Chris Bates (CSB/SJU 2005) -- Eight Years in Germany and Counting

   I moved to Germany in December 2005, my first duty station as an Army Officer. I spent the next seven years between Kaiserslautern and Wiesbaden/Mainz. I joined local rugby teams, local gyms, and essentially lived off of everything Germany had to offer even though the Army provided those living essentials on base. I attribute my fluency entirely to my Fitnessstudio. Everyone in the gym was really willing to help me learn and taught me all the basics I needed.
   I made my best friends in the gym who invited me out with them which only deepened my integration into Germany. I actually live in Barcelona now. I ended my time with the Army about four months ago and am going to IESE Business school, part of university of Navara. When the program ends in 2014, I'm going to try and head straight back to theVaterland. I'm taking classes at the Goethe Institut now to improve my written German. I can speak it fluently, but because I didn't do much schreibing, my written German is lagging. I wish I'd learned the Artikeln. It's a pain in the butt to have to look up every single word just so I can see what the gender is when I write it.  Dear students studying German-- learn the genders now! You will be glad you did.   
     Alles Gute, Chris Bates

Daniel Kramer (SJU 1989) Named Fulbright Director at IIE in New York

Daniel Kramer and his wife Debra Prager

    CSB/SJU Alumnus Daniel Kramer has just been named the Director of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program at the Institute of International Education (IIE) in New York City.
     As Director he will manage the operations of this program, including overseeing the annual competition and screening of applications by IIE-developed panels of academic specialists. Over 9,000 graduating seniors, graduate-level candidates, and young professionals (such as writers, creative and performing artists and journalists) apply to study, conduct research or serve as English Teaching Assistants abroad. Over 1,600 grants are awarded in over 140 countries world-wide.
    Dan graduated from Saint John's and Saint Ben's in 1989 and completed a Ph.D. in Germanic Languages and Literatures at Harvard University before taking teaching posts at Holy Cross College and Washington and Lee University. He has been recipient of Fulbright and other research awards. “20 years ago I was awarded a Fulbright grant to Germany, and have been involved with the program ever since, serving on the Fellowships Committee as well as the board of the local Fulbright Association chapter. So to direct this program two decades later is a real honor and privilege.” Since his Fulbright year abroad, Dan has also led many student groups to Germany, and regards it as his second home.

Congratulations, Dan, on this next chapter of your life!

The German Tradition of Gingerbread Houses Comes to CSB/SJU

Weihnachten 2012

With the help of Paula Doebel, a local Gingerbread connoisseur, around 20 students assembled and decorated Gingerbread houses to what some considered the perfection of a master. Students enjoyed the change from their studious atmosphere and brought out their creative sides to craft houses to their liking.   Building houses from the foundation up can prove difficult, but the students met the challenge with gusto and ultimately overwhelming success. With the roofs attached and sturdy, the artwork flowed from the icing bags. The end result showed a wide variety of houses, some with candy-shingled roofs, trees made of pretzels, snowed in porches, backyard swing sets, functioning chimneys, and cobblestone pathways.

Thank you Paula!

Brooke Kreitinger receives PhD from Georgetown University

After a DAAD Grant for a year of research in Germany at the University of Trier, Brooke went back to Georgetown where she completed her dissertation, "Practicing the Spatial Imagination of Accelerated Globalization in Contemporary German-language Novels," Brooke now plans to apply for positions at colleges/universities throughout the country, so that she can continue teaching at the college level and research topics related to German language, literature and culture. She also wants to lead a study abroad adventure with students to a German-speaking region of the world.

Note:  Brooke, we are very proud of you. A heartfelt congratulations from the CSB/SJU German Studies Program.



Fulbright TA Grantees 2003-2013

CSB/SJU Graduates who were awarded Fulbright Grants for Teaching and Scholarship in Germany and Austria 2002-2012.  We are proud of all of you!

2012-2013…Chris Pignato
2012-2013... John Jacobs
2009-2010… Matt Beck
2009-2010…Michael Risch-Jansen
2009-2010…Sam Lauer
2009-2010…Robert Mevissen
2009-2010…Amy Herou
2008-2009…Angela Sigl
2008-2009… Laura Wunsch -- 3 consecutive years
2007-2008…Ryan Fader
2007-2008…Erik Hendrickson
2007-2008…Mark Bublitz -- 2 consecutive years
2007-2008…David Lambert
2006-2007…Keith Spinali -- 2 consecutive years
2006-2007…Josh Wittrock
2006-2007... Lew Grobe
2006-2007…Bennett Frensko  -- 3 consecutive years
2005-2006…Chris Schumacher
2005-2006…Kim Skramstad
2005-2006…Sarah Miller
2005-2006…John Kamman
2004-2005... Brian Schnese
2004 -2005...Edward Kasner
2003-2004... Paul Krook
2003-2004... Andy Stern
2003-2004... Gabi Fosado
2003-2004... Paul Zimmel
2003-2004... Jeremy Chinquist
2003-2004... Gretchen Diercks
2002-2003... Chris Schumacher
2002-2003... Sarah Miller
2002-2003... Aaron Voth
2002-2003... Kim Skramstad
2002-2003... Stefan Theimer
2002-2003... Danielle Simpson
2002-2003... John Kamman

George Maurer (SJU '88) Performs German Song Cycle at International Theater Festival

George Maurer was a student at Saint John's in German 311 when he became acquainted with the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke.  With that experience, George began a life-long love affair with one of Europe's greatest poets.  In September 2012 George and The George Maurer Theater Ensemble performed Autumn Song which captured the emotions and accolades of the crowds.  The show featured twelve of Rilke's best loved poems as well as four poems from Tennessee Williams.  Maurer's show at the festival depicted poets Rilke and Williams in sung dialog with each other about life, poetry and love. Williams discovered Rilke when he was a student at Washington University.  To learn more about Autumn Song you can contact George Maurer through his website: http://www.georgemaurer.com/george/ .  We're proud of you, George!