VUB alumna Aurélie Boffé will join the presenting team of VRT NWS Laat from early December. Aurélie began her studies in applied linguistics with the ambition of becoming an interpreter, but soon realised it wasn’t quite the right fit. It was only during her master's in journalism that the pieces fell into place. “It’s incredibly important to do something you enjoy and where you can make an impact.”
Looking back on your student years, what memories come to mind?
"Because I was raised multilingual, my bachelor’s in applied linguistics felt like a continuation of what I was already familiar with. I didn’t find it mind-blowing. It was only during my master’s in journalism that something really clicked. Even though I’d been following current events my whole life, I knew next to nothing about journalism. I had to learn everything in the space of a year, which was intense. The course was also very hands-on. I learned how to produce a report and how to convey as much information as possible in a short amount of time. That’s the real skill: explaining something complex in such a way that even a 12-year-old could understand it. I still use that knowledge every day. That year, I also really clicked with my fellow students. In my bachelor’s, there were lots of nice people, but they weren’t like me. In journalism, I found people who shared the same drive and ambitions."
Was there a professor who particularly stood out for you?
"My favourite professor ever was Professor Humblé, who taught me Spanish. He was also the supervisor for my bachelor’s thesis. I think that, in general, there’s less ex cathedra teaching at the VUB than at other universities, but with Philippe Humblé, it was really a friendly chaos. He didn’t teach by the book but was incredibly passionate and lived and breathed his subject. He was also a standout person—warm and kind, with a great sense of when a student was struggling."
Did you consciously choose the VUB?
"I hesitated between the VUB and KU Leuven, but I think the VUB suited my personality better. In my eyes, the VUB stood for a freer and less rigid university, and that turned out to be true. I still carry that ‘V’ with me today. In my current job as a journalist at VRT, I find freedom of expression and press freedom very important. Obviously, on public broadcasting, you can’t just say whatever you want, but internally, a lot of thought goes into whether all perspectives of a story are being covered. In my personal life, I also really value freedom—freedom of thought but also the freedom to express yourself. Live and let live."
"When I have a dream, I make sure it happens. I’m very impulsive in that regard"
Did you have a clear idea of the job you wanted to do while studying? "No, I originally wanted to become an interpreter. I’d never even considered journalism. But during my bachelor’s, I had a few courses related to interpreting, and it just didn’t feel right for me. It was thanks to the master’s in journalism and my internship at VRT that I ended up in this job."
How do you try to make a difference in your job?
"In many ways. My target audience is young people. Many of them don’t actively follow the news and aren’t always well-informed about what’s going on in the world. It’s important to reach them where they are because they’re not going to visit traditional news sites. That’s why we at VRT are investing heavily in social media. You can look down on it, but it definitely has an impact. There’s a lot of fake news circulating on social media, and we try to counteract that. But I also made an impact with my podcast Snapt ge mij nu? I was able to choose my own guests and topics. For instance, I made an episode about extending the abortion term. That episode received a lot of feedback from listeners who identified with the stories. That gave me great satisfaction."
What are your dreams for your career?
"When I have a dream, I make sure it happens. I’m very impulsive in that regard. I initiate many things and try to create my own opportunities. It’s easy to sit back and wait for offers to come your way, especially if you have some visibility, but that’s not necessarily what you want. I believe you should take that first step yourself and not wait for an opportunity to come to you. So the things I dream of in journalism are already in motion. On the other hand, journalism was never my ultimate childhood dream. Maybe I’ll want to do something else in the future. I’ve always said I’d never be someone who works for the same company for 20 years. But what comes next, I don’t know yet."
What advice do you have for today’s students?
"Quite simple: find something you enjoy. When I ask my friends who’s truly happy in their job, 90% say, ‘It’s fine.’ I think that’s very sad at our age. It’s nice to have a salary and to be independent, but I also think it’s important to find fulfilment in your job. Otherwise, you might end up doing it for forty years without ever being fully satisfied."
Do you have specific advice for students of your faculty, the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy?
"Linguists, historians, philosophers: they are the glue of our society. They’re often people with social engagement. I hope they choose a job where they can make themselves useful. We need historians who can explain wars. At the European Commission, we need translators to contribute to shaping EU policy. You might learn fewer hard skills at the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy compared to an engineering degree, but all the soft skills you develop are incredibly valuable for the future."
Watch Aurélie Boffé's commencement speech
Bio
Aurélie Boffé studied at the VUB from 2015 to 2019. After completing her bachelor’s in applied linguistics (English, Spanish, and German), she pursued a master’s in journalism. Today, she is a podcast creator and TikTok journalist at VRT, and presents Laat, the late-night news programme on VRT.
