As part of her Master’s thesis, Jessica White is primarily collecting quantitative data. Initial findings confirm her hypothesis: meeting places such as her café encourage interaction, networking and well-being. The social mix is particularly striking: students, international guests, HdN members and older people strike up conversations at just three tables – often with people they would never otherwise have met.
“I really enjoy seeing how people come together through food,” says Jessica White. “That’s why I love cooking so much.”
She cooks fresh meals, often dishes she has never cooked before – most recently farinata with spinach and tomato sauce, served with salad and lemon cake for dessert. The café will remain open until at least the end of July; her master’s thesis is due on 1 July. The student is supported by two volunteers.
“This project is a prime example of how our students tackle social challenges with an entrepreneurial mindset,” emphasises Prof. Dr Antje Wild, who is supervising the master’s thesis. “Jessica White combines academic methodology with social engagement – a core focus of our degree programme.”
Ivanka Burger, a board member at the HdN and Jessica White’s Exist Women mentor, emphasises: “Jessi’s Café shows how powerfully shared meals can act as a bridge between people. For the House of Sustainability, it is a matter close to our hearts to create spaces where encounters, openness and social participation are a matter of course. Jessica White enriches our organisation with an initiative that combats loneliness and strengthens community – it is precisely such initiatives that bring our place to life.”
Motivation: Doing more than just earning money
Jessica White, aged 25 and living in Neu-Ulm, worked in a luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi, amongst other places, after completing her bachelor’s degree, and quickly realised that something was missing. “I don’t enjoy working somewhere where it’s all about money. Eight hours of earning money and two hours of volunteering – that didn’t feel meaningful.”
The Master’s programme at HNU offered her exactly what she was looking for: social relevance and the opportunity to solve real-world problems. She had already taken a course on social enterprises in the hospitality industry during her bachelor’s degree – at HNU, she now has the practical framework to put her ideas into practice. She became aware of the HdN through the Weltküche project. The kitchen there inspired her to create an initiative that breaks down financial barriers and brings people together regardless of their life circumstances.
The Master’s programme in Social Entrepreneurship at HNU
The M.A. in Social Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development at HNU is aimed at students who wish to develop entrepreneurial solutions to environmental and social challenges. The programme combines academic rigour, practical project work and collaborations with regional organisations. Students learn how sustainable business models are created, how social impact can be measured, and how innovations can be put into practice. Projects such as Jessi’s Café demonstrate how theory and practice intertwine during the course and generate real social impact.
