Bringing democracy to life

It has now been 10 years since she graduated from the Bachelor's degree programme in Information, Media & Communication at Burgenland University of Applied Sciences. The thread that runs through her career is quite clear: (digital) communication.

She did internships in journalism while still at school(BHAK/BHAS Eisenstadt) and discovered that there is much more to the industry than meets the eye. At the time when she was helping to look after media relations at the Großhöflein Music Society, the digital sector was booming. Sarah realised: "The internet opens up a lot of design possibilities, but without the tools and the right know-how, it is difficult to design communication in such a way that it actually succeeds."

The Bachelor's degree programme in Eisenstadt was the right choice for her: the wide-ranging course of study impressed her right from the start. During her studies, she began working in the university's Marketing and Communication department and went on to complete a Master's degree in Graphic Design at the University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten. She moved to the communications department of Landesholding Burgenland as a graphic designer - a good opportunity to gain experience in agency life.

However, graphic design alone was not enough for the communicative Burgenland native. The then Deputy Governor Astrid Eisenkopf soon brought her into her team and entrusted her with the area of social media. "I absolutely loved social media as a professional field. I can combine many of my skills in this area."

Astrid Eisenkopf also relies on Sarah's expertise in her new role as President of the State Parliament. Sarah describes the change from the executive to the legislative branch as extremely exciting. "Democratic policy education is particularly close to my heart. It's about issues and values that I like to stand up for. Above all, I really appreciate the fact that we can create new initiatives together, be creative together and set the tone. This includes the #beteiligt democracy campaign, for example, where schoolchildren are regular guests in the state parliament and enter into direct dialogue with MPs and members of the government. I was also able to help develop the 'Girls do politics' project, which will be launched as a pilot in June, and get our 'Landtag Unplugged' series of events off the ground, where we turn the state parliament chamber into a stage for Burgenland artists."

She is travelling all over the country with the President; she describes the large number of personal encounters as enriching and inspiring. "My job is as varied as my studies were," she says. The breadth of content is also reflected in the career paths of the graduates. Sarah Reinprecht's former fellow students have become close friends who are realising their careers in a wide variety of fields.

Looking back, studying at Burgenland University of Applied Sciences was the right decision at the right time for Sarah Reinprecht. "I would do it again in exactly the same way."