BGSU AYA Austria Alumni Pages

I completed my M.A. degree in German from Bowling Green State University and have nothing but praise for BGSU's innovative graduate German program. My time spent in Salzburg, Austria en route to completion of my M.A. degree was an invaluable, unique, and culturally enriching experience. It was the opportunity to spend the first year of my graduate studies in a German-speaking country that first attracted BGSU's program, and after researching the program's layout in comparison to other graduate German programs, my decision to attend BGSU was solidified. I completed my undergraduate degree in German from the University of Wisconsin Madison. I chose to pursue graduate studies at BGSU, because of its unique program design. While abroad I was able to intern with Landes Europabuero doing translations for an Austrian politician and work side-by-side with Austrian professors as a teaching assistant. I would highly recommend Bowling Green State University's German program to anyone interested in pursuing a graduate-level language degree!

Erin Aufderheide (AYA Austria '04-'05, MA German & Spanish '07)

All four of my years in the BGSU programs enriched my life, gave me the tools to manage my responsibilities and the opportunity to expand my horizons in and out of the classroom. I am so glad I had to opportunity to open new doors in my life and hope that everyone who wants to give it a try will be able to do so.

Billy Barnes (AYA Austria '95-'96, MA German & TESL '03)
Billy teaches English and German as a second language in the Canton of Ticino, Switzerland.

Having a Master's Degree definitely helped me progress in my career. Having advanced language skills and experience living abroad made me very desirable when applying for GE's highly competitive ECLP program. This program is global, and I interacted with people from around the world. Having international experience is highly valued at GE.

Michelle Bracken (AYA Austria '99-'00, MA German '01)
Michelle is currently Marketing Manager for GE Money, Alpharetta, GA. She is a graduate of GE's Experienced Commercial Leadership Program (ECLP), General Electric's premiere pipeline for sales and marketing talent.

The broad contours of my life as I know it were shaped directly by my language training and participation in BGSU's study abroad program. While there are many study abroad programs, BGSU's stands above the rest in the opportunities if offers students--it's not just an extended cultural excursion, but provides students a full academic year in a German-speaking country with the possibility of taking real university courses at a real university. The language instruction is top-rate, the finest I have experienced in the ten or so years I had studied German previously, and helps students overcome the language barrier in regular university courses.

The German skills I honed during my year in Austria have a direct bearing on my current job as well since my employers were looking for a native English speaker fluent in German. Although I primarily support my delegation's work with various UN and other international organizations in Vienna where the working language is English, I am often called on to translate from various texts from German to English, research a wide range of topics in German and draft diplomatic correspondence in German. All of these tasks require a high degree of accuracy and I am pleased to say that much of what I have learned about translation and the German language in general has come from the year spent in Salzburg where I was able to take courses in translation and immerse myself in the language. Participation in the Salzburg program also led to an invitation to teach English as a guest lecturer at the University of Salzburg following graduation, a position that no doubt helped me get where I am today.

Peter Clayson (AYA Austria '01-'02, MA German & Political Science '04)
Peter is a Multilateral Affairs Research Editor for the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the International Organizations in Vienna.

I could not be doing what I do without the crucial study abroad experience in Austria 2004-2005. That solidified my motivation for continuing with German.

Eddy M. Enriquez Arana (AYA Austria '04-05, MA German & Spanish '07)
Eddy is currently Instructor of Spanish and German at the Pennsylvania State University - Mont Alto.

The study abroad program and the German Department in general have inspired me to continue my education in a field I truly love. Because the program was so enjoyable as an undergrad, I applied to the graduate college and was accepted. I now am back in Salzburg, taking classes in an environment that I absolutely love. And as always, my German is improving by leaps and bounds.

Kyle Greetham (AYA Austria '05-'06, BA German '07)
Kyle is currently in his first year as a BGSU German MA student.

The MA work I did at BG, the language skills I gained while abroad for two years with BG, the teaching experience from both my internship at the Fachhochschule in Salzburg and doing the Tutorium while in Salzburg, and later teaching 101 at BG, all have contributed to my being in a Ph.D. program today. My extensive language and teaching experience also secured my long-term substitute position as a middle school and high school German teacher during my year off between studies (although I had not studied Education or received a teaching certificate).

I went abroad with BG as a guest undergraduate student, and I loved the program, the courses, and the professors so much that I became a Bowling Green student and consequently remained for the graduate program in German with BG as well. I highly recommend the German dept. at BG and the AYA program, which in my experience are wonderfully well-rounded and well-structured.

Sandra Marcu (BA German '03, AYA Austria '03-'04, MA German '05)
Sandra is pursuing PhD studies in German and Comparative Literature at Washington University, St. Louis.

The opportunities I have had to study abroad at both the undergraduate and graduate level have enriched my life tremendously. Several people questioned my choice to pursue a master's degree in a foreign language. I knew from prior experience in Europe how studying in a foreign country could shape and influence one's life. I couldn't wait to further my language education while simultaneously growing and maturing as a young adult. I believe very strongly that immersion is the absolute best way to learn a foreign language to the best of one's ability and my experience in Salzburg did not disappoint my expectations. Learning German by studying at the University of Salzburg through BGSU not only sharpened my language ability, the experience has also brilliantly enhanced my overall interpersonal communication abilities and self-confidence.

Elisabeth Nims (AYA Austria '04-'05, MA German '06)
Elisabeth works for York Capital Management, a multi-billion-dollar hedge fund in New York City.

In almost all of my positions, my company had some type of connection to Germany or German-speakers, so in most cases, either due to my position or the nature of my work, my German skills were used. Also, having learned German, it also became easier for me to learn Russian, which I had to due to our relocation to Russia for 13 years. The general experience of living abroad during the AYA program and other times is also priceless -- it gives you insight not only to language and culture, but to administrative/government systems overseas.

Amy Thomson Wexler (BA German '86, MA German & Political Science '89)
Amy has worked for Hershey Chocolate, AAA, American Express, International SOS, White and Case LLC, and Sabre Travel Network as an Operations Manager, Senior Product Specialist, Administrative Director, and Product Trainer.