Tim Marzik (CSB/SJU 2011) lands a German Job in Brooklyn

Tim writes to Professor Kiryakakis: 

This past week I heard back from Google, where I will be working as a "German Ads Quality Rater".  I will be given assignments with various German search terms that Americans would look up online, and have to decide which web pages are the most accurate results based on the true definition of the search term word.  Fortunately, this position allows me to work from home so I can spend continue devoting more time to my music and composition and live on my own schedule.   For this new position, I am required to provide personal/professional references and was wondering if you would be willing to let me list you as a reference?  Our classes and time spent working on the senior thesis was integral to allowing me to be qualified for this position.  I would feel very comfortable having my new employer know about my time spent learning with you in the German department.  Would you be comfortable with me providing them with your name and work phone number in the Quad?  Let me know if this would be alright with you. 

Professor Wendy Sterba to give a Thursday forum talk on March 27 in Quad 346.

Adoring Adorno: A Door to Aesthetics in a Postmodern age? at SJU on March 27.

4:15  Little Theatre (Q346)

 Adoring Adorno: A Door to Aesthetics in a Postmodern age?

We live in a postmodern wonderland where master narratives, authority and values such as good and bad are hard to assess (well, we would have called them bad back in the day but now I guess they are instruments of hegemonic discourse.) Does this mean we are destined to consider all texts as equally valuable? Do we as Walter Benjamin would have it, politicize art at the risk of aestheticizing politics, or is there another answer to this dilemma of disappearing authority. This presentation seeks to look at three directions in German thought and what they say to us about the problems of art in culture and it does so in VERY SIMPLE straightforward terms that we can all understand and interact with.

Professor Lisa Ohm and senior Austin Eighan to present on current issues in Germany -- January 30 in Gorecki

“Update on Germany: Shifting Priorities and Overcoming Crises” has been accepted for the Spring Thursday Forum 2014 series. Th8is presentation will be on January 30, 2014 at 4:15pm, in the President’s Conference Room in Gorecki DCC at CSB.

Oktoberfest a Wild Success! -- Click on Link for 125 photos!

The German Club's fourth annual Oktoberfest was hosted on the 26^th of October.  This year was by far the most attended of years previous, making the German Club excited for the years to come.  This year the German Club was able to do a lot more in terms of getting the campus excited for the event, the highlight being a flash mob of the popular German song, Rock Mi, by VoXXclub, done in the Gorecki Dinging Center.  Games at the event included the popular Steinheben, or Stein hoist, and a costume contest of the most Germanic costume, giving students the opportunity to be creative and show off their Trachten.    
 
Click here to view photos ...
           http://www.flickr.com/photos/106949438@N06/

Oktoberfest Flashmob on Youtube!

Gorecki dining room ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V87eQ7Qnkc&feature=youtu.be

Internships Available in Germany!

These were provided by Aline Anliker, Executive Director. German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, MN Chapter, St. Paul, MN: www.gaccom-mn.org

• www.daad.de/en
• http://www.amchaminternship.org/
• https://www.cbyx.info/
• http://www.steuben-schurz.org/index.htm
• http://www.studentenwerke.de/
• http://www.cdsintl.org/
• http://www.europa-pages.com/german/
• www.WispGermany.org

This is the link to the internship programs of Allianz (for whom Mike Nimmo interned in Mpls this past summer) at their head office in Munich:  

https://www.allianz.com/en/careers/join_us/subpages_students/interns.html#

Semester School + Semester Internship in Germany ~~ All Expenses Paid ~~ Ages 18-24 ~~ Apply Soon!

 

From Fr. Mark: If you are interested, I am happy to help you fill out this application. Email me at mthamert@csbsju.edu .

Official Annoucenment:
I am pleased to announce that the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX), a fully-funded scholarship opportunity, is currently accepting applications from your students. Please make this information available to your students, and encourage them to apply in advance of the December 1 deadline:
_______________________________________

The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX) is a year-long fellowship to study and work in Germany. CBYX is open to applicants in all career fields, though preference is given to students in STEM fields, agriculture, business, and vocational fields. Students traditionally underrepresented in study abroad opportunities are especially encouraged to apply.

The fellowship is funded by the US and German governments through a grant provided by the US Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, under the authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961, as amended. More information can be found at www.CBYX.info.

The CBYX program annually provides 75 participants with:

• 2 months intensive German language training

• 1 semester of study at a German university or university of applied sciences

• 5-month internship with a German company in the participant’s career field

• Transatlantic airfare, health insurance, and monthly living expense stipends

Prior German language knowledge is not required, though it is preferred. Applicants should have clear career goals and some relevant work experience in their career field, which may include summer, part-time, or internship work. Participants must be between the ages of 18-24, possess a high school diploma or equivalent, and be US citizens or permanent residents.

Interested applicants can apply online at www.CBYX.info. The application deadline for the 2014-2015 program is December 1, 2013. We look forward to receiving applications from your students!

From Fr. Mark:  If you are interested, I am happy to help you fill out this application. Email me at mthamert@csbsju.edu

Mark Thamert's translation of Anselm Grün's Zeit der Erfüllung was published in October

 

(click on image to magnify)  

OKTOBERFEST in the Reef on October 1st ~~ Come with a Hearty Apetite!

Join us at the SJU Dining Service Refectory for OKTOBERFEST on Tuesday, October 1st. German Pot Roast, Spatzle, Pork Schnitzel, Jumbo Pretzels with Aged Cheddar and Beer Sauce, Red Cabbage with Caraway, and more! German specialties will be available at dinner. Meals may be paid for using punch or DiningBucks. Cash and credit also accepted. Auf Wiedersehen!

Dessert Night -- Kaiserschmarrn! The Emporer's Watchamacallit!

 

Good food. Good friends. Good fun!

Einen kulinarischen Abend im Zeichen Österreichs verbrachten 25 Studenten letzten Donnerstag. Es wurde Kaiserschmarrn gemacht, deutsche Musik gehört und natürlich auch Deutsch gesprochen. Alles in allem, eine „riesen Hetz“ (ein großer Spaß)!

Last Thursday, 25 students gathered together at the McKeown Center to experience an  Austrian cultural evening. They cooked Kaiserschmarrn (a traditional Austrian dessert), listened to German music and practiced their German speaking skills. All in all, it was a blast!

 

 

 

 

Megan Boetcher Returns from 15-Month Adventure Abroad

Liebe Saint Ben's and Saint John's Freunde!

    As I set out for Switzerland in May, 2012, I did not realize I would be embarking on a 15 month, world-wide adventure.
    I started by living in Germany and Switzerland for 8 months. This greatly benefited my German skills, especially conversationally. Even though I was nowhere near perfect, the locals still appreciated my efforts and helped me progress along the way. Sometimes, they seemed to assume my level of German was more advanced than in actuality, leaving me a bit lost at times. However, I found my niche, persevered and kept improving.
    Unfortunately, my time in Germany came to a halt as I was headed to yet another exciting destination, Taiwan. Even though my time in Taiwan did not allow me to practice my German, which left me missing it, I still tend to think in German and haphazardly say the occasional word or phrase.
    However, the more places I traveled and people I met, my love for venturing and living abroad flourished. If anyone is even entertaining the idea of living abroad, I recommend it whole-heartedly as I, too, plan on continuing my adventures in the near future.

Joe Wocken (SJU 2015) Heading to Lueneburg near Hamburg for Spring Term 2014

I am really excited about this program in northern Germany. I looked online for student exchange programs and this one seemed a good decision in terms of cost. Students from all over the US will be there. I will send more news when I am there.

A Secial Thanks to Our Friends and Partners 2012-2013

 

Thank you Lonnie Johnson in Vienna for guiding our Fulbright TA Recipients each year -- as well as the TAs who have joined us from Austria; Dave Lyndgaard, Provost Rita Knuesel, and Vice-Provost Joe Desjardins for supporting our new German Studies curriculum and paving the way for Fulbright TA positions at CSB/SJU. Thank you John Taylor for your work with foundations on our behalf; Tory Oelfke for finding fine living quarters for our visiting Fulbright TA/Scholars; Tom Kroll for superb management of our Salzburg Program; Nicole Clements and Peggy Retka from the Office of Education Abroad for your efforts in finalizing our new exchange program with the Catholic University of Eichstätt and for aiding in every aspect of our program at the University of Salzburg; Joe Rogers, Paula Ramaley and John Hasselberg for helping us create a vision for European and German Studies and German internships abroad; Karen Erickson, Sarah Pruett and Mary Niedenfuer for creatively and energetically leading our Languages and Cultures Department through departmental review and for guiding registration and curricular processes through the right channels; Lisa Ohm for your superb administration of the national German exam interviews for Minnesota high schools students and the awards banquet which followed; Stuart Goldschen for your astonishing photography and moral support; and thank you student leaders and language partners who created a very ambitious co-curricular program for German Studies, including a top-notch film series, Oktoberfest in the fall, Karneval just before Lent and Sustaina-Polka-bility in the spring. We couldn't do it without you!!

Interview with Chris Chambs about Study Abroad and His Career in Munich

Major: Accounting
Year of Graduation: 2001
Current Job: Senior Consultant, Financial Director for Allianz in Munich Germany

How were you introduced to the idea of working abroad? What opportunities did your work allow you to travel to another country?

In my junior year at CSB/SJU, 1999, I studied abroad on the Greco/Roman program. It spent 6+ weeks in Athens, a week in Istanbul, and 6+ weeks in Rome. Following the program, I travelled a month throughout Europe. It was an amazing experience and one of the key pieces that brought me to CSB/SJU. It allowed me to learn art and history on site and allowed me to spend Christmas in Paris, and the millennium celebration in Munich, where I just happened to return to live now. After leaving college, I worked at Deloitte & Touche, LLP in public accounting. I even explored some abroad opportunities then. I left Deloitte for Allianz Life in Minneapolis. The company's parent is Allianz SE in Munich, Germany. I spent 4+ years and always thought about the opportunity to go to Munich. A very good opportunity arose and my wife and I took it. It is at least a 2-year assignment working in the Finance function concentrating on planning and financial analysis.

You started out working for Deloitte & Touche, but then moved on to Allianz. What made you change your mind about working for this company?

Deloitte was a wonderful place for me to get my start. They brought me in after my sophomore year for a summer program and made me an offer then, so I have much to be thankful for. Further, things went extremely well for me there and I learned more than I could ever learn in any graduate school. I was learning a lot and had much success.
I never really "changed my mind." I got from Deloitte what I wanted to get from Deloitte...a great experience. I left for two reasons: (i) I wanted to work for a single company and help them be successful rather than working for 10 clients per year with minimal influence on how they do business, and (ii) personal reasons including the fact that I traveled probably a bit too much and worked perhaps too many hours. I know that I could have gone the partner route if that is what I wanted to do. I never felt that was the track that I wanted for myself from a holistic view.

How has a liberal arts education affected your career? What about the emphasis on language?

To me a liberal arts education has absolutely been key to my career. I have seen far too many cases of people that have the technical skills but lack the communication and soft skills to get by. A well-rounded person seems to be in a better spot to be successful. For instance, in public accounting, I worked with clients a great deal. The people that were able to speak and communicate with the client got noticed. The client always felt better served, which is the most important factor in client-service work, which is what public accounting is all about. The technical skills are important, but are not enough on their own. Likewise, someone in public accounting cannot just be a good communicator without solid technical skills.
Regarding language: a second language would only be helpful if the job specifically could leverage that. For instance, I never felt that I needed a second language at Deloitte or Allianz, and I include my time here in Germany. However, if you have a second language, you can seek jobs that can leverage that language. I can almost guarantee you that your odds become better as the interviewee-talent pool is smaller for a bilingual job. I would definitely recommend studying a location-specific language before moving to a place that speaks it. It just makes things far easier. Other countries may not be as accommodating to English.
I have been highly motivated since arriving to learn German. I have had about 30 private lessons and things are starting to really come together. I feel better about living here and it is a wonderful experience to learn and use another language. It is a great opportunity.
We are unfortunately deprived of this experience growing up. Language courses were not available for me until Junior High. Students here in Germany start learning English very early on. I hope that our daughter (10 months) is able to have such an opportunity to learn language as well.

What role did your major here at CSB/SJU play for your current career?

My experience with the "real world" is that you never know where you are going to end up. I started with public accounting and am far from that now. I would suggest rounding yourself out beyond just the major. Stay in close contact with the Career Resource Center and the professors in your field, because they are best positioned to answer your question specific to that major. Enjoy the liberal arts education, because I have always felt that was a key differentiator early in my career. I knew I had different skills than my colleagues from the U of M or UND, etc. And, this was to my advantage.
Overall, the job market is going to be looking for talented individuals with a business background, whether in accounting, management, or finance. Business is business. I always felt that the major was only a prerequisite. It was how I surrounded that major with experiences and stories to tell in an interview that was able to help me land the job I wanted. Grades and a major are very important as well.

How does a student start up an international career? Do you recommend going abroad right away or building experience at home?

When I started my career search at CSB/SJU, I did not look to start internationally. I think it is probably easier to do so later when the world doesn't seem quite as big, at least that is how it felt for me.  However, if you are interested, you should pursue your dreams. It may just require a bit more research, which is the key. The fun part of this is that you can look at companies, like Allianz, that are based internationally. Most large US companies (many of which are based in Minneapolis) also would have an international presence (Cargill, Carlson Companies, maybe Best Buy).
You can get a lot of info by looking at the career web pages. I have always thought this has been very insightful about how the company is organized along with what are the opportunities that are out there. You will also find that perhaps some of those opportunities are only possible after a few years experience. This info is still good in that it could tell you a lot about the company and what possibilities are available from a career path standpoint.
My experiences here have been very positive. I have been here for 7 months and have learned so much. I, personally, have really enjoyed working in finance for a company's headquarters. Before, I worked for the subsidiary company, which is obviously a very different viewpoint.

What challenges have you faced with a career abroad?

The challenges have primarily been logistical in relocating to another country. Where can we get the right baby food? Where can we find the best doctor that speaks English? What do we do if X happens? The triumphs come in figuring all these things out. Now, we are having visitors come reasonably often and it feels very good to be able to take them to less touristed spots that the locals like. We are slowly starting to feel like locals.
From a career standpoint, the triumph here is that I feel that I am making myself very marketable. International experience, whether in the form of studying abroad or working abroad, is very valuable in the market. I feel that I am getting better experience and learning more than I could ever get in any post-graduate studies.

Ed. Note: This interview can be found at http://www.csbsju.edu/Career/Students/ExploringMajors/Alum-Profiles/Chris-Chambs.htm

Andreas Kiryakakis' Translation of Der letzte Mönch von Tibhirine to be Published in November 2013

Andreas Kiryakakis has completed a translation of Der letzte Mönch von Tibhirine by Freddy Derwahl. This book recounts the same events as the award-winning film, Of Men and Gods.  Here is a description of the book from amazon.de: 

In der algerischen Wüste harrt eine kleine Schar von christlichen Mönchen im Kloster Tibhirine aus. Im durch Revolutionen aufgewühlten Nordafrika werden sie, im Spannungsfeld von Christentum und Islam, mehrfach von Rebellen bedroht. Nach intensiver Beratung beschließen die Mönche dennoch zu bleiben. Sie haben sich entschieden, für die Menschen da zu sein. Sie wollen ihre Krankenstation weiterhin öffnen, für Versöhnung eintreten und mit ihrem Leben dem christlichen Glauben Gestalt geben. Am 26. März 1996 kehren die Rebellen zurück. Sieben Mönche werden nachts entführt und später enthauptet. Die Umstände und Hintergründe der Morde sind bis heute ungeklärt. Dieses Buch erzählt das Leben von Frère Jean-Pierre Schumacher, den die Terroristen damals nicht entdecken. In seinen Erzählungen spiegelt sich, was damals wirklich geschah

Congratulations Andreas!

May 5th Sustaina-POLKA-bility Event Draws 130 Students, Faculty and Staff

  "SustainaPOLKAbility! is a community celebration of Collegeville's rich cultural and environmental heritage with live polka music and dancing, traditional German food and Catholic devotions, a beer garden, solar farm and greenhouse tours, as well as a beer brewing demonstration, local pottery sales, a lecture on Collegeville history by the SJU Archivist, Peggy Roske, and resources on sustainable living for students. The event serves as both a model and promoter of how to put on an event while using minimal resources and re-appreciating our own local identity. Long live the Polka-Revolution!

   The planners of this event are the students of the SJU Eco-Houses, in cooperation with our counterparts at CSB and the CSB/SJU German Club. See you next year!"

Austrian Novelist and Poet Ludwig Laher Enthralls Students and Faculty

Ludwig Laher read from his book Herzfleischentartung (Heart Flesh Degeneration) on Tuesday, April 30, 2013, at 7 PM in the Gorecki Center. the following day he also met with a student-lead book discussion group and Mark Thamert's upper-division German Poetry class. Here is a description of his book from Amazon.com:

In 1940 the Nazi Storm Troopers set up a Work Education Camp in St. Pantaleon near Salzburg and then, after its overhasty closure in 1941, a Gypsy Detention Center. Hundreds of arbitrarily incarcerated prisoners are tortured there, some murdered. The Camp Doctor is the parish doctor who has been called in specially. For a long time he records some harmless cause of death or other. (The 'heart-flesh degeneration' of a gypsy woman is, however , not his invention). But one day he calls in the State Attorney's Office. The files relating to the ensuing investigation are extant and form the basis for Ludwig Laher's literary work. It makes use -- in a sometimes chilling way -- of the language and logic of the murderers, but at the same time introduces a collective narrator and lets him follow the horrific events once again from the 1940s point of view, and then again from today's viewpoint. Laher also pursues the perpetrators into the resurrected Austria, and unfolds the later court proceedings: the judges are mild; in 1955 the principal perpetrator profits from the amnesty to mark the tenth anniversary of the founding of the Second Republic. The reader, who is drawn into the midst of events, may well feel his heart miss a beat when he witnesses how quickly the incursion of bestial conditions into the every-day life of the Austrian provinces becomes normality, and how quickly everything can be forgotten.

  Special thanks to our colleague, Dr. Greg Schroeder from the History Department, who arranged Laher's visit and packed schedule!  

Wendy Sterba to Present Paper in Marburg, Germany, on June 7

German Professor Wendy Sterba will present a paper at a conference in Marburg, Germany, titled "The Corporate and the Corporeal: Min(d)ing the Body - Conscience and Consumption in Early 21st Century Hollywood Dystopia.  The theme of the conference is Imaging the End of the World.  This conference is sponsored by Philipps University, Marburg, und Central Connecticut State University.

Wendy's paper looks at films such as Batman Begins, Land of the Dead, Surrogates and Joss Whedon's films and television shows to examine the effects of new technology on the gendered body in terms of conscience and how mind as neural circuit becomes an element driving revolutionary actions to corporate co-option of the body.

Congratulations, Wendy!

Mark Thamert's Translation of Anselm Grün's Die Zeit der Erfüllung to Be Published in September 2013

Mark's first major translation project will have the title, The Time of Fulfillment: A Guide for the Advent and Christmas Seasons. The author of the original German book is Anselm Grün, a Benedictine monk of Münsterschwarzach Abbey in Germany.  Anselm Grün is one of Europe's most-read spiritual writers.  Amazon.de gives the following summary of his book:    

Adventszeit und Weihnachtsfest rühren an eine tiefe Sehnsucht nach Frieden und Versöhnung, die hinter all dem Weihnachtstrubel spürbar wird. Anselm Grün möchte uns mit diesem Buch durch die Adventswochen bis zum Weihnachtsfest begleiten. Seine einfühlsamen Texte helfen der eigenen Sehnsucht auf die Spur zu kommen. Persönliche Impulse laden zu meditativer Stille und zum Bei-Sich-Sein ein. Das Buch öffnet so unsere Augen für den tieferen Grund dieser besonderen Zeit und lässt das Wunder von Weihnachten, die Menschwerdung Gottes, in neuem Licht erstrahlen.

Mark is currently working on an English translation of Abbot Georg Holzherr's Die Benediktsregel: Eine Anleitung zu christlichem Leben, an acclaimed commentary of the Saint Benedict's Rule for Monasteries. Mark's translation will be published by Cistercian Publications in spring 2014. Georg Holzherr served as abbot of Einsiedeln Abbey in Switzerland for 32 years.  Here is Amazon's description of his book:

Seit seinem Erscheinen vor mehr als zwanzig Jahren ist der Kommentar von Abt Georg Holzherr zur Benediktsregel über den deutschsprachigen Raum hinaus maßgebend geworden. Einerseits zeichnet er sich durch die gut lesbare Übersetzung und die wissenschaftliche Genauigkeit der Erklärungen aus, andererseits wendet er sich durch seine Verständlichkeit nicht nur an Fachleute. Vielmehr wird die Lehre des heiligen Benedikt für unsere heutige Zeit zugänglich und fruchtbar gemacht. Daher befasst sich die Auslegung vorwiegend mit der Spiritualität der Regel, die über die Ordensleute hinaus wegleitend für alle Christen sein will. Für die nun vorliegende 6. Auflage wurden Einführung, lateinischer Text, Übersetzung und Kommentar gründlich überarbeitet und gegebenenfalls korrigiert. Zudem wurden neue Publikationen gesichtet und verwertet. Den Text bereichern zusätzliche Zeugnisse, nicht zuletzt über das monastische Leben von Frauen.

Lisa Ohm Receives Prestigous Grant for Travel in Germany

 Anna Lisa Ohm, Department of Modern & Classical Languages/German Studies Program, has been invited to be one of fourteen guests of the Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (Pedagogy Exchange Service) of the German government to participate in a summer study trip to Bonn and Berlin. The travel group is made up of faculty members from across the nation who are members of the AATG (American Association of Teachers of German) and who serve as coordinators in their respective states for the national AATG high school testing program. Travel will take place in early July.

In December 2012 and January 2013, 540 Minnesota students taking German from seventeen different high schools across the State demonstrated their learning at three different levels in the national written exam. Students are thereby comparing their skills with others on a national level. Minnesota students are doing well, and we hope they continue their study of German in their college years.

Dr. Ohm organized the interviews at CSB for Minnesota high school students who scored 90% or above on the national exam on three different levels. Following the interviews, top-scoring students were invited to a recognition banquet at SJU along with their family members and teachers. The top student, Zoe Novak from St. John’s Prep, received one of the coveted four-week study trips to Germany as a guest of PAD and AATG. While in Germany, Ohm will have an opportunity for the first time to visit with study trip students at their sites in Nürnberg or Berlin.  Gute Reise, Dr. Ohm!

Megan Boettcher Making Plans to Study at Stuttgart Art Academy

Hello Everyone!  I am hoping to study at an art academy in Stuttgart during the 2014-2015 school year. I am going to work on getting a scholarship for this, whether it be through DAAD or the Baden-Würtemberg Scholarship. See you in the fall!

35 Top Students of German from 9 Minnesota High Schools Honored at CSB/SJU Awards Banquet

On Saturday, April 27, 2013, one hundred students, faculty members, parents and friends gathered in the Saint John's University Great Hall to celebrate the achievements of some 35 students who placed in the 90th percentile on the national AATG German test. Before and after a hearty lunch of Wienerschnitzel, Spätzele, Rotkohl und Apfelstrudel, event MC Mark Thamert lead the crowd in singing zwei Kanon-Lieder, Für Speis und Trank and Wann und wo?   

    

Wienerschnizel, Rotkohl, Spätzele, Salat, Apfelstrudel!

Click herer for the complete set of 80 photos from the awards ceremony:  AATG banquet 4-27-13

Dear Minnesota German teachers, Congratulations on your superb work
on behalf of Minnesota's students of German!

This year's honored High Schools:
Academy of the Holy Angels

Apple Valley High School

Hermantown High School

Irondale High School

Northfield High School

Rosemont High School

Saint John's Preparatory School

Saint Paul Academy and Summit School

Wayzata High School

And here are some of Minnesota's finest students of German:

Andreas Kiryakakis, Jae Cody (MNAATG president) and Lisa Ohm

Jae Cody and Mark Thamert, event MC.

Jae Cody congratulates Matt Mitchell on
his being named Minnesota German Teacher of the Year



Jutta Crowder receives the prestigious Concordia Language Villages
4-week summer scholarship on behalf of Saint Paul Academy 



Thank you, Lisa Ohm, for organizing such a wonderful event! 


Here is the complete set of 80 photos from the ceremony: AATG banquet 4-27-13

Special thanks to Jutta Crowder, Jim Nagel, Verena Luthy-Clay, Emmy Sack, Susan Sullivan, Rebecca Waterhouse and Jae Cody for being present to support and congratulate some of Minnesota's finest students of German!

Mark Thamert Receives 2013 CSB/SJU Faculty Award for Effective Use of Information Technology in Teaching and Learning

The Tom Creed Memorial Award for Effective Electronic Pedagogy was established in 2000 to recognize the efforts of those faculty members who strive to effectively incorporate information technology and web applications into their pedagogy. For several years prior to his death in 1999, Tom had worked to develop effective pedagogies using computer and web applications. His efforts were recognized nationally, within the American Association for Higher Education (AAHE), The Collaboration for the Advancement of College Teaching & Learning (formerly the Bush Collaboration), and The Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education (POD Network). He published extensively on this topic and presented many regional workshops to other faculty on the value and use of "Virtual Communal Spaces."

A description of Mark's use of informational technology can be found here:  http://www.employees.csbsju.edu/mthamert/Technology%20--%20Mark/index.html 

John Hasselberg from Our Global Business Leadership Department Visits Germany to Scout Out Internships for CSB/SJU Students

In June 2013, at the invitation of Klaus Jonas, Commercial Specialist for the American Consulate General in Düsseldorf, Germany, John will be part of a Minnesota delegation of five colleges to discuss the following questions: 

·         Do you have already partner universities in Germany, especially in North-Rhine Westphalia / Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW)? Shall we invite those partners? Do you have names for us of potential invitees?

·         Would you like to meet with scientists/teachers of a similar faculty, equal from which university in NRW?

·         Would you like to meet with potential recruiters of students for your university/college? Persons who are able to research for potential German college students and master students on your behalf? Contractors?

·         Would you like to meet with representatives of private or public universities, or both?

·         Would each one of you prefer to give a 5 minute presentation of your college/university before we open the meeting schedule?

·         Can the American Consulate General provide a list of companies in Germany who are especially open to having American students or recent graduates as summer or year-long interns? 

Thanks a million, John, for your important international work on behalf of our students!

Introducing Martin Spendlhofer

Saint John's and Saint Ben's welcomes Fulbright awardee Martin Spendlhofer as scholar and teaching assistant to our campuses.

   When asked about his plans to study abroad at CSB/SJU, Martin said,  "I want to immerse in the American culture and learn more about it. I wish to share my own German/Austrian culture and my views of the world by talking with as many students as I can. I would also like to broaden my own horizon by taking classes. One of the reasons why I want to be part of the Fulbright program is because I’ve always wanted to go abroad. I believe that 'thinking out of the box' – or better said,  'travelling outside your country' can broaden your mind considerably. You can get to know new people and new ways of living, thinking and even teaching and educating. My career goals can be put very simply: I want to keep teaching until I retire. After I have returned from the US, I plan to do my master’s degree in creative pedagogies while teaching to strengthen my practical knowledge." 

    Martin stands out for his interest in and knowledge of drama pedagogy and his innovative teaching ideas that are aimed at involving and motivating students. In addition to his teaching abilities he is also a volunteer at the Red Cross and has worked as a Catholic youth group leader. Through his extra-curricular involvement and his jobs as a teacher, Martin brings a thorough understanding of current affairs, economics and business practices in Germany to the table. In sum, Martin can be described as very hard working, insightful, collegial and innovative. Because of these qualities, he has already been offered a teaching position when he returns, one that will allow him to continue graduate studies simultaneously.  

     This coming year Saint John's University is also pioneering an exchange program with the University of Eichstätt in central Germany. Because Martin is further along in his career choice and goals, his presence on campus will enhance this exciting new exchange program and make it as fruitful as possible.   



Kafka's M e t a m o r p h o s i s hits the stage at CSB/SJU!

German theater at its best!

Metamorphosis by Steven Berkoff adapted from Franz Kafka

April 19 at 7:30 pm, April 20 at 2 pm and 7:30 pm
Colman Theater, Benedicta Arts Center, CSB
Note:  This is a free event.  Done in English.
The story begins with a traveling salesman, Gregor Samsa, waking to find himself transformed into a monstrous vermin.  His family struggles in dealing with his new appearance and situation, which causes much emotional and financial heart-ache.  Eventually, the family makes a decision about his future and their own.   An ethical and psychological dilemma.

Karneval Celebration a Big Success

Karneval at Gorecki this year featured mask making, games, German music, musical chairs, and trivia about German speaking countries.  At the end of the night, the winner of the best mask contest won a $5 Local Blend gift card, as did the winner of music chairs.  We had a lot of fun and thank you to the 60 students who participated in this great event. 

Thank you too to all who helped plan this event: Kristine Bornus, Steve Pignato, Katie Tillman, Martin Leimser, Rebecca Bilbro, and Jessica Raboin. 

Rebecca Bilbro and Ben Kollaja to be Pioneers of Our New Eichstätt Exchange Program

Rebecca and Ben have been chosen to be the first CSB/SJU students to engage in our new exchange program with  Eichstätt University just north of Munich. After Rebecca and Ben spend a year and semester in Eichstätt respectively, German students will come to CSB/SJU, a true exchange between our universities!

Congratulations Rebecca and Ben!

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