Friday, August 28, 2015

A Message from our Austrian Fulbright Scholar/TA, Chris Jakits

Chris will be with us until May, helping students with their speaking and writing, helping plan German Club events, and adding to the international character of our department and campus.  Welcome to CSB/SJU, Chris!  Here is Chris'note to us:  

Servus liebe Studentinnen und Studenten,

es freut mich sehr, dass ihr euch dazu entschieden habt, Deutsch zu studieren, insbesondere da es keine einfache Sprache ist. Was es jedoch einfacher macht, sind die vielen Gemeinsamkeiten zwischen Englisch und Deutsch.

Am besten stelle ich mich jedoch einmal vor: Mein Name ist Christoph, ich bin 23 Jahre alt und komme aus einem kleinen Dorf in der Nähe von Wien. Vor vier Jahren habe ich begonnen, Deutsch und Englisch an der Universität Wien zu studieren.

Universität Wien

Ein Jahr habe ich in Birmingham, Großbritannien studiert, wo ich Menschen aus aller Welt kennenlernen durfte. So besuchte mich letztes Jahr meine vietnamesische Freundin Ming Ha in Wien, wo wir eine berühmte Sehenswürdigkeit besuchten. Könnt ihr erraten, welche es war?

Welches berühmte Gebäude steht im Hintergrund? 

Ein anderer Ort, den ich auch besonders gerne besuche, ist der Wiener Prater, berühmt für sein Riesenrad. Man kann dort einen wundervollen Ausblick über Wien genießen, traditionelle Köstlichkeiten wie Langos probieren oder mit seinen Freunden in einer der vielen Attraktionen Spaß haben.

Das Wiener Riesenrad und der Stefansdom

Das war jedoch nur eine kleine Auswahl der Plätze, die man in Wien besuchen sollte.

Ich freue mich auf ein tolles Jahr mit euch!
Liebe Grüße,
Christoph

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Thank you to the Fulbright Program and Its Partner, the Austrian-American Educational Commission


Dear Friends of the CSB/SJU German Program,

We are grateful for our partnership with the Fulbright Program and with their partners in Austria, the Austrian-American Educational Commission. These two programs have supported recent grad researchers and up-and-coming teachers for many years. Current students of our program are strongly urged to apply for this opportunity to teach and do research.

Fulbright Scholarship/TAship  Recipients, 70 strong and counting!:

Chris Pignato 2015
Joseph Berns 2014
Daniel Schmit 2014
Alexander Van Loh 2014
Joseph Miller 2014
Chris Pignato - 2012
John Jacobs - 2012
Matt Beck - 2009
Michael Risch-Jansen - 2009
Sam Lauer - 2009
Robert Mevissen - 2009
Amy Herou - 2009
Angela Sigl - 2008
Laura Wunsch - 2008 -- 3 consecutive years
Ryan Fader - 2007
Erik Hendrickson - 2007
Mark Bublitz - 2007 -- 2 consecutive years
David Lambert - 2007
Keith Spinali - 2006 -- 2 consecutive years
Josh Wittrock - 2006
Lew Grobe - 2006
Bennett Frensko - 2006  -- 3 consecutive years
Chris Schumacher - 2005
Kim Skramstad - 2005
Sarah Miller - 2005
John Kamman - 2005
Brian Schnese - 2004
Edward Kasner - 2004
Paul Krook - 2003
Andy Stern - 2003
Gabi Fosado - 2003
Paul Zimmel - 2003
Jeremy Chinquist - 2003
Gretchen Diercks - 2003
Chris Schumacher – 2002
Sarah Miller - 2002
Aaron Voth - 2002
Kim Skramstad - 2002
Stefan Theimer - 2002
Danielle Simpson - 2002
John Kamman - 2002
  missing info for 1998-2001
Joshua Hayes - 1997
Margaret Zenk - 1996
Christina Briggs - 1994
Stacey Gerlach - 1994
Julie Watteras - 1994
Patrick Seaman - 1994
Jennifer Sell - 1993
Genia Kolyszko - 1993
Gretchen Terhaar - 1992
Ray Catudal - 1992
Benjamin Johnson - 1992
Michael Murray - 1992
Eric Andree - 1992
Vachel Miller - 1991
Daniel Steger - 1991
Amy Wesler - 1991
Leanne Baumgarten - 1991
Kelly Birk - 1991
Amy Brunell - 1991
Karla Heins - 1990
Michella Lang - 1990
Helen Langer - 1990
Patricia Wagner - 1990
Mary Schmidt - 1989
Julie Kilkhammer - 1988
Ann Leutmer - 1988
Kelli Rasmussen - 1987
Sandra Toenies - 1987

ò Information on our two CSB/SJU graduates who are in leadership positions at Fulbright:

Dr. Lonnie Johnson, Executive Director, Fulbright (Austrian-American Educational) Commission


Lonnie Johnson (CSB/SJU German Studies graduate 1974) is the executive director of the Austrian-American Educational Commission (Fulbright Commission) in Vienna. During his visit to CSB/SJU in late November, Lonnie gave a talk to members of the Office of Education Abroad, the Center for Global Education, the Global Business Leadership Department and the German Studies Program. In his remarks, Lonnie analyzed the changing nature of study abroad and its ever-increasing importance for American students.   The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 to promote mutual understanding between people of the United States and people of other countries. Dr. Johnson’s research and publications focus on the history of Central Europe and Austria. Dr. Johnson has published books and articles on Austrian and central European history and politics including, Central Europe: Enemies, Neighbors, Friends; Vienna: The Past in the Present; and Introducing Austria. He received a B.A. from St. John’s University in Minnesota and a Ph.D. from the University of Vienna.
   Over the years, dozens of students from the German Studies Program at CSB/SJU have participated in the Austrian and German Fulbright Teaching Assistant Programs for one to three years after graduating from college. We deeply appreciate Lonnie's ongoing support of his undergraduate German Program.



    CSB/SJU Alumnus Daniel Kramer has recently been named the Director of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program at the Institute of International Education (IIE) in New York City. He is pictured here with his wife, Debra Prager.
     As Director Dan manages 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 PhD 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. 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.