charity evening, an employee of the St. Gallen women's shelter also presented its work. The women's shelter offers protection and support to women and their children who are affected by violence. The raffle raised over 1,200 Swiss francs. Miriam Chiara Di Natale, HSG alumna and co-founder of the local chocolate manufacturer bonneheure, provided further impetus. In her speech, she talked about more conscious and social coexistence and encouraged people to recognise their own inner drive and courageously put it into practice. She inspired many guests to think about their own role and impact in everyday life.

Commitment to continue

‘The evening impressively demonstrated how strong the community in St.Gallen is and what HSG students can achieve together – even beyond the university, in cooperation with local companies and institutions,’ says Sophie Harms. She will return to her home university in Cologne in the spring, while Elin Jung will spend an exchange semester in Rotterdam.

Nevertheless, the idea of a regular charity event is to be continued in the CEMS Club St.Gallen. The club brings together students whose home university is the HSG, as well as international guest students from the CEMS programme.

The CEMS Master in International Management (MIM) is a joint programme offered by 33 universities worldwide. It combines academic education with practical projects in collaboration with companies and NGOs. Students complete the Master's degree at two partner universities. In recent years, the CEMS MIM has regularly been listed by the Financial Times among the ten best European Master's programmes in management.