DAAD-Preis to Hodabalo Kondo-Feou
Our Bachelor student and chair employee Hodabalo Kondo-Feou has won the DAAD prize – congratulations!
This is what FAU President Professor Hornegger wrote about it on LinkedIn:
“Celebrating Excellence: Hodabalo Kondo-Feou’s Remarkable Journey of Resilience and Dedication
With great pleasure I want to share an extraordinary story that embodies the very essence of perseverance, ambition, and social commitment. At the heart of this story is our #FAUstudent Hodabalo Kondo-Feou, a young man from Togo who has transformed challenges into opportunities, and whose journey has been nothing short of inspiring. Hodabalo’s path to academic success is one that deeply resonates with all of us who believe in the power of education and community. As an orphan in Togo, Hodabalo faced significant challenges from an early age, but his brilliance and determination never wavered. Thanks to the support of a host family near our wonderful city Erlangen, who recognized his outstanding academic performance, he was given the opportunity to pursue his studies in physics at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg. It was a life-changing moment—and one that Hodabalo seized with both hands.
From his very first semester at FAU, Hodabalo has been an exemplary student—not just in terms of his academic success, but in his contributions to the community. During the pandemic, when many struggled to adjust to the new world of online learning, Hodabalo stepped up. He became a cameraman, recording lectures so that both students and professors could continue their teaching. His commitment to ensuring that education remained accessible to all is a testament to his character—always reliable, always dedicated. But Hodabalo’s impact goes far beyond academics. As a youth football coach at the Erlangen-Bruck Football and Sports Club, he has mentored and guided young players, fostering teamwork and community spirit.
At FAU, through the Buddy Program, he has become a trusted guide for new students, helping them navigate FAU life and adapt to a new culture. All of this he has accomplished while balancing a demanding physics degree, working as a student assistant to support himself, and consistently achieving above-average to excellent grades. Not to mention, he even completed a semester abroad in Lille, France, where he further honed his intercultural skills.
What stands out most about Hodabalo is his unwavering determination to not only improve his own life but also the lives of those around him. He is a role model—not just for international students, but for all of us. His story reminds us of the transformative power of education, the importance of community, and the limitless potential of individuals who are driven by both intellect and compassion.
As Hodabalo receives the Prize of the DAAD German Academic Exchange Service, we are reminded of the importance of recognizing and celebrating stories like his. Stories of resilience, leadership, and unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. Hodabalo, your journey is an inspiration to us all. Congratulations on this well-deserved award, and may your future be as bright as your journey thus far.”
