The IfK Celebrates 123 Successful Graduates
(28.08.2026) On July 24, 2026, the Department of Communication held a graduation ceremony in the auditorium of the castle to honor 123 graduates. Prof. Dr. Helena Stehle, Executive Director of the IfK, congratulated the graduates on earning 17 master’s and 106 bachelor’s degrees in the summer semester of 2026.
At the start of the ceremony, Helena Stehle welcomed the graduates, their families, and Institute staff. Together, around 400 guests gathered in the Castle Auditorium to celebrate the successful completion of their studies and reflect on the past academic years. In her opening remarks, Helena Stehle recognized the graduates’ achievements and offered them best wishes for their future paths.
In her lecture titled “When Heat Makes You Sick – How the Media Reports on Health and Climate Change,” Prof. Dr. Julia Metag then examined how the media covers the link between climate change and chronic diseases. She emphasized that the media does indeed address the issue, highlight the risks, and help ensure that climate change is increasingly understood as a health issue. At the same time, however, her analysis also revealed a gap: Media consumers often learn how big the problem is, but much less frequently what they can do about it.
Speaking on behalf of the master’s graduates, Johanna Beecken took the floor. Under the title “How to Arrange a Bouquet,” she compared her time as a student to a bouquet that is gradually assembled from memories, experiences, and shared moments. Using individual “flowers” – such as Orientation Week, friendships, the semester abroad, and the master’s thesis – she looked back on defining moments of the master’s program and, at the same time, paid tribute to the people who accompanied and supported the students along the way. Finally, the gerbera – the last flower in the bouquet – symbolizes graduation and the memories that will accompany the graduates on their next adventures.
Sophia Rinne delivered the speech for the bachelor’s graduates. She used the end of their time at university as an opportunity to look back on shared moments from the past three years – from Orientation Week and the first methodology courses, through research and media practice seminars, to group projects and the intensive period surrounding the bachelor’s thesis. In particular, she highlighted the cohesion of the class and the friendships that had developed during their studies. At the same time, she reflected on the students’ personal growth, which was linked to their academic journey and the process of becoming increasingly independent, and thanked their families, friends, and the institute’s faculty and staff for their support. Looking ahead to life after the bachelor’s degree, she encouraged the graduates to embrace the various paths now open to them.
Rebekka Wilhelm (saxophone) and Henning Karkoska (piano) provided the musical accompaniment for the evening. With diverse arrangements ranging from Coldplay to Olivia Dean to Billie Eilish, they created an atmospheric and evocative backdrop for the program.
After Helena Stehle offered her personal congratulations and the traditional presentation of a gerbera to all graduates, the event concluded with a reception in the castle’s foyer. Over conversations and group photos, the guests celebrated together the completion of a formative chapter of their studies in Münster.
Contact person public relations:
Dr. Stephan Völlmicke
Telefon: +49 251 83-23006
Telefax: +49 251 83-21310 (Geschäftszimmer IfK)