On March 29, 2011, students of GER 3502 “Tales of Violence” and GER 3930 “Fantasies of America” (taught by Dr. Dana Weber) presented papers based on their original research at the Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Symposium that took place at Strozier Library. Presenters of the panel: “The Man with the Blue Beard: Transformations of a Gory Story in Western Literature and Film”
From left to right: Andrew Cole, Halie Goldman, Abigail Pagan

Presenters of the panel “Blood-Brothers and Avatars: Fantasies of Native America in German and American Film”
From left to right: Andrew Massaglia, Chelsea Albers, Anika Scheuermann:

Honor’s Night  April 5, 2011

TThe academic achievements of undergraduate and graduate students of the German Division were honored at the Honors’ Night celebrated by the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics on April 5, 2011. German undergraduate and graduate students were awarded prizes for excellence in study and service, a Winthrop-King study-abroad scholarship, and were induced in the nation-wide German Honorary Society for excellence in German scholarship.
A few of the Honorees of the German Division. From left to right: Alexander Cole, Sasha-Marie Martin, Christel Inacker (graduate student), Andrew Cole, Nikolas Ahlf.  

German undergraduate students are induced into Delta Phi Alpha, the German Honorary Society for excellence in German student scholarship. From left to right: Nikolas Ahlf (just returned from the FSU German exchange program in Oldenburg), Abigail Pagan, Sasha-Marie Martin, Alexander Cole (recipient of an undergraduate service award), Daniel Baker (a recipient of a Winthrop-King scholarship for study in Germany), Alexander Cole (recipient of an undergraduate service award and president of the German Club).

From left to right: Nikolas Ahlf (just returned from the FSU German exchange program in Oldenburg), Abigail Pagan, Sasha-Marie Martin, Alexander Cole (recipient of an undergraduate service award), Daniel Baker (a recipient of a Winthrop-King scholarship for study in Germany), Alexander Cole (recipient of an undergraduate service award and president of the German Club).

Franco-American Crossings

On March 24, 2011, renowned French author and German-French translator Catherine Sauvat delivered a public lecture entitled “An Introduction to the Wiener Moderne through Schnitzler’s Fräulein Else.” The lecture was part of the international symposium Franco-American Crossings organized by the Winthrop-King Institute for Contemporary French and Francophone Studies and integrated in the course GET 3130 “German Literature in Translation” taught by Dr. Doris Gray and Dr. Dana Weber. The presentation was followed by an open discussion with Ms. Sauvat in which students had the opportunity to ask questions and deepen their knowledge about Fräulein Else, a novella that they had prepared for this occasion

FSU Students of German abroad in 2011 -2012

 Khadijah Gray
Florida State University direct exchange at the Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, 2011-2012. Funded by a one-year DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) fellowship.

German student Khadijah Gray is currently spending the academic year 2011/12 at the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg an exchange partner of Florida State University. Khadijah has won a highly competitive DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) fellowship that funds her one-year-exchange at the University of Oldenburg. The DAAD is the equivalent of the American Fulbright and sponsors scholars from the whole world at all stages in their careers for research and study in Germany. Financing for extended stays such as Khadijah’s is extremely sought-for and, given the large number of applications world-wide, only a relatively small pool of candidates receives scholarships every year. Aside from her German minor, Khadijah is a junior studying International Affairs. In Oldenburg, she is taking courses on German language and literature, in European and German Political Studies, and on International Relations. We wish her the best of luck!

 Chelsea Albers

“Beyond Borders” international program, Dresden, summer 2011 (summer course); additional support by an Ursula and John Simons travel award conferred by the German division of the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics. Chelsea’s comment: During my time in Dresden, I experienced German culture, discovered German history, and built lasting relationships with German students. My trip was an unforgettable experience that altered how I perceive politics, culture, and society. Not only did I learn more about Germany, I learned more about America and, most importantly, myself.

 Daniel Baker

FUBiS at Freie Universit ät, Berlin, summer 2011 (summer course); supported by a Winthrop-King scholarship.

Daniel’s comment:

Berlin is a river of culture, of all human activities that give the word its meaning. Like the waters of a river, she is at times limpid, at times, obscured. She is quick; she is languid. She is calm; she is agitated. I am happy to have been swept up by her. 

 Daniel Taylor

Florida State University exchange with the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Spring 2011 (semester-long study).

Daniel’s comment:

If you are serious about learning German, you have to study abroad. FSU offers an amazing study abroad program to Oldenburg, Germany. There you can take a wide range of courses in either German or English. I took courses on the Russian Language, Eastern European History, German Politics and Exile-literature all taught in German, but most exchange students take their courses in English with a German language course. The exchange in Oldenburg is also very affordable. Your own room in the dormitory will cost around 1,200 Dollars for six months, FSU covers the tuition for you, you get a semester train and bus ticket which covers up to a two-hour train ride away, and a normal meal in the cafeteria costs 3 dollars. If you’re still strapped for cash, you can use your work visa which comes with the student visa and work in a café downtown, like I did. The University of Oldenburg also provides a cultural program, which brings international students on excursions to different cities every weekend, but if you would rather meet the locals in Oldenburg there are opportunities. The intramural sports and clubs offer exchange students an excellent way to make German friends. Thanks to the exchange program, I can now speak easily in fluent German and I have a clear understanding of the German culture.

 Marlene Osborne

FU-BEST program at the Freie Universit ät, Berlin, Spring 2011 (semester-long study).

Marlene’s comment:

I chose to study abroad spring 2011 in Berlin through the FU-BEST Program. I had a fantastic time! The program is set up to follow the same schedule and structure as FSU’s and offers plenty of opportunities not only to explore the city but the rest of Europe as well. I was able to attend sporting events, concerts and tour the city as well as a week trip to London all through the program. Staying with a host family was the highlight of my trip, they became like a second family to me. If you’re looking to improve your German and or a unique city to study abroad in, the FU-BEST Program is definitely the one to choose