Fulbright Alumnus Stephan Münch volunteers as treasurer of Karren e.V. This association was founded in 1984 and promotes the better integration of people with intellectual disabilities into the local community and helps them to lead more independend and self-determined lives.

Mr. Jason Haserodt of the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs wrote the following text for State Alumni:

German Fulbright alumnus Stephan Münch isn't your typical young professional.  It isn't just his many professional successes that set him apart, but also his commitment to volunteerism and community service.  Stephan makes it a priority to take time out of his busy schedule to help those less fortunate than himself.

After spending a year at the University of California, Irvine, studying cognitive sciences through a Fulbright Fellowship in 1997-98, Stephan returned to the University of Mannheim in Germany to complete his undergraduate degree in Psychology.

Stephen then traveled to Lulekani, South Africa in 2000, where he spent several weeks building a computer center through LekaGape, a private non-profit organization that works with people in one of the poorest areas of South Africa to improve their living conditions.  Lulekami is a suburb and former township of Phalaborwa in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, located in the Northeast courner of the country. The equipment and computers for the center were provided by the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, in addition to used computers and computer components that Stephan brought with him from home in Germany.

After returning from South Africa, Stephan went to the Netherlands to study at Nyenrode University, where he graduated with an IMBA in 2003.  Obtaining an IMBA helped Stephan strengthen his business knowledge and skills and helped him enter into the field of strategic consulting.  In 2003, Stephan moved to Bonn, Germany, and took a position as project manager with Deutsche Post World Net Business Consulting and led project teams comprising of three to five people.

Once settled in Bonn, Stephen began volunteering with Der Karren e.V., an non-profit organizations that works with physically and mentally disabled people to provide them with new and/or better living spaces.  After being approached by a colleague of his wife, Stephan decided to volunteer on the Executive Board as Der Karren's Treasurer.

Since joining Der Karren, Stephan has taken part in the expansion of Der Karren's porfolio to encompus housing aid and assistance to elderly people with dimensia, a degenerative brain disease that affects one's memory, attention and problem solving skills.

Currently, Stephan works with logistics for DHL in an internal consultancy group in Singapore.