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UvA Department Manager participated in The Bachelor: “My boss had to deal with it”
Maud Sellis (33), Department Manager of Geography, Planning and International Development Studies and ISW at UvA, is featured in the new season of The Bachelor on Videoland. What was it like being on the TV program? “Working in science is a lot different than participating in The Bachelor.”
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Beforehand, she had to break the news to her supervisor. He in turn “really had to digest it. He agreed, and even wants to watch the show again...but,” Sellis chuckles, “Hopefully he won't.”
Maud Sellis (33) participated in the show The Bachelor on Videoland, where single women in a paradise destination seek the love of usually one, but this year for the first time two men (Paul and Rien). Sellis works at the University of Amsterdam and is also pursuing a master's degree in business administration at Nyenrode Business University. The contrast between her work and the program is huge, she thinks to herself, “really huge.” "Working in science is quite different from participating in The Bachelor.
She also has a job with a lot of responsibility at the UvA as Department Manager of Geography, Planning, and International Development Studies (GPO) and Interdisciplinary Social Science (ISW). Her job entails managing departmental finances and hiring support staff, among other things.
To put it bluntly, “Maud has brains as well as beauty,” said presenter Monica Geuze, in the first episode. She is also ambitious: She wants to pursue a career within the administration of the UvA.
Apart from her supervisor, by the way, no one at the university knew about her participation in the program. “I like to keep work and private life separate,” she says. For the Management Assistant in the department, however, she made an exception. The news came as a big surprise to her. “She had to get used to the idea, too,” Sellis laughs.
Tell me, why were you eager to participate in The Bachelor?
“I was mainly in the mood for adventure, and I love to travel.” She pauses for a moment, pensive. Then vulnerable. “Well, to be completely honest, the reason I joined is because I had been sick for a while...I recently had breast cancer. And a few months after I was declared cured, this came my way. Normally, I would have said ‘no,’ but in the end, I thought, why not? Life is short. I'll see what happens! All I knew was where the trip was going (Tanzania's Zanzibar Island, ed.). Other than that, I didn't know anything.”
So the start of an adventure following a very intense period. Beautiful! Did you also hope to find love through the program?
“The approach was indeed an adventure, but if love had come out of it, that would have been a bonus. Of course, it was and remains a dating program. So it would be weird for me to say I wouldn't have wanted that.”
Unfortunately, the adventure didn't last long. You were sent home by Paul in the very first episode because it didn't click with him. Were you disappointed?
“Not at all, no. I was sorry that I had to leave because I had already built a nice relationship with the other women there. But not so much because of Paul. I had literally only talked to him for a
few minutes. So what does that say? Not so much, as far as I'm concerned. I would love it if I found someone who was a good match for me, but I don't think Paul is up to the task.”
What do you mean?
Sellis laughs. “Well, I have quite a feisty personality. I know exactly what I want.” Sitting at the table with Paul, she had taken a powerful stance with a straight back but relaxed. “You see me leading the whole conversation, already pouring the wine, asking all the questions, that kind of thing. I'm also used to it, of course, from my role as department manager at the university. Some people thought it was as if I were conducting a job interview, I found out later.”
So are those things you take away for the next date? For example, do you think: Maybe next time I should give someone a little more space?
“I'm at an age where I think, OK, this is who is am. I would love to meet someone who is fine with that. And I'm willing to compromise a bit, but this is who I am. I know very well where I stand in life and what I have to offer.”
Might we run into you on another dating program?
“No, you won’t. Once and never again. As I told you, I probably never would have done it before. But I don't regret it. It was a great adventure.”
