Kristie Foell to travel to Germany for leadership program

Kristie Foell, German, Russian and East Asian languages, is one of 25 university faculty members nationwide who have been chosen to participate in a leadership program designed to train the next generation of educators in German.

Foell, who is also the director of International Studies, will participate in TrainDaF, an educational program in teaching German as a foreign language.

Participants were chosen by the American Association of Teachers of German in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut's TrainDaF.

At a time when languages other than Spanish are losing popularity, the program provides participants with the tools needed to connect to German institutions, according to Foell.

Through the program, she and other American teachers will visit Washington, D.C., Germany and Chicago. The German Ministry of Education is funding all three trips.

In Washington, D.C., Foell will meet with representatives of the German government as well as other German teachers and professors. Following the introductory program, she will attend a one- or two-week seminar in Germany during the summer. Then, in the fall, she will attend the 2004 AATG national meeting for foreign language educators, and share her experience with colleagues.

In addition to expanding her knowledge on content, Foell said she will "have the opportunity to brainstorm with other people to find out where we are going with German in this country."

Foell has taught at Bowling Green since 1995. She is a graduate of Yale University and holds a master's degree and doctorate in German literature from the University of California-Berkeley.