Carlotta Coenders

Hey there! My name is Carlotta Coenders. I’m 19 years old and originally from Germany, but when I was 11, I moved to Spain with my mom and grandma, an experience I’m still incredibly grateful for. Now I live in the Netherlands, where I study Liberal Arts and Sciences at University College Maastricht. One of the things I love most about my degree is the freedom to shape it around my interests. I get to combine psychology, law, criminology, astronomy, biology, physics, and many other subjects into one bachelor’s program. Outside of university, one of my biggest passions is horse riding. Ever since I was little, I’ve loved the feeling of being on horseback and the sense of freedom it brings. One day, I hope to have a horse of my own.

Within Grotius, I’m proud to be part of Van Reigersberch and its mentoring leadership program. I joined for two main reasons; first, when I heard about a leadership program specifically for women, I knew I had to be part of it. Second, my mom works as a leadership coordinator for companies, and she has always inspired me. Seeing the impact she has on others made me realize that I want to make a difference in a similar way. Looking ahead, my goal is to encourage people to have the confidence to take the lead, stand up for what they believe in, and create positive change; not just for themselves, but for the people and communities around them.