I am a senior at Massachusetts Institute of Technology majoring in theoretical mathematics with a minor in economics. Over the summer of 2007, I was fortunate enough to receive a "Research Internships in Science and Engineering" scholarship through the DAAD. I spent two months working at the Technical University of Munich on a statistics project concerning stochastic processes. Working at the university, I witnessed the dynamics of several research groups and was astounded by the synergy and collaboration within each department. I also attended seminars organized by the university, which helped me gain expertise in my research topic. Besides the superb educational system, I was pleased to interact with German culture. I was candidly welcome by my German collegues, with whom I had the chance to practice German and visit many beautiful German cities and landscapes. I would definitely encourage people to go to Germany regardless of their background and would be more than happy to share my impressions about studying and working in Germany. Feel free to drop me a line!

My name is Ismaeel and I've just returned from a year abroad in Stuttgart. I am studying Civil Engineering & International Development at the University of Western Ontario. I am looking forward to a career as a Civil Engineer, who would be working in developing areas of the world. I consider myself extremely lucky to have participated in such an overwhelming exchange experience in Germany. It has truly left me in awe and I still can't believe it is already over! This experience abroad has given me the opportunity to learn not only about an amazing foreign country, language and culture, but also about myself, as a growing individual. There is definitely one thing that everyone will miss- and that is the extraordinary people that they have come to known through their exchange experience. The friends I have made abroad are lifelong connections; and I can sincerely say, this has been the start of my career.

I am a senior studying Communication and Germanic Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder. My education of German culture, lifestyle, and language is marked by the exciting year I spent in Regensburg, Germany. There, I pursued my Germanic Studies major at the Universit?t Regensburg during the 2006-2007 academic year in one of Germany?s most pulsing and attractive Bavarian cities. During my adventurous year abroad I completed a number of academically stimulating courses that expanded my knowledge of the language and its dynamic culture and history, maintained a job translating for a business professor on campus, and had the opportunity to teach and become largely involved with pupils at a local public school. In addition, I created lasting friendships with fellow students, built a deep and meaningful relationship with a family that allowed me insight into German domestic life and offered me support in every way, immersed myself in the community by participating in a local choir, and utilized Germany?s central location to travel all over Europe. Being in Germany not only remarkably improved my language and academic skills, but also developed my leadership abilities and positively transformed the way I view cross-cultural interactions and experiences. Whether you are interested in studying, working, or traveling to Germany, this country has profound opportunities to offer every open mind that enters its borders.

I am a senior majoring in aerospace engineering at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. My first immersion into the wonderful German culture was due the DAAD RISE program. I spent the summer of 2007 conducting research at the Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule in Aachen, Germany. I arrived in Germany with no knowledge of the language and a handful of stereotypes that I believed represented the people. I left Germany with a small yet worthwhile understanding of the language and without the stereotypes. My experiences in Germany expanded my mind, and they taught me to be more open towards other cultures. My experiences in Germany were so amazing that I wanted to share them with other students like myself.

I am currently a senior at UCLA but I was lucky enough to study in Germany during the fall and winter of my junior year. As a science major, I didn?t think I would be able to study abroad but after meeting with a counselor I found that I could not only study abroad but could also get a German minor in doing so. I went to a small university town called Göttingen where I studied at Georg-August Universität and had a phenomenal time. My classes were really interesting, the people I met were easygoing and approachable and the beer was unbeatable. Also, I was able to travel all around Europe for cheap since Germany is in a central location. My time abroad was truly amazing and I can only hope that everybody gets the chance to experience what I did.

I am a junior at Drexel University in Philadelphia majoring in Information Systems. German came into my life early during the 8th grade and I continued through high school as well as into college. Having German forefathers I was drawn to the language and studies of Germany, its people and its culture. My first trip to Germany was in Summer 2005 on the DAAD sponsored program "High Tech in Old Munich". There I was able to put my studies to use with the language as well as experience the things which I had, until then, only read about in books and heard in lectures. As a smaller part of my larger plans this trip allowed me to vastly improve my language skills which were invaluable to me upon my return to Germany in 2006 where I spent 1 year in Munich as an exchange student with the further support of the DAAD through their undergraduate scholarship. During this stay I took courses at the Technische Universit?t M?nchen and completed a five month internship at Siemens Business Services GmbH in Munich. I had the wonderful opportunity to travel all around Germany visiting many of the large cities. I also had the chance to fully immerse myself as I stayed with four German students in an apartment in Munich for the year. Germany has so much to offer anyone who is simply willing to go and the time spent will surely change your life. I experienced my first Oktoberfest, bought Lederhosen and absolutely fell in love with Germany during one of the best years of my life! Please contact me if you have any questions or need any ideas about going to Germany, I am more than happy to help in anyway possible!

I am a senior studying German and Economics as a double major at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. I studied abroad my junior year at the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Universit?t in Frankfurt, Germany. I started learning my first few words of German when my Grandma and German-born Grandpa babysat for my sister and me when we were very young. When I was seven my cousin studied abroad and I never doubted that I would follow in her shoes once I got to be her age. Having traveled to Germany prior to studying abroad I had some preconceived notions of what my year would be like. I had then believed that Frankfurt was the metropolis of Germany. Was I ever shocked to find out far after my arrival that it is actually Germany's fifth largest city! While I was there I studied the language, translation, Germany history, and spent some time working at two very sporadic part-time jobs. It was also a huge eye opener to meet so many people with such different views on life by traveling throughout Germany and all around Europe. Through all my experiences I have become so much more independent and open-minded than I ever could have by spending the traditional four years at an American university. I hope I can help answer any of your questions and encourage you to take your opportunity to go abroad!

In my experience, the key to success is motivation. Regardless of what a person does, true enthusiasm opens countless doors and provides access to a wealth of opportunities. Subscription to this view in my academic, work and private life has made my early years at university especially fruitful. I have had the chance to learn German without any prior knowledge, work in the area of business development, instruct other students as an economics teaching assistant and carry out paid research in the field of social entrepreneurship. Most recently, I was offered a DAAD/ Universit?t Augsburg scholarship which covered my costs during a year long exchange in Germany. In that time, I made every attempt to immerse myself in the host language and culture, develop strong relationships and networks, as well as reflect on the values and beliefs that I brought with me. My experiences and those of others having lived, worked and studied abroad can not be fully appreciated through stories or discussion. This is why I so passionately encourage others to consider taking a similar step and am willing to support anyone in search of advice or help.

I am a senior at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York majoring in Economics and German. My first time in Germany I was eighteen, and I was visiting a family friend in Freiburg for a few weeks. After returning, I knew I wanted to come back. I started taking German at the University of Rochester and I was lucky enough to spend my entire junior year at the Universit?t zu K?ln (Cologne) through an exchange program between the two universities. My time there exceeded my wildest expectations. I spent the first month in Cologne taking a German language class with other exchange students from all over the world, and together we set off exploring the city. Once the semester got going, I took classes in history, literature and economics. Additionally, I taught an English class at the university as required by my exchange. My time studying in Germany was not only fun, but it changed the way I think, and how I look at the world. Please feel free to email me with your questions, plans, experiences, or anything at all!

Hi, my name is Shane Gummersheimer and I am a computer science and German student at the University of Tulsa. I got the opportunity to study abroad in Germany through my university's partnership with the German University of Siegen. While Siegen isn't nearly as large as some of the other University cities in Germany, it was a perfect fit for me. For a few months I lived with a host family in a suburb of the city and worked in a small company there. Afterwards, I moved into an international dorm closer to downtown. The experiences I had in both places were enriching and helped me realize a very important fact. The world is a much smaller place than people seem to think. People in Europe are very much like their American counterparts. Additionally, I continued my studies in computer science in Germany, which was a difficult, but enriching experience to both practice my major and a foreign language at the same time. Also, it was interesting to try out a lot of different leisure activities that are not so popular in the United States like soccer. The experience truly moved me and taught me things that would be impossible to learn in any other setting, and I would love to be able to pass this experience on to any other student of any nationality.

Germany came on my radar screen by chance. When I graduated high school, I knew I wanted to do something international, but I really wasn't too picky. I've always loved an adventure, so I set off to live in Germany speaking not one word of German. I fell in love with the culture, and after a few months of headaches and heartaches, I finally fell in love with the language. This experience changed my world view, and my career path. Now, as a senior at American University in Washington DC, I'm triple majoring in International Relations, Economics, and German. Last fall I had the opportunity to study at the Freie Universitaet's FU-BEST program in Berlin, which only cemented my status of a "Deutschaphile". Please contact me if you have any questions regarding studying international relations, economics, or political science in Germany! On another note, please contact me if you want to know where the best Doener is in Berlin.

My first experience studying in Germany came when I was awarded the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) scholarship. I lived in Potsdam right outside of Berlin, and it was the greatest time of my life. From visiting all the palaces and historical gardens to the great night life. My love for Germany soon brought me back where I studied at the Brandenburg Technical University in Cottbus near the Polish border. The BTU Cottbus as a young university with the most modern facilities, and I enjoyed every minute I was there. Currently I am a senior studying Bio Systems Engineering and German at the University of Arizona. I am involved in many organizations of campus including Theta Tau: Professional Engineering Fraternity where I am the chapter President. I also work at the Soft Tissue Biomechanics Laboratory here at the University of Arizona, and hope to pursue a career in Bio Engineering and Medicine. At my school I love promoting both engineering in all its pursuits and studying abroad. Now with the DAAD, I can?t wait to do both.

My name is Jennings Imel and I am a Political Science and German major at the University of California-Riverside. From the moment I enrolled as a Freshman I wanted to study abroad in Germany. Germany?s rich and sometimes turbulent history had always fascinated me because of my deep interest in history and particularly because of my own German ancestry. I chose to study in the majestic Prussian and former East German city of Potsdam. I could not think of another location in Germany as intriguing and as steeped in history as Potsdam. Nowhere but in Potsdam could one witness the grandeur of Prussian might, the sight of the Potsdam Conference, the legacy of East German communism, and the vibrancy of a city reconstructing its image. Living and studying in Potsdam was undoubtedly the greatest experience of my life. I was able to attend classes and live in a fascinating city of tremendous historical significance and beauty, while being located just 20 minutes southwest of Berlin. While in Potsdam I traveled throughout virtually all of Germany and explored numerous other European countries and cultures. Despite all of my travels it was the little things that made my time in Germany amazing. I remember frequenting Asia Imbiss and the burger joint at Zoologischer Garten in Berlin. I remember the wine festival in the small town of Werder, playing basketball with the locals, and occasionally baseball in Park Sansoucci. It?s the little things I remember most and it?s through these experiences that I was able to feel truly immersed in the culture. Studying abroad in Germany is a fantastic experience and I encourage all college students to take advantage of the opportunities provided by DAAD and various other study abroad programs. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Since graduating High School in 2000, I have spent over four years living, studying and working in Germany. During my time as a Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship recipient (2000-2001), I discovered my love for Germany, its people, and culture. Therefore, I attended the Otto-Friedrich-Universit?t in Bamberg during my sophomore year in 2002-2003. After taking a few years off to work in Germany, I returned to WVU for the spring 2006 semester. I decided to expand my knowledge of German and the German culture at the Hessische Sommer Universit?t Fulda (at the Hochschule Fulda University of Applied Sciences) for four weeks in summer 2006. Aside from studying full time, I also work in my university?s study abroad office. Because I enjoy this type of work, I plan to pursue a career as a study abroad advisor or coordinator after possibly attending graduate school —maybe even in Germany! Click her for more information.

My name is Daniel John Linsenbardt and I am a senior at San Diego State University studying English Literature, Philosophy, and German. I spent the 2005/2006 academic year studying at Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen. During this time, not only did I grow exponentially in my knowledge of German language and culture, but I was also able to take some philosophy classes in German at the university that was attended by famous philosophers Hegel and Schelling. In addition to the huge academic benefits I gained through my time in Germany, I was also able to meet people from all over the world, travel to several countries in Europe, take salsa dancing and jiu jitsu lessons, live for 6 weeks on the second floor of a Schwäbische restaurant, hiked through the black forest picking wild mushrooms for dinner, and volunteer my time at the German American Institute teaching English to school children. This is just a small picture from one person?s experience of the diverse range of opportunities in Germany which make it ideal not only for every kind of entertainment, but also for both academic and personal growth.

I am currently undertaking my second undergraduate degree at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario (Canada). I was drawn to Modern German Art and Design very early in my academic career during my first Bachelor degree at NSCAD University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I was eager to prepare for an exchange semester in Germany during my second year, and began to research schools and to study the German language throughout my third year. When I discovered the DAAD, I sensed that my prospects of exchange to Germany were becoming increasingly promising and I was beyond ecstatic upon receiving the DAAD Undergraduate Scholarship. Academically, I was able to explore a variety of design methods and techniques at the Hochschule fuer Gestaltung Schwaebisch Gmuend that I would not have been exposed to in Canada. I was also able to examine a large number of primary documents pertaining to the history of German Design during the interwar period, which I was able to employ while writing my Honors Thesis back in Canada. Personally, I had the privilege of living with three German students who insisted that I speak with them in German, thereby reinforcing my ability to speak the language. I also enjoyed walking along the "Josef Baechle" (a small stream) among the autumn colors, watching children illuminate the evening streets with their lanterns on St. Martin's day, drinking Gl?hwein at the Christmas market, and listening to a Christmas choir among the walls of the central Gothic Cathedral (fully adorned with fourteenth century gargoyles). Currently, I am gaining further academic experience in the fields of History and Modern Languages at Trent University, and am interested in the cultural history of both Germany and Lithuania. I hope to explore the cultural dynamics of both during my Graduate degree.

I was home for the winter break and, as is usual in Canada, the outdoor temperature was a brisk -20C. I had two things on my mind: finding a summer job in academia and, more pressingly, getting out of the country! It was with these two goals in mind that I fell upon DAAD's website and began to read about the RISE program. Before long, I was convinced that a paid summer internship at a University in Germany was the perfect combination of these two interests. I applied, and six months later -speaking not a lick of German I should add-, I arrived in Berlin. The 2006 World Cup kicked off two days later and I never looked back. During my three month stay, I lived out incredible adventures, discovering the culture of soccer (ok, football), meeting other similar-minded students and traveling across Europe... all this in between some very rewarding research conducted at the Chemistry Department of Humboldt University. The friendships I made, the experience I gained and the new language I learned will undoubtedly last a lifetime. Living, learning and working in such a beautiful city as Berlin was an amazing opportunity and I'd love to share it with you, so please don't hesitate to contact me!

As I start my fifth and final year at the University of Michigan, I have already had one year back in the United States to reflect on my experiences at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet in Muenchen with the Junior Year in Munich program. Like so many students starting a liberal arts education at a huge state school, I spent my freshman year not knowing at all what I truly wanted to study and had no idea what a large role German would play in my life. I took no German at all in High School and have no German heritage. However, when I started my first intensive German course at U of M, I was immediately drawn in by the subtle beauty of this often misunderstood language and culture. My ten months in Germany during my junior year solidified my language skills and deepened my knowledge of this amazing country which is becoming such an important player in world economics. Whether you struggle just to order food in German or consider yourself fluent, spending time in Germany will change your life for the better. I gained a whole new level of independence and made some of the most loyal friends I have ever had, friends who I still talk to every couple weeks in the States! I also had the opportunity to work at a language school in the Altstadt of Muenchen and realized through this experience that teaching was my passion and life goal. Now back in the States, I have a sense of direction I never would have acquired without my time in Germany and a better understanding of the world as a whole. Please feel free to contact me for any information about my time abroad, my travels and experiences. I love any opportunity to talk about one of the most important times of my life.

Travelling to Germany in the winter of 2006-07 was a return to my roots for me - I got in touch with a whole side of my family that I had seen rarely or never before, and developed the language skills to communicate with them! I also had an all-round amazing time munching d?ner kebaps, riding the S-Bahn, studying political science at the Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, and travelling around Europe. I also had some trouble navigating the German bureaucracy - whether it was school residence, registering for courses, or getting a residence permit, library card, or Scheine from the university, it was almost always a baffling ordeal. That's why I want to help out - having been through it all, I can help you get through the bureaucracy easily and have more time to enjoy Germany!

I am a senior at Iowa State University majoring in Materials Engineering. As a sophomore I had the opportunity to study abroad in Sweden and ever since then I have become addicted to experiences abroad. I knew last year that I wanted an internship abroad for the summer, and after much research I discovered the DAAD. The DAAD?s RISE (Research Internships in Science and Engineering) program was a perfect match for me: it combined excellent research experience with living in Germany. I worked at the University of Saarland in the Functional Materials department as an assistant to a Ph.D. student. I had such a unique and great experience that summer (2006), that when I heard about DAAD?s new program, RISE-professional, I did not hesitate to apply. This summer (2007) I worked in the Corporate Research department at Bosch near Stuttgart. Although this was also research, it was a completely different experience because it was with a company. I made many contacts at Bosch and at the University of Saarland, both personal and professional, and I have left many doors open if I choose to continue to work or study in Germany. During both summers I have traveled all around Germany and discovered its many different sides. I encourage you to take this incredible opportunity and experience what I have!

When I returned to college in my 30s, I knew that as a non-traditional student I would face many challenges. But nothing prepared me for the biggest challenge of my life, when Hurricane Katrina nearly destroyed my home and life in New Orleans the first week into my senior year. In the days after the storm, there was so much uncertainty, but universities throughout Germany, with the support of the DAAD, were moving to help. I received an offer from BTU-Cottbus to study there for the winter semester with a very generous grant from the DAAD. I hesitatingly accepted the offer, unsure and afraid of such a drastic move away from home where I was needed most. I was then given another grant to go to Phillips Universit?t in Marburg for the summer semester. What started out as a year of fear and sadness, turned into one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I will be always grateful to the DAAD and the German people for reaching out to me and the many other Katrina students during our time of need. I have decided to use my term as a Young Ambassador to build lasting bridges between Germany and Louisiana strengthening ties with the people of Germany who reached out to help strangers from a foreign land. My service is my thanks.

Click on the hyperlink here to read about Michael's work at UNO and how crawfish brought him to Cottbus.

I have always been interested in travel and studying abroad during college was a must. I wanted not only to be able to travel in a foreign country but to be comfortable living, working, and making friends in it. As a biology major, I wanted very much to continue my studies abroad either in the classroom or in a research laboratory. I found DAAD's Research internship in Science and Engineering (RISE) and it fit perfectly. I was able to spend the summer working at Duesseldorf Universitaet in the heart and cardiovascular research group where I was able to have an invaluable training in physiology, as well as becoming good friends with many of the people working in my lab and in the city. On weekends, I was able to travel quickly and easily by train. Germany is small enough to travel from one end to the next, but big enough for there always to be something new to discover. I was able to visit Dresden, Heidelberg, Berlin, Bonn, and Muenster and even to neighboring countries like Switzerland and Holland. I really enjoyed my time in Germany, truly the melting pot of Europe, and hope that I will be able to return soon.

Wow! I am very excited to be taking part in this program because it gives me the opportunity to talk about the wonderful experiences that I had in Germany! My reason for living in Munich, Germany was to find out whether I would want to live there in the future. Coming from Poland, I knew I love Europe, but to speak of it as a resident rather than a tourist is a completely different experience altogether. I had such a great time meeting incredible people from all over Europe and, of course, Germany during my stay that I must say the experience is irreplaceable. It was such a pleasure to take a year off from the regular hustle and bustle of the typical campus and learn things that books can't teach you about the old country! In addition, I had the opportunity to travel to England, the Netherlands, Poland, France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and almost every known city in Germany! So please feel free to contact me regarding any questions that you may have on your way to studying abroad in Europe, I am always available.