Cerag Melodi Özcelik earned her Bachelor’s and Master of Science degrees in architecture from the Technical University of Darmstadt. During her studies, she developed a strong interest in international architecture, urban planning, and architectural history, and worked as a tutor and research assistant in the fields of architectural and art history, as well as design and urban planning. Thanks to an Erasmus scholarship, she was able to spend two semesters abroad at the Università degli Studi di Firenze and the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya in Barcelona, and completed an internship abroad in Lisbon. For her outstanding academic performance and her commitment, including her work as a mentor in the Big Sister Program and as a buddy, she received the Deutschlandstipendium (2020/2021) and also served as a host at scholarship award ceremonies. Professionally, she gained experience in the real estate sector and worked at the “Altes Neuland Frankfurt” foundation, where she was promoted to project manager in the architecture team after completing her studies. Today, her focus is on interior design, creative concepts, and event design – while simultaneously building her own creative agency. She also serves as a lecturer at Macromedia University of Applied Sciences, where she teaches the “Spatial Design” module in the Bachelor’s program in Design.

Dr. Tabea Latocha is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for European Urban Studies at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. She earned her Ph.D. from the Institute of Human Geography at Goethe University Frankfurt, where she studied feminist perspectives on the housing issue. Her research focuses on interdisciplinary housing studies, socio-ecological transformations, and applied critical geography. In March 2026, her book *Housing as a Commodity* was published by transcript Verlag. During her studies, she received a scholarship from the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. In her academic work, she focuses in particular on issues of urban development, social inequality, and the future of housing.

Ümran Orak studied industrial engineering with a technical specialization in electrical and information technology at the Technical University of Darmstadt. The study program, which he started in 2010, was characterized by a challenging combination of engineering, economics, business administration, and law. During this time, he received support through several scholarships, including the Deutschlandstipendium. He describes the application process as time-consuming but very rewarding – both financially and personally, particularly due to new opportunities for growth and valuable networks. After graduating, he was self-employed in the IT industry for three years, together his brother. For over seven years, he has been working in the IT department of Umicore, where he is now a manager responsible for various areas of the IT landscape as well as central processes.

Elif Üstüner studied law at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz and also earned a master’s degree in Chile. During her studies, she received a scholarship from the Hans Böckler Foundation. She is currently a legal trainee at the Wiesbaden Regional Court. Her academic and professional background combines legal training with international study experience and a commitment to socially relevant issues.