Phil Roye from Germany has Loved His Four Years at CSB/SJU

Dear Students and Profs at CSB/SJU,

Looking back at the time that I have spent at CSBSJU, I can truly admit that these 4 years have been amazing. Both schools have taught me so much, not just from an academic but also a social standpoint.

   When I first started here almost 4 years ago, I did not know what and where I would end up later in life. Because of the unique academic program, I was able to take a variety of classes from different departments and finally decided on being a nutrition major and exercise science minor. The professors here have helped in exceptional ways to prepare me for the future. Without their help, I would have never gotten accepted to graduate and medical school.

    Compared to my fellow students in Germany, I was able to choose classes that I really wanted to take. For example, I am very interested in business management and was able to take management classes here at CSBSJU. However, my friends at German universities have a very strict schedule and are usually not able to decide which classes to take. In addition, they have to enroll in twice as many classes per semester, which puts an additional burden and stress on my fellow friends.

Even though I am very excited to move on with my life and open a new ‘chapter,’ I am very happy to admit that CSBSJU was my ‘home’ for the last four years. Both schools will always have a special place in my heart.

Ed. Note:  Phil, We've been so appreciative of your presence and spirit in the German Studies Program.  Thank you for all your contributions and all the best for your future!  Do keep in touch.

Austin Eighan Studying in Munich

I'll be actually staying here in Munich for two terms, but since I'm finishing up my Klausurs and Hausarbeiten right now, this semester is almost finished. The time here has been great so far! I've got the chance to really broaden my horizons. not only in the sense of traveling to Croatia, Luxembourg, Brussels, and a few other places, but also in terms of work experience. I've had the opportunity to work at an Business English language school as well as for an international event planning agency as a translator. I've really been pushed to step out of my boundaries in terms of jumping into the business world here in Germany, but it's been great so far!

Austin

 

Austin (lower right) and friends in Munich

German Club Presents Film TRISTAN UND ISOLDE

This magnificent masterpiece among the medieval love legends is coming to third quad.

This one is a must-see.  See you there!

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!

CSB/SJU Launches First Exchange Partnership with Eichstätt University North of Munich

With the leadership of Nicole Clements and Peggy Retka of the CSB/SJU Office of Education Abroad, CSB/SJU has begun its first official exchange program with a German University.  Die Katholische Universität Eichstätt is located about 90 minutes north of Munich by train and features a beautiful campus with about 4000 students in the rolling hills of northern Bavaria.    
     Starting as soon as Fall 2013, two to four German students will come to CSB/SJU and the same number of our more advanced students will spend a semester or year in Eichstätt.  Eichstätt is also home of the Benedictine Monastery which founded The Monastery of Saint Benedict more than 150 years ago.   Thank you to Nicole and Peggy, as well as professors Lisa Ohm and Charles Bobertz who have all had a hand in making this exchange partnership come to fruition.   
     Students interested in this exchange program should apply in January 2013 for spring term in Eichstätt 2014.   It is financially a very affordable program.