Janse Heijn became a professional magician after obtaining two masters at WUR

As a child, Janse would occasionally be asked: "What do you want to be when you grow up?". His answer was always: "a magician". He had received a beautiful book about magic from his grandfather, describing how to find a chosen card and make an elephant disappear. Janse was fascinated by that from an early age. In the Dutch city of Haarlem, he discovered a little shop selling professional magic supplies. From then on, he spent almost all his money on special card games and colored clothes.

Read his 'magical' story below.

The choice of a double master's degree

"When I was a teenager and still wanted to be a magician, my parents said: 'That's fine, but first get a proper education.' Eventually, I chose International
Development Studies. The reason I chose that bachelor's degree was because,
during my last year in high school, I participated in an exchange project with
Brazilian youth. In Brazil, along with a few peers from the Netherlands, I
stayed in a village in the inland with a host family for a few weeks. There we
visited a slum and a garbage dump in Recife, among other places. It was the
first time I was confronted with extreme poverty. The issues deeply affected
me, and suddenly, a study in the field of international development seemed
obvious."

That's how Janse began his studies in Wageningen in 2007. "I found the lectures very interesting, but the programme was broad, and I felt it lacked focus. Then I discovered there was also a Forest and Nature Conservation programme in Wageningen. Nature conservation, especially the preservation of tropical rainforests, appealed to me as a theme, and I immediately went to my study advisor to see if I could switch masters. Instead, I was advised to do a minor and then possibly pursue a double master's degree. That's how it happened.

Throughout my studies, I remained active as a magician. While other students had part-time jobs as waiters or security guards, I performed my tricks at children's parties and in restaurants every weekend. Of course, I also showcased my tricks to fellow students; I performed a few times at both the student association Unitas and the study association.

Two theses: palm oil companies and bee mortality

After I got my bachelor's degree, I began the double master's programme. This turned out to be one big adventure. Through a volunteer job at Apenheul I got the opportunity to secure an internship at Orangutan Outreach. In 2012, I flew to Borneo to research the different strategies employed by the locals (Dayaks) to keep out large palm oil companies. I did this research for my International Development Studies course, but it was a topic in which the themes of both courses converged.

Halfway through my internship and thesis in Indonesia, I received the news that my girlfriend Maria, whom I had met during my bachelor study, had fallen seriously ill. I had to rush back to the Netherlands. When it turned out that the situation was stable, I returned to finish my work in Borneo. When my internship ended, Maria was discharged from the rehabilitation clinic, and I suddenly became her caregiver.

Two masters also meant writing two theses. For my second thesis for Forest and Nature Conservation, I chose a topic closer to home: bee mortality. I was working with the bee group at WUR at that time. Interestingly, my sleight-of-hand skills came in handy. During one summer, I attached tiny chips to the backs of 4,000 young honeybees so that we could track their foraging behavior. With the data provided by this experiment, we could investigate whether bees exposed to one or more stressors (such as varroa mites and pesticides) were less efficient at foraging. It turned out that bees were still quite effective when only one stressor was involved. Multiple stressors proved fatal for the bees.

Start of career as caregiver, magician, forester, and development expert

That's how I eventually completed my studies: as a caregiver, magician, and forester and development expert. With my diplomas in hand, I started looking for a job. They weren't easy to come by at that time. In the end, it turned out that magic was the most obvious choice: I already had a network, it could be done in the evenings, and I still enjoyed it very much. So, I decided to focus full-time on magic.

I have been a magician for almost eight years now. It's a wonderful profession: it's fun to entertain people at all levels of society, and you get to visit places you would never visit otherwise. My clients are mainly companies and non-profit organizations. I provide small-scale acts at receptions and office parties (table magic), but I also perform on stage, for example, at symposia and conferences. This often requires some customization. It helps that I have a broad education and that I can easily immerse myself in any subject.

Studying was an investment in the future

I sometimes hear people complain that it's a waste that I became a magician despite having two degrees. I see it differently. Those studies have brought me a lot: in Wageningen I learned negotiation skills, presentation skills, and things like data analysis and writing. These skills were an investment in myself and are all very useful in my work as an artist. Most of my friends are still largely Wageningen alumni (fortunately not just magicians). I'm still together with Maria. And... we still live in Wageningen.

'Magical' hobby switch

In 2022, Maria and I returned to the Dayak village in Borneo. I was able to show her what a beautiful place it is. It was also interesting to see how the people there have continued to improve their own lives. Maria and I then set up a little project together to finance a water purification station there. I'm still fascinated by the tropical rainforest. This year, we're up for another adventure: in November, we're flying to Peru. Strangely, my hobby has become my profession and the profession I educated for has become my hobby."