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Kayla Baczewsk

I was interested in attending New York University largely due to its international vibe and the breadth of the university’s study abroad programs. As valedictorian of her class at Bellows Free Academy in Fairfax, Vt., she was also awarded a Green & Gold scholarship to ����̽̽. She took a closer look and discovered a rich array of study-abroad opportunities available at the school practically located in her backyard. “I was able to study abroad in Dublin the summer before I started at ����̽̽, went to China the next summer, and then studied abroad for a full year in Vienna,” she said. A business major with minors in German and European studies, she worked with advisors across two colleges at ����̽̽ to develop an ideal educational experience for a career in international development or diplomacy.

Her life travels and natural sense of adventure came into play as well. “I lived in South Korea for three years as a young child and enjoyed every minute of it—my mom still makes Korean food as our type of ‘home-cooked comfort food.’” Her interest in modern German history led her to pursue German as a minor, though she first considered studying Russian. The clincher came when her father took an overseas assignment in Germany the summer before her sophomore year at ����̽̽. “I was looking into the exchange program in Vienna at the time, so it just seemed like a good idea!” Baczewski believes the combination of language skills and cultural experience abroad will be a big key to her success. “It's the small experiences and details of living in a foreign country that help you pick up the nuances of a different culture.”

She completed an M.A. in European studies from the University of Applied Science in Bremen, Germany, with the help of a German Academic Exchange Services (DAAD) Graduate Scholarship. Professor Schreckenberger and her faculty colleagues in the ����̽̽ German department supported Baczewski in her efforts to study abroad at the undergraduate level, and then enroll at a German university for graduate school. “I first met Professor Schreckenberger as a sophomore in her Honors College seminar. Before she even knew me well, she was helping me with my German minor requirements (I started a year late, so I really had to plan well to get all my credits in) and even helped me fill out my Austrian visa forms. I really think it was her commitment to my studies and future that helped me succeed. Even now, I know I can still count on her for advice whenever I need it.”

A semester abroad experience ignited a passion for teaching and travel for Jake Pelland '16, who now works as a teacher in Kirchdorf an der Krems (about an hour south of Linz) in Austria. He came to ����̽̽ with strong skills in German but became fascinated with the Russian language and culture. "First, it seemed like an interesting language to learn. Second, Russian politics are always fascinating, and it fits well with my growing interest in international politics," he explains. Pelland's most inspiring experience at ����̽̽? A semester in St. Petersburg, Russia. "It was the first time I had ever left the country, and, as I stayed with a Russian family that spoke no English, the first time I had ever been in an environment where I could not fall back on my native language."

A native of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Will Julien ’17 planned to use his double major in biochemistry and Russian as a springboard into an international business career, possibly in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, or medicine. Julien received a Critical Language Scholarship through the U.S. State Department, which provided a free intensive summer training program in a language considered critical to national security. Beginning in the fall of 2017, he taught university-level students at Tyumen State Medical University with the support of a Fulbright grant. “Studying the language gave me opportunities I couldn’t have even imagined—whether it was spending weekends in Saint Petersburg and Moscow, or living in Siberia. My degree in Russian also seemed to attract the attention of employers.”

Julien credited the mentorship of his language professors at ����̽̽ as key to his success. “The longer I spent abroad, the more thankful I was for the level of preparation I received at ����̽̽, especially considering the occasional logistical challenges of a double major. The level of dedication to the students as well as the depth of knowledge there was incredible.”

Charlie Sheffy, of Southington, Conn., graduated from ����̽̽ in 2014. Thanks to a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship, Sheffy headed to Bavaria, Germany in 2016 to hone his skills as a teacher. “After working for two years in the field, I want to re-focus my skills by working as an assistant to a master teacher, where I can study pedagogy, curricula design, and best practices. In addition, I would like to make myself more marketable by becoming fluent in written and spoken German.” Fulbrights are yearlong fellowships which enable seniors, recent graduates, and graduate students to live abroad and represent the United States as a part of the world’s largest intellectual and cultural exchange fellowship.