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Participant Experiences

Kölsch and a side of Bratwurst! Adventures of a PPPler in Cologne!

Hey zusammen! I’m Jamauri. I am currently a member of the 38th cohort of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals, an international fellowship funded by the German Bundestag and the US. Department of State.

This is my second time talking about my experience during the program. If you haven’t already read my introductory post, feel free to check it out here! This post will be focused on my life during the study phase of the program in Cologne.

The life of a university student in Germany

Ice skating rinks are popular in the winter! This was my first-time skating on ice!

After finishing up my language school phase at the end of September, I packed my bags and moved from Saarbrücken to my final placement, Cologne. Cologne is the 4th largest city in Germany and is situated in the north in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. For my university phase, I enrolled as a guest student studying Information Systems at the University of Cologne, one of the largest public universities in Germany.

Studying in Germany is fairly cheap. Most universities do not charge tuition fees and students are only required to pay a semester contribution that covers certain fees such as travel passes and student unions, and other administrative costs. One of the biggest differences that I noticed between universities in Germany and the US is there is a lot less “hand-holding” in Germany. Whereas it’s common for US Students to meet regularly with an advisor to map out their degree requirements, it’s quite the opposite in Germany. German students do have access to advisors within their departments, but the responsibility of planning courses and graduation requirements generally falls on the student themselves. Outside of supporting academics, universities in Germany generally do not provide oversight over student organizations, housing or other aspects of student affairs that are typical in the US.

This is a prototype that my team and I made for our class. A Podcast for the University of Cologne!

This semester, I took four courses in total. Two courses in English and two in German. My most interesting class was a course in English focused on Design Thinking. Design Thinking is a non-linear method that allows a team to understand potential users, reimagine problems, and create innovative solutions. During the semester, I was placed on a team with four other international students from Sweden, Taiwan, and Hungary. Our conclusive result at the end of the course was an outline for a university podcast hosted by the International Student Office at the University of Cologne.  The origin of the podcast came from a question posed at the beginning of the course: How might we ease the transition to a new country, culture, and university for exchange students to ensure that they are able to make the most out of the opportunity? After combing through our networks and interviewing our international peers, we concluded that a podcast would be a modern way to pass on relevant information to incoming exchange/international students.

Finding Community

If you read my last blog post, you’ll recognize the meal shown in this photo: Raclette! This type of meal is popular in Germany.

Upon moving to Cologne, I also moved in with my new host family. My host parents, a retired couple in their 60s, welcomed me with open arms. Prior to retirement, both worked as German teachers at the local Gymnasium. They both have been instrumental in my German learning journey. We eat breakfast together every morning and even find the time to have Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake).

One of my most rewarding experiences has been attending a church here in Cologne. I joined the church’s youth group which consists of students, young professionals, and other young adults from the Cologne area. It was a bit daunting at first because everything was conducted in German, but it was incredibly important to my immersion experience.

Here you can see two friends and I sitting in the Active Zone. It’s a great place to study or relax when you have free time.

The CBYX program requires participants to complete forty hours of volunteer work at a local organization. To complete my requirement, I volunteered at Active Zone, a local café and youth center that’s funded by the Evangelical Free Church in Cologne Ostheim. Every Friday, the café opens its doors to homeless residents in Cologne. These residents are free to dine and relax all free of charge each week.

A Florida Man Experiences the Holidays in Deutschland!

Glühwein is a popular drink that you can find at Christmas markets in the winter!

Christmas is a big deal in Germany! Every year, millions of people flock to Christmas markets to buy gifts, drink Glühwein and relax in preparation for the holidays. Christmas, or Heiligabend, as it’s known in Germany is traditionally celebrated by most families on December 24th. On Heiligabend, I cooked potatoes and beef and with my host family, and we exchanged all sorts of gifts. I even got to try my hand at baking Christmas cookies!

On New Year’s Eve, I headed to a friend’s apartment, and we watched the fireworks from the balcony as we ushered in the New Year.

Frohes Neues Jahr! Do you have any new year resolutions?

To say, I’ve been busy would be an understatement. Every day is something new here in Deutschland. That’s all from me now. Next time, I’ll be talking more about the next phase: The Internship phase!

Posted on:

March 15 2022

Author:

Cultural Vistas Communications

Participant Experiences

Jamauri Takes On Deutschland!

My first day in Deutschland!

Hi everyone! My name is Jamauri Bryan. I am currently a member of the 38th cohort of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (or CBYX for short!) I am originally from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Family, Youth, & Community Sciences. I had never been to Germany or studied German before CBYX, but I became interested in the country back in 2019.

During my senior year of college, I became good friends with a German exchange student from Aachen. Towards the end of the semester, he encouraged me to consider visiting Germany in the future. Shortly after, I found out about CBYX after searching for international fellowships online. As a first-generation and low-income college student, I initially did not think I had the credentials or the experience to participate in a program like CBYX. However, with a bit of encouragement from my family and friends, I decided to throw my hat into the ring. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, after all!

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting after interviewing, I finally got my acceptance email! To this day, I thank God for allowing me to be in such an amazing country!

Go Gators! Friendship has no borders!

Becoming a Young Ambassador in Saarbrücken

In normal circumstances, CBYX cohorts meet in DC for orientation. However, due to Covid, the 38th cohort of CBYX had a virtual orientation, and we all met in DC several hours before heading to Germany. As young ambassadors, we are increasingly reminded of what it meant to represent the US and how our identities might shape our experiences abroad.

The Saarbrooklyn peeps!

During the first two months of the program, I spent my time with 12 other CBYXers in Saarbrücken, the capital city of Saarland state. From 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM, we were enrolled in intensive German language courses to prepare us for life in Deutschland for the next year.

Weekends are for the boys in Germany.

I think that that Saarbrücken was a great introduction to Germany as a whole. It’s a bit larger than a village but smaller than a larger city such as Stuttgart. My host family has lived in Saarland for most of their lives, and it was really fascinating to hear how much Saarland has changed since Germany’s reunification.

The greatest thing about being in Saarbrücken were some of the people I met. Students, young professionals, retirees, and many more! Some of the German students that I have met are very knowledgeable about global events, and we spent hours talking about the similarities between Germany and the United States.

Onward to Cologne!

Raclette night for the German election!

After spending two months here already, I found it hard to say goodbye to Saarbrücken. During the last week, my classmates and I were treated to a German/Swiss Raclette Dinner by one of the host families. It was a great way to wrap up our experience in Saarbrücken.

Moving forward, I am excited to live with a host family and experience life in a big city like Cologne. I will be attending the University of Cologne and taking classes in Information Systems. Armed with my German knowledge, I am ready to continue my adventures in the North Rhine-Westphalia region!

Posted on:

October 12 2021

Author:

Cultural Vistas Communications Team

Participant Experiences

Cultural Vistas Completes Virtual IVLP Alumni Pilot for U.S. Classrooms

We experienced firsthand that learning and broadening horizons do not stop even as the summer months arrive.

Earlier this year, Cultural Vistas worked with its partners in the Office of International Visitors at the U.S. Department of State on a unique opportunity to virtually connect alumni from the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) to U.S. students aged between twelve and twenty-four years old. The “IVLP in the Classroom” pilot program offered IVLP alumni a chance to connect with American youth and share their knowledge and experience on a broad range of topics, including language and culture, the environment, diplomacy, and international leadership, and LGBTQ issues.

Thanks to the enthusiasm and dedication of cultural affairs officers at numerous U.S. Embassies, we collected more than 100 alumni as candidates. Then, in collaboration with our colleagues in the Global Ties U.S. network, we identified a varied group of schools and extracurricular programs to engage with for this unique learning opportunity.

We quickly learned how broad the term “classroom” is and the critical role technology plays in helping students stay connected to learning opportunities. From our first session on June 10th in Charleston, South Carolina, to our final session in Boston, Massachusetts, our alumni “visited” young Americans who attended both traditional schools and non-traditional extracurricular programs. They also interacted with students who were either in person or attending virtually.

The primary format of each session included opening remarks from alumni about their country, their lives, and their work. Each virtual engagement evolved based on the type and location of the institution and the students’ personal and academic interests.

In Arizona, 2011 IVLP alum and art curator for the Costa Rica-United States Cultural Center, Juan Diego Roldán Castillo, met with a group of art students at the Scottsdale Artists’ School for an overview of Costa Rica’s art culture and an interactive coaching session on what it means to be an artist. The session ended with each student walking up to the camera on the instructor’s computer and showing Juan Diego their painting interpretations of the same image of a waterfall. He also gave each student optional homework – to create a watercolor painting out of unusual pigments such as tea bags, coffee grounds, food dye, etc. He then encouraged them to share their creations with him via email.

We also worked with the Atlanta Institute for Diplomatic Leadership (AIDL), an extracurricular program founded by Bob McCormick—a retired schoolteacher who sought to engage Atlanta metropolitan area high school students on topics including diplomacy and leadership environmental sustainability, and public health. In July, for his two-day Sustainability & Environment Workshop, we connected Bob and his students with 2014 IVLP alum Gergely Hankó of Hungary. He currently manages the Hungarian Association of Environmental Enterprises (HAEE) and consults and volunteers for The PLASTIC Cup of Tisza, a nonprofit created to help reduce waste flowing into the Tisza River.

Gergely introduced the students to his home country, connected Hungary’s current environmental issues to broader trends in Europe and the world, and then showcased the work of The PLASTIC Cup. Gergely visited Atlanta during his IVLP in 2014 but lamented that he did not have much time to explore the city and surrounding areas. The session ended with Bob inviting him back to Atlanta and proposing a “sister rivers” initiative between the Tisza and Chattahoochee rivers.

The cultural and educational exchanges implemented through this virtual program are an unexpected but welcomed by-product of the Covid-19 pandemic. As U.S classrooms continue to improve their technological capabilities, the opportunities to broaden student horizons increase. The virtual space certainly does not replace the power of in-person connections, but it does provide an excellent complement to these programs. Cultural Vistas is excited to use this shift in engagement techniques and standards to further our mission and strengthen the ties between communities across the globe.

A big thank you to our Global Ties U.S. Partners:

Posted on:

September 27 2021

Author:

Cultural Vistas Communications Team

Announcements

Cultural Vistas’ ISO 27001 Information Security Certification

Cultural Vistas is a staunch advocate for the data privacy of our clients, participants, and stakeholders. In 2021, we formally solidified the trust others put into our organization by achieving an ISO 27001 Information Security Certification.

 

ISO 27001:2013 is the international standard for best practices in Information Security Management Systems (ISMS). This standard requires rigorous business controls and management processes to ensure information security and business risks are identified, evaluated, and managed for the benefit and continuity of the business. Risks are comprehensively evaluated based on the impact to Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA) of business and information assets.

Cultural Vistas is certified by an independent accredited certification body, DEKRA, that performed stage 1 and stage 2 audits on the business. The certification process measures the performance of security best practices and identifies opportunities to improve those practices.

International best-practice standards in place at Cultural Vistas include these and other areas:
• Information security policies
• HR security
• Asset management
• Access control
• Environmental security
• Operations security
• Communication security
• Supplier relationships
• Incident management
• Business continuity

In addition, Cultural Vistas is GDPR compliant and similarly aligned with provisions of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the following ways:
• Right to be forgotten/right to erasure
• Right to know about data usage
• Right to access personal data
• Right to opt-out
• Right to portability

With ongoing infrastructure investments, Cultural Vistas will be a trusted leader in data protection, privacy, and security. We look forward to leveraging this achievement to grow our relationships as trusted partners with clients and stakeholders.

Posted on:

August 23 2021

Author:

Cultural Vistas Communications Team

Uncategorized

Meet Our 38th Cohort of the CBYX for Young Professionals Program

It is our pleasure to announce the newest cohort of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals program! Seventy young professionals from the United States will leave for Germany on July 31st for an 11-month program of intensive language studies, homestay, internship and university study and be placed throughout Germany.

We are especially excited that the program will return to an in-person format this year after being fully virtual for the 37th cohort. Participants from the 37th year were invited to reapply, and many were selected for the in-person program again this year.

The 2021-2022 cohort was chosen from excellent candidates from 49 states and 1 U.S. territory. Finalists represent 30 states and Puerto Rico. Senior Director of CBYX Daniel Villanueva stated, “We are not only excited to again be able to facilitate this important transatlantic exchange program in person this year, but also that the Fellows represent a diverse cross-section of the USA.“ This year, the most scholarship recipients hail from the states of New York, California, and Florida, and Texas. Participant career goals include landscape architecture, floristry, film/documentary production, culinary arts, aerospace engineering, and furniture design.

Celebrating its 38th anniversary as a joint program of the German Bundestag and U.S. Congress, the CBYX for Young Professionals program provides 75 American and 75 German young leaders the opportunity to spend up to a year in each other’s countries studying, interning, and living with host families. The fellowship is open to candidates in all career fields between the ages of 18 ½ and 24 who are interested in a year of academic, professional, and cultural exchange.  CBYX also offers opportunities for high school students and individuals interested in vocational training.

Cultural Vistas administers the CBYX for Young Professionals program through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.  For additional information about CBYX please visit cbyx.info.

If you have any questions about our cohort or the CBYX for Young Professionals program, please contact us at cbyx@culturalvistas.org or 212-497-3555.

Our cohort at a glance:

51.4% of fellows come from public universities

4.3% of fellows come from community colleges

64.3% of fellows identify as female

35.7% of fellows identify as male

44% of fellows had little to no German language skills

7 educational institutions have more than one student or alum represented in the cohort

Career field highlights:

41.4% of fellows come from humanities fields

20% of fellows come from STEM fields

10% of fellows come from arts fields

7.1% of fellows come from vocational fields

Arizona

Nick Tran

 Nick Tran is currently a student in the University of Arizona's School of Government and Public Policy with a major in Public Policy. He intends on pursuing an internship or apprenticeship in a Rathaus to learn more about the legislative process in Germany. He aspires to work in the US government at the federal level abroad to foster cooperation between US constituents and allies abroad.

California

Hannah Chen

 Hannah Chen is a recent graduate from Boston College with a double major in International Studies and Islamic Civilizations and Societies. She will be waitressing at a popular restaurant in Boston until she departs for Germany in August. She hopes to pursue an internship within the human rights and non-profit community to learn more about the refugee crisis in the German context. Hannah hopes to one day be a champion of human rights and refugees rights in the United States.

Jessica (Jess) Chen

 Jess Chen is an art historian and critic from San Francisco, California. Her writing can be found in ART PAPERS, Femme Art Review, and other publications. She graduated from Duke University summa cum laude in 2020, where she studied art history and public policy as a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow. After her year in Germany, she will attend Williams College as a MA candidate in art history and plans to pursue a career in academia.

Nora Karakashian

 Nora Karakashian is a passionate Political Science student looking to expand her horizons in Germany and immerse herself in a new culture.

Mai Nguyen

 Mai Nguyen graduated from Pitzer College in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics. She is currently a software engineer at Laserfiche, a content management software company inLong Beach, California. Mai intends to explore the intersectionality of technology, design, and collective good during her study in Germany. She hopes to pursue a career in Business Intelligence.

Sophia Silane

 Sophia Silane graduated from Pitzer College in May 2020 with a double major in Studio Art and Art History. During the COVID lockdown, she began experimenting with materials like metal, acrylic, and plastic and documented the process online. She currently works from home designing, creating, and selling these pieces over her social media platform. She is looking forward to seeing how her body of work adjusts and transforms with the contemporary art scene in Germany.

Sierra Stephens

 Sierra Stephens is from the San Francisco Bay Area (Fairfax, CA) and graduated with a BA in Public Policy from the University of Michigan in May 2020. Since January 2021, she has been in Madrid, Spain on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Grant, working on facilitating the Model United Nations program at a bilingual secondary school. Sierra has spent her undergraduate career learning about policy and economics and is extremely excited to gain a deeper understanding of the socio-economic and political sphere of Europe through both coursework and an internship with CBYX in Germany this coming fall!

Vienna Vance

 Vienna Vance graduated this June from Pomona College, where she majored in Cognitive Science. At Pomona, she taught preschoolers to love books through the Jumpstart program and she worked at the Office of Study Abroad as a Peer Mentor. She intends to seek an internship at a school or nonprofit working with young children who are German immigrants. Vienna plans to study to become a school psychologist upon her return from Germany in 2022.

Colorado

Elise Alexander

 Elise Alexander is originally from Denver, Colorado. She graduated from Harvard College in 2019 with a degree in Sociology and Education Studies. Afterward, she worked as an analyst at the Louisiana Department of Education, where she focused on state education policy for students with disabilities. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and camping, singing in choirs, and learning about politics.

Connecticut

Liz Warner

 Liz Warner graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 2018 with a double major in Plan II and History. She has been working as a consultant for a digital transformation company while living and exploring San Francisco. She intends to find an internship at a sustainable business consultancy and is looking forward to learning about sustainable urbanism while in Germany.

Florida

Jamauri Bryan

 Jamauri Bryan recently graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Family, Youth, & Community Sciences. He is currently working as a Computer Technician for the UF College of Liberal Arts up until he leaves for Germany in July. He intends to pursue an internship in IT Computer Networking or Computer Science at a German company. He is excited to visit Germany for the first time and learn about the use of technology in German society.

Charlotte Coon

 Charlotte Coon is a recent graduate from the University of Florida where she studied Political Science and International Studies with a European focus. Charlotte loves traveling to new places and has been to over 10 countries as well as all over the US. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time with friends, and being outdoors. Professionally, she would like to go into foreign policy research and is looking into getting an MBA after taking some time off.

Kendal McGinnis

 Kendal McGinnis recently graduated from Colorado College with a major in English Literature. She will be working at a bakery in Telluride, Colorado until she leaves for Germany in August. She intends to pursue an apprenticeship at a small bakery in Germany to learn about German bread-making and practice the language. She hopes to one day collaborate with her sister Skye Comminos in a culinary project called "Taste the Skye" which combines food sovereignty and creative expression to make healthy, holistic cuisine.

Abigail Megginson

 Abigail Megginson graduated from the University of West Florida in 2019 with a double major in Journalism and Political Science. She has worked as a radio reporter for her hometown NPR station and most recently for C-SPAN as a production assistant on the Washington Journal. She will be freelancing until she leaves for Germany. Abigail intends to pursue an internship at an English language publication in Germany to learn about German media and international correspondent work. Abigail hopes to one day have a career covering international news.

Jack Wingate

 Jack Wingate is a filmmaker that was born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida. In December of 2020, he graduated from FSU with his B.A. in Digital Media Production and Creative Writing. Jack Wingate is a queer filmmaker that hopes to continue creating documentaries that explore ideas of community, family, and identity. Currently, he is sending his thesis film "Belleau Wood" out to film festivals.

Georgia

Ian McDonald

 Ian McDonald recently graduated from Kennesaw State University with an International Business degree. His24 years old and grew up just outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Ian currently works in corporate and special sales at BMassisting with the fleet, rental, and VIP segments. This fall, he heads off to Germany as a part of the CBYX program wherhewill take language courses, attend university and complete an internship.

Shruthi Santhanam

 Shruthi Santhanam recently graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a bachelor's degrein Computer Science. She intends to study computer science and product management at a technical university in Germanyand intern at a technology company. She hopes to gain a global perspective of the technology industry, which will be usein a product management role in the future.

Daeya Shealy

 Daeya Shealy recently graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a BFA in Industrial Design. For the culminating project of her college career, she created a concept sustainable children’s clothing brand, combining her interests in branding and soft goods design. In Germany, she hopes to intern with sustainable businesses that align with her diverse skill set and these interests.

Idaho

Alyssa Felzien

 Alyssa Felzien graduated from Boise State University in May with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a German Intermediate Certificate. Before leaving for Germany, she will work as a programming tutor and spend as much time as possible enjoying the outdoors. During the exchange, she wants to learn more about computer science, Germany, and their approach to data privacy, cybersecurity, and machine learning. After the program, she hopes to start a software engineering job, tutor German, and support cultural exchange between the US and Germany.

Kennedy Jones

 Kennedy Jones is a recent graduate from Southern Utah University where she earned an honors degree in Theatre Arts with minors in Arts Administration and Dance Performance. Between graduation and CBYX, she worked as a Legislative Attache for the Idaho House of Representatives. Kennedy is passionate about the arts and is looking forward to hopefully interning with a German theatre or museum.

Dari Rojas

 Darinkka Rojas Graduated from the University of Idaho in May 2019 with a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and Health. She will be finishing her time in the US working together enriching the lives of her patients with Alzheimer's and Dementia until she leaves for a diplomatic exchange in Germany later in July. She intends to pursue an internship in Sexual Health Education to learn more about Germany's Sexual Health Education Curriculum and Sexual Health services provided by their Health Care system. She hopes to gain experience that will help her further emphasize the importance of Sexual Health Education to communities at risk.

Illinois

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Zane Creek

 Zane Creek is an interdisciplinary young professional with his sights set on empowering people around the globe. Having graduated from the University of Missouri - St. Louis in 2019 with a double major in International Business and German Studies, he will spend the coming year in Germany studying/practicing marketing strategy and analytics. Although the future is uncertain, Zane envisions himself developing innovative ways for people to self-govern and add value to their surroundings.

Paul Gordon

 Paul Gordon is a default optimist and finding ways to energize people through positivity resonates with him. When he is not getting his hands dirty working in forestry, Paul writes stories that encourage readers to think creatively and collaboratively about climate change. His goal is to help others understand how they can be environmental advocates. Paul graduated from DePaul University in 2020 with a bachelor's in International Studies and a minor in Journalism. He has worked 7 field seasons in conservation jobs and his writing appears in The Nation, In These Times, and Belt Magazine.

Zuka'a Z. Joudeh

 Zuka'a Joudeh is a Palestinian daughter of immigrants born and raised in the US. While studying Political Science and Germanic Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Zuka'a volunteered as an ESL instructor and taught refugee and migrant women in the Chicago Area. In 2017 and 2018 she received grant funding to travel to Germany for work and study. While studying German she volunteered as a bicycle instructor and youth organizer for refugees in Berlin. After graduating in 2019, Zuka’a was awarded a Fulbright English teaching assistantship and taught refugee and migrant students in classes k-13 at a diverse school in Northern Germany. Outside of her Fulbright Zuka'a engaged with the community by volunteering as a English/German speaking partner and tutor. Due to the pandemic, Zuka'a returned to the US abruptly to be with her family. In the fall of 2020, she began a Public Service Fellowship with the Cleveland Foundation and is currently working as a Strategic Environmental Planner at a Metropolitan Planning Organization in Northeast Ohio. At the end of July, Zuka'a will be returning to Germany to complete a CBYX fellowship. She is interested in enhancing refugee/migrant participation in the democratic process and developing international cooperative strategies to improve the quality of life and protect the rights of refugees and migrants in Europe and the US.

Anastasia Kallish

 Anastasia Kallish graduated from the College of DuPage with an Associate of Arts but plans on completing her bachelor's in International Relations and/or Cultural Studies. She will be working at a local German-speaking children's school until she leaves for Germany this summer. She intends to pursue an internship at a cultural organization during her time in Germany. She hopes to one day help American students study abroad, just like she did during her gap year in Austria back in 2016.

Indiana

Hannah Benchik

 Hannah Benchik is a graduate student at Indiana University Bloomington, studying Library Science with specializations in Rare Books & Manuscripts and Archives. She will be teaching English and working in digital archives until she leaves for Germany. She intends to pursue an internship at the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek in the German Museum of Books and Writing and the Archive of Exiled Germans, 1933-1945. She hopes to work for a museum or library one day.

Maine

Emine Mutlu

 Emine Rose Mutlu graduated from Maine Maritime Academy in 2019 with a degree in International Business and Logistics. Before leaving for Germany in July, Emine will be working for Kiewit Corporation in Houston, Texas as a Logistics Coordinator. She intends to pursue an internship in Logistics or Supply Chain Management and hopes to expand her German language skills during her time abroad. Emine intends to use this experience to become a more versatile and globally-minded professional in her field and hopes to pursue an MBA upon her return to the US.

Massachusetts

Jesse Girrell

 Jesse Girrell graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2020 with a degree in psychology. He currently works as a teacher and uses the most cutting-edge research to implement innovative curricula for younger children. He has a passion for the outdoors and loves any type of adventure. He is excited to represent his country as a civilian ambassador in the CBYX program.

Michigan

Alec Twining

 Alec Twining is a recent graduate from Calvin University, where he majored in Electrical Engineering and German. In his free time, he likes to hike, road bike, and play board games with friends. Long term, Alec wants to work for an automotive company where he can help to improve communication between the German and US branches.

Missouri

Eliane Botts

 Eliane Botts is a senior German major at the University of Missouri with minors in both Plant Sciences and Art. She has been working as a Florist and student manager at Tiger Garden for 4 years and will be working at Tiger Garden and with Sugarberry Blooms, a mid-Missouri wedding Florist, until she leaves for Germany. In Germany, she intends to pursue an internship in floristry, flower farming, or floral wholesale in order to gain a deeper understanding of the floral industry on an international level. She hopes to one day be able to merge her passion for the German language and culture with her experience and love for floristry.

Peter Coyne

 Peter Coyne was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. He attended Park Hill South High School and graduated in 2016. After graduating high school, Peter moved to Lincoln, Nebraska to go to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) where he graduated in May 2020 with a bachelor of arts in Political Science and German with a minor in Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs. While at UNL, he served as a legislative page for two years at the Nebraska State Legislature and interned at the Democratic National Committee for a summer. Peter is currently employed by the Nebraska Democratic Party as the Operations Director. In his free time, Peter likes to be outdoors, cook, and play saxophone or clarinet. Peter enjoys politics, especially international politics or the domestic politics of other countries. Peter hopes to, one day, work for the United States Department of State, the United Nations, or the European Union.

Brian Tang

 Brian Tang recently graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Electrical Engineering. When heading over to Germany, he hopes to pursue an internship in the automotive industry with a focus on using machine learning to help with the automation process. In the future, he hopes to live and work in Germany.

Nebraska

Kathy Nguyen

 Kathy Nguyen is a 2020 graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a native of Omaha, Nebraska. The communication studies and journalism and media communication double major has a passion for storytelling and building authentic connections. Whether it's social media copy or long-form copy, writing is her preferred method of breaking barriers and sharing perspectives. She has a budding career in content creation and copywriting and hopes to grow in these relevant fields. When she's not focusing on her career, she loves exploring off the beaten path, learning new cultures, and expanding her views on the world. As the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, she's very proud of her multicultural upbringing.

Michael Thompson

 Michael Thompson graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with a Bachelors of Multidisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Sustainability and a Bachelor of Arts in German with a minor in Philosophy. He has owned his own business for almost five years where he has been restoring and painting old furniture. For an internship he plans to find one working in corporate responsibility in the area of sustainability. In the future he intends to learn more about and work in large scale sustainable design.

New Hampshire

Marta Rardin

 Marta Rardin graduated from Muhlenberg College in 2020 with a major in Environmental Science, and a minor in Religion Studies. Her post-college experience so far has included full-time work on a small organic farm in Vermont for six months, and then on to customer service work at a bakery. She intends to pursue an internship within the field of sustainable agriculture, hopefully ending up at an organic farm or with an organization that does outreach and education on sustainable food systems. Marta hopes that throughout her life, she can help to make a positive impact on the climate by way of food, for she believes that food is a simple, yet powerful necessity that creates a community with one another, and with all life on earth.

Haley Shackford

 Haley Shackford graduated from Manchester Central High School class of 2019. Haley was captain of thjuniorvarsity lacrosse team, participated in varsity swim, and played field hockey. She participated and competed in heschool'schapter for DECA. Haley enjoyed taking numerous business and language classes offered by her school. By takinthese courses,she discovered her true passion for the German language and culture. For the next year, Haley was given thopportunity torepresent the United States as a cultural ambassador and will be spending her year living with a hosfamily, while takingclasses at a German university and pursuing a marketing internship. She looks forward to the manendeavors and experiences thisfollowing year will bring as a recipient of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for YounProfessionals.

New Jersey

Taylor Smith

 Taylor Smith graduated from American University in May of 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and a minor in Marketing. Her studies focused mainly on Identity, Race, Gender, and Culture. Taylor will continue to work at Meridian International Center as the IVLP Operations Manager until she leaves for Germany this fall. She is excited to pursue an internship based around public diplomacy and to gain more knowledge on international relations from the German viewpoint.

New York

William Avis

 William grew up in Red Hook, NY in the Hudson Valley. He attended the Rochester Institute of Technology finishing with a BFA in Industrial Design and a minor in Entrepreneurship. He has a variety of experiences in the design and home construction industry. His most recent position was as Library Manager and Interior Designer for an interior designers resource library. He plans on contributing to and learning from German businesses in the home design and construction industry, expanding his knowledge of German design and architecture.

Deborah Chai

 Deborah graduated from SUNY New Paltz with a degree in Digital Media Studies with minors in History and Business. She currently works as a producer's assistant and as a supervisor at her local climbing gym. She intends to pursue working in a non-profit setting dedicated to the arts and the local community.

Lizzie Edwards

 Lizzie Edwards recently graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Wesleyan University with a double major in Anthropology and Environmental Studies and a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. In Germany, she intends to intern in the field of refugee resettlement in order to learn about the county's strategies for welcoming refugees and asylum seekers. She ultimately hopes to work for one of the United States’ refugee resettlement voluntary agencies (VOLAGs).

Lukas Griffin

 Lukas Griffin graduated last May with a degree in Computer Science. He studied abroad during his junior year in Germany. He was scheduled to participate in last year's CBYX program, however, it was canceled due to COVID. Since then he has worked at a Start-up and an elementary school. Lukas has a passion for learning new languages and traveling to new places. He hopes that his CBYX experience this year will better his german language skills and take him to new places.

Ezra Roesch

 Ezra Roesch graduated this May from Stony Brook University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a second major in Environmental Studies. They would like to study ecology and agriculture while in Germany. They hope to one day work in the field of sustainability.

Zoë Shannon

 Zoë graduated from Binghamton University in May 2020 with majors in History and Middle East & North Africa studies, and a minor in Human Rights. Serving as an Americorps member with City Year prior to her studies in a New York middle school. After graduation, she supported The Conference On Jewish Materials Claims Against Germany with hardship payments to Holocaust survivors around the world and archival research. While in Germany, Zoë would like to continue learning Yiddish and German, explore bakeries, and pet many dogs.

Patrick Wolff

 Patrick Wolff graduated from Wesleyan University in May of 2021 with a double major in Economics and German Studies and a minor in Data Analysis. During his time in Germany, he intends to learn more about the world of German business through an internship with a consulting firm.

Viola Zhang

 Viola Zhang graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Biological Engineering and M.Eng. in Materials Science and Engineering. She has been working at a KlimaEngineering firm and coral reef restoration non-profit. Viola intends to study and gain work experience in the interdisciplinary fields connecting sustainability in architecture, the built environment, biomaterials, and biodiversity conservation. She hopes to make a positive contribution to US-German relations and continue collaborations internationally.

North Carolina

Peyton Carrington

 Peyton Carrington graduated in May 2021 with a degree in Communications and Event Management from High Point University. When she was not in class, you could find her volunteering with her service organization, working for her university's Concierge desk, or at the barn horseback riding for a local equestrian professional. Peyton enjoys being active and outdoor activities and often goes hiking, biking, kayaking, etc. During her time in Germany, she hopes to work in the tourism industry planning events. At the peak of Peyton's career, she envisions herself working with large international events, such as the Olympics. She looks forward to learning how to experience Germany through the lens of a local.

Quinton Moore

 Quinton Dayne Moore graduated from North Carolina State University in 2020 with a Bachelor's degree in both Communication and German Studies. In 2019, he directed a 16mm short film, Lawn, which competed at both the 2020 Indie Grits Film Festival and the 2020 Raleigh Art & Film Festival. Currently, Quinton works at a local record store in Raleigh, North Carolina, but upon entering Germany, he hopes to pursue an education and internships in video production and film distribution. His dream is to work behind the scenes on a German-American co-produced feature film.

Chris Smith

 Chris Smith graduated from The University of Alabama in Huntsville with degrees in Aerospace Engineering andGerman Language in 2021. Throughout his undergraduate career, Chris interned with The German Aerospace Center, Stewart-HaasRacing, and did propulsion research at UAH. He also served as a peer academic for 3 years at the UAH Student Success Centerproviding peer support to students of mathematics and physics. He hopes to pursue a career in the automotive engineeringindustry.

Ohio

Benjamin Bryan

 Benjamin Bryan recently graduated from Ohio University with a bachelor's degree in Geographic Information Science and a minor in German. He will be running his exterior painting business until he leaves for Germany in July. He intends to pursue an internship in the GIS and Urban Planning field. Benjamin hopes to study urban planning techniques throughout Germany and implement these ideas when he returns to the United States.

Fatima Dahir

 Fatima (Fay) Dahir recently graduated from the Ohio State University with a double major in Public Affairs and Geography, as well as a research distinction in Geography. She will be working as an Ohio State tour guide and volunteering before leaving for Germany. Fatima plans to pursue an internship in immigration policy research and volunteer with migrant-facing organizations while in Germany. Once back in the United States, she intends to obtain a Ph.D. in either sociopolitical geography.

Oklahoma

McKinleigh Lair

 McKinleigh Lair is a documentary cinematographer from Tulsa, Oklahoma. She currently freelances as a cameraperson and drone operator for Vice News and several feature-length documentary productions. While in Germany she plans to study advanced lighting techniques and continue meeting and collaborating with other nonfiction storytellers. As a Park Scholar at Ithaca College, she received her B.A. in Documentary Studies and Production, minored in Anthropology, and studied abroad in Seoul, London, and Jönköping, Sweden.

Pennsylvania

Alexander Allan

 Alex Allan recently graduated from Auburn University with a B.S. in Economics and a minor in German. He currently works as an analyst for a local bank in Biloxi until he leaves for Germany in July. Once in Germany, he plans on gaining experience with the German financial market. In the future, he hopes to use this experience to pursue a career in international banking.

Lucy Corlett

 Lucy Corlett is a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Urban Studies and a minor in Hispanic Studies. At Penn, Lucy was a Mayor’s Scholar, a Benjamin Franklin Scholar, and served as a Fellow in Urban Leadership at the Penn Institute Urban Research. She was also head writer of the nation’s first collegiate all-female sketch comedy troupe, Bloomers, and a coordinator of Penn’s student-run fossil fuel divestment campaign, Fossil Free Penn. Since graduation, she has been working for the City of Philadelphia Office of Immigrant Affairs. As a CBYX fellow, Lucy is looking forward to improving her German and learning more about climate displacement, migration, and international climate policy.

Andrew Morgan

 Andrew Morgan is a recent graduate from American University's School of International Service in Washington, D.C., where he received a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Economics (double major) and a minor in German Language. He was born in Germany due to being in a military family but has considered Pittsburgh his home since his high school years. His professional interests include international trade, transatlantic relations, supply chain management, consulting, and information services. During his fellowship with CBYX he aims to gain a deeper understanding of these topics and learn more about German culture, language, and society.

Puerto Rico

Noel Acevedo Guasp

 Noel Acevedo Guasp recently completed his bachelor's degree at the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras, with a double major in Economics and Foreign Languages. While in Germany, he plans to further his studies in Economics, focusing on Public Sector and Urban Economics, and gaining public policy experience in these areas through an internship. In the future, he plans on pursuing graduate studies in Urban Economics and Planning.

Rhode Island

Felix Torres

 Felix Torres graduated from the University of Vermont in 2018 and worked for The New York Times until the start of CYBX. In Germany, he will explore and write about the experiences of migrants, the sexual expression of gay and queer groups, and the combined effect of these experiences on the process of building community in a setting with political tensions over immigration.

South Dakota

Gerald Fraas

 Gerald Fraas is a 2019 graduate of the University of Alabama with degrees in Economics and Political Science. He will continue working for the Nebraska State Legislature until he leaves for Germany in July. He intends to pursue an internship with a firm focused on international trade/compliance or in the policy sector.

Tennessee

Marianne Perkins

 Marianne E. Perkins recently graduated from East Tennessee State University Honors College with a double major in International Affairs and German Literature and Language. During her time at ETSU, she authored an undergraduate thesis on the topic of post-2015 refugee resettlement in Germany, and she intends to utilize the knowledge she has gained from writing her thesis in her search for an internship in Germany with a governmental or non-governmental organization specializing in assisting migrants. Once she returns to the United States after the completion of CBYX, she hopes to pursue a career in refugee and immigration policy.

Texas

Alexis Brandt

 Alexis Brandt graduated from Texas A&M University in May 2020 with a bachelor's in landscape architecture and a minor in urban planning. After taking German in high school, doing research in the Netherlands with the Texas A&M PIRE Program, and completing a semester-long study abroad program in Germany during the fall of 2019, she is excited to return to Europe. Prior to leaving for the CBYX program, Alexis will be completing her first year in her first job post-graduation. She plans to use her time in Germany to deepen her understanding of how community engagement is used in the design and development of German landscapes.

Paige Censale

 Paige Censale (19) is a 2019 graduate of Squalicum High School located in Bellingham, WA, and a student at El Paso Community College. Currently, Paige is the Communications Coordinator in El Paso, TX for the immigration nonprofit Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center. For the past year and a half, she has served as a videographer, graphic designer, and photographer, documenting the work of immigration attorneys, advocates, and asylum seekers from all over the world. With her recent acceptance to the CBYX fellowship, she intends to pursue an internship in the journalism field in Germany, continuing her passion for documenting and sharing stories taking place in the world.

Karolyn Newton

 Karolyn Newton graduated from St. Edward's University in 2019 with a degree in Environmental Science and Policy and a concentration in Sociology. Since then, she has worked on a sustainable urban farm addressing local food injustice and as an iRest instructor, providing a trauma-sensitive, evidence-based yoga Nidra protocol originally developed to help treat PTSD. In Germany, she intends to pursue a sustainable agriculture internship to gain experience with food production and German environmental policy. With a strong commitment to addressing historical and systemic inequities, she hopes to improve current food systems that threaten both ecological and human health by engaging with diverse cultures and traditions which offer different ways of relating to food, community, and the natural world.

Molly Wells

 Molly Wells just graduated from Vanderbilt University with degrees in Religious Studies and German. She hopes to use her German language skills to facilitate interfaith dialoguduring her time with CBYX. Molly has lived all over the place but claims Bryn Mawr, PA as home. She enjoys reading, running, playing guitar and piano (much to the dismay of her family and roommates.), and all things yellow.

Vermont

Allan Wheeler

 Allan Wheeler graduated from Vermont Technical College in 2018 with a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering Technology. Since graduating in 2018 he has been working as an Engineer Technician under the Army Research and Engineering Development at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory. He intends to pursue further education by studying Engineering within German and expanding his knowledge of the German language and culture. He hopes to take the connections he makes in Germany back to the United States and collaborate with German Engineers and Scientists as part of his career in research and engineering development.

Virginia

Trevor Bailey

 Trevor Bailey was born in the suburbs of Chicago and grew up in a rural part of Chesapeake, Virginia. In high school, he took German as a foreign language and fell in love with it. Trevor then continued to study the language in college at the University of Virginia where he secured two majors: one in German literature and the other in English. Now with the book closed on college, Trevor sets his sights on Germany where he would like to one day live, working as a lawyer or human resources manager.

Harrison Branner

 Harrison Branner is from the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, where he spent his childhood raising bees and chickens among forested mountains and rolling cow fields. He graduated from Duke University in May 2020. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy Studies, with a minor in German. When he was at Duke, he worked for the Duke Campus Farm, a sustainability internship, and a biology lab working on botanical and genetics research with ferns. He is very interested in sustainable energy practices and technology, and the American energy transition. In his free time, he enjoys reading, running, beekeeping, and growing plants.

Charlotte Maskelony

 Charlotte Maskelony recently graduated from Oberlin Conservatory with a major in Classical Vocal Performance and a minor in German. Currently, Charlotte works as Communications Associate at The Glimmerglass Festival, an opera company in upstate New York. She intends to pursue an internship in contemporary German opera to learn more about German opera and arts culture, and in the future hopes to write libretti, direct, and lead contemporary opera in the United States.

Washington

Sarah Arthur

 Sarah Arthur graduated from Pepperdine University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film Studies. Since graduating, she has worked in the entertainment industry in varying capacities at companies like A+E Networks, NBCUniversal, and WarnerMedia. Sarah plans on pursuing an internship at a film production company in Germany to learn more about the production process, and film from an international perspective. She has a passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion and looks forward to producing and writing content that resonates with global audiences in the future.

Shannon Pierson

 Shannon is a Research Intern at the Alliance for Securing Democracy. In this role, she works alongside a team of experts committed to defending democracy from malign actors. Her interests are situated at the nexus of disinformation, technology policy, and foreign affairs. Previously, she served as a research assistant at the Wilson Center to Disinformation Fellow Nina Jankowicz. Together, they tracked disinformation campaigns targeting women in public life, as well as envisioned policy solutions to stem the spread of disinformation. She’s consulted on multiple projects for the Microsoft Corporation’s Defending Democracy Program regarding international election security and internet governance treaties. Her writing has been published by the Wilson Center, Disability & Society, and the Jackson School of International Studies’ International Policy Institute. She holds a degree in International Studies from the University of Washington and will continue on to a master's in foreign service at Georgetown University in Fall 2022.

Jennafer Schweyen

 Jennafer Schweyen just graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a B.S. in mathematics, a B.A. in German, and a minor in actuarial science. She intends to pursue an internship at a firm performing data analytics while in Germany. Following the CBYX program she plans to pursue a master's degree in mathematics.

Posted on:

July 28 2021

Author:

Cultural Vistas Communications Team