As an international student from Mexico, she was drawn to �ѴDzԳٳ���������’s computing program and the chance to build a tech career. After she excelled in a German language course, that success became the first step toward building multiple degrees, as faculty encouraged her to add German, explore linguistics and step into teaching and research roles she had never considered. She even turned her work with children in German into a research project on how programs like the SPARK Lab influence college students’ interest in teaching.

“One of the most important things I’ve learned at �鶹��ý���� is that you don’t have to limit yourself to just one thing,” Zarate Gonzalez says.

At �ѴDzԳٳ���������’s SPARK Lab, Isabella Zarate Gonzalez collaborates with fellow students to plan German lessons for local schoolchildren as part of a national ‘SPARK for German’ teaching network. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)

Community‑engaged learning that opens doors

The SPARK Lab is a partnership between �鶹��ý���� and nearby schools, giving children early access to world languages while mentoring college students into community‑focused leadership roles. It is part of a national network supported by the . Zarate Gonzalez is among the students who teach German to elementary school children one hour a week for six weeks each semester, including a Meistergruppe for kids who speak German as a heritage language.

Children in �ѴDzԳٳ���������’s SPARK Lab listen to German fairy tales. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)

As part of a multi‑university research project with the University of Tennessee Knoxville, the University of St. Thomas and the University of Chicago, she led data collection and analysis on how SPARK affects college students. She focused on whether experiences like the SPARK Lab encourage students to consider teaching German and what broadly applicable professional skills they gain, surveying �ѴDzԳٳ���������’s student instructors about their motivations and how teaching had changed their career plans.

The research findings, co‑authored with faculty and collaborators at the four campuses, were and presented at the 2023 American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages conference in Chicago.

At �鶹��ý����, Isabella Zarate Gonzalez found support to grow a single major into three degrees – Data Science, Language, Business and Culture, and German – plus a minor in Linguistics. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)

Studying abroad with scholarship support

Scholarship support opened the world for Zarate Gonzalez.

Through the  �鶹��ý����–Graz Sister City Scholarship, she spent the 2024–25 academic year studying in Graz, Austria. The full scholarship, funded by �鶹��ý����, �ѴDzԳٳ���������’s Overseas Neighbors and the City of Graz, provides free tuition, room and a small stipend and sends two �鶹��ý���� undergraduates each year to study in �ѴDzԳٳ���������’s sister city.

�ѴDzԳٳ���������’s status as a Hispanic‑Serving Institution also helped her win a full scholarship to Middlebury’s prestigious German Language School, a summer immersion program.

“There aren’t a lot of people who can say, ‘This university allowed me to do three bachelor’s degrees, win full scholarships and study abroad in Europe,’” she says.

Isabella Zarate Gonzalez talks with Associate Professor Pascale LaFountain in �ѴDzԳٳ���������’s SPARK Lab. In addition to their work there, Zarate Gonzalez joined LaFountain on a translation project for an archive of Austrian Jewish history. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)

Hands-on research and a peek into history

Advanced language study also led Zarate Gonzalez into meaningful work and helped her discover the academic field that ties her interests together. With Associate Professor Pascale LaFountain and local resident Diane Forman, she worked on a translation project for an extraordinary archive of Austrian Jewish history centered on Forman’s grandfather, composer Wilhelm Grosz.

The team organized and translated Grosz’s letters – including correspondence with figures such as Leonard Bernstein and Langston Hughes – along with his musical manuscripts, Nazi‑era property documents and personal library, preparing the materials for the Exil.arte Jewish music archive in Austria.

For Zarate Gonzalez, working so closely with those documents made the Holocaust feel personal and showed her how language skills and data‑driven thinking could come together in fields like Computational Linguistics.

Looking ahead

When Zarate Gonzalez graduates in May 2026, she will have earned degrees in Data Science; Language, Business and Culture; and German, plus a minor in Linguistics – all completed in four years.

Now, as she looks ahead, she is exploring teaching opportunities in both German and STEM fields and planning for a future master’s program in Computational Linguistics.

“I think about what would have happened if I had chosen not to come to �鶹��ý����,” she says. “My life would be completely different. I genuinely believe I got the most out of it.”

Ready to start your �鶹��ý���� journey? Learn more about the College of Science and Mathematics and the Department of World Languages and Cultures at �鶹��ý����.

Accepted students: Make it official by submitting your new student deposit and registering to attend Accepted Students Day.

Students have used these scholarships to cover much of their tuition, housing, and even travel costs for the in which they take German courses alongside students from around the world, taking time to explore Neuschwanstein castle, the Alps, the BMW headquarters, and other sites along the way.

The students, many of whom choose to major or minor German and/or the interdisciplinary Language, Business & Culture (LBC) major with a concentration in German, return with three credits toward their major or minor as well as unforgettable experiences to take into their continued studies and careers in a variety of fields.

Hear From the Students

My summer experience in Munich was a life-changing experience that helped me learn more German than I did before and interact with people around the world. I had many first-time experiences, such as hiking, going to Austria, and experiencing nightlife. I had an amazing time and I thank the Kade Foundation for assisting in funding that experience for me. – Miguel Disla; Mathematics Major, German Minor

Fortunately, I had the opportunity to participate in the MISU’s summer program at München. Thanks to the Kade Foundation scholarship, I was able to improve my German through daily interactive lessons taught by Valeria. At first I did experience culture shock, but I learned to adapt and live here for the entirety of August. I am truly grateful for making unforgettable and fun memories with friends from around the world. –Ruth Fernandez; Language, Business & Culture and Business Administration Double Major

The Kade scholarship that I received helped me travel to Europe for the first time in my life. My experience changed me immensely and helped me gain insight into a new culture and experience. I also learned a lot about how much I like to travel and I also met many students from all over the world giving me connections to a plethora of different cultures. – Eric Anilonis; Economics Major, German minor

I am so thankful for the experience I had in Munich this summer; as my first time living away from home I felt independent and more ready to explore the world. I am thankful for the stipend as it allowed me more freedom to explore the culture and truly live out my international experience as fully as I could! – David Darius; Biology and German Double Major

My Munich summer experience was inspiring and allowed me to build lifelong connections to the language, culture and people. While there, I attended classes, interacted with locals, experienced historical landmarks and made connections with people from around the world.  – Madison Gunderman; Psychology 

I am a triple major with around 1 1/2 years of experience in learning German. This scholarship allowed me to pursue my dream of visiting Germany as well as support me in learning German. I was able to go to Austria for a weekend with friends and experience the culture and landscape over there. It was a lot of fun and I got to eat a lot of good food as well. This opportunity solidified my aspiration to work and study in Germany for my graduate program in geoscience. – Kit Haig; Earth and Environmental Sciences, Geographic, Environmental and Urban Studies, and German triple major

I’m majoring in linguistics and language, business, and culture with a German concentration. This scholarship has helped me complete my course requirements for my major concentration. It has also helped me gain first hand experience on what it is like to study in a foreign country, such as Konstanz, Germany, and gain insight on cultural differences and practices, learning history, etc. The most memorable experience for me was meeting and getting to know other fellow students from around the world, as well as meeting two new friends whom I’ll never forget. Studying abroad has increased my aspirations in traveling more to see the world, learn new languages and cultures, and looking forward to conducting more business travel. It also makes me aspire to meet new people from different backgrounds and create new friendships and connections for memorable experiences. – Ykaterina Diaz; Linguistics and Language, Business & Culture (concentration in German) double major

�ѴDzԳٳ���������’s students have won coveted spots at the GSE three years running and have frequently gone on to pursue graduate study or international scholarships upon completing their BAs at �鶹��ý����.

• Ath-Yah Brathwaite, a 2023 GSE winner, stayed in touch with other graduate student prospective students after her travel workshop, was accepted with graduate assistantships and full tuition waiver at several German Studies MA and Ph.D. programs across the country, and has begun her masters degree at the University of Maryland in College Park.

• Bailey Dunn received a upon graduation and is spending the 2025-2026 academic year in Austria while also working on an online masters in creative writing at Johns Hopkins University.

• Avelisse Guzman is currently doing a prestigious Fulbright grant-funded year in Germany and is considering various teaching and/or graduate study options after her Fulbright grant is completed.

• Jack McCabe is currently considering a variety of travel and study plans, many of which are tied to scholarships, grants, and paid assistantships in the United States or Europe. He describes his participation in the summer program as one of his richest undergraduate experiences and looks forward to further building on his experience with applied German language, culture, and historical work.

These students, like others pursuing a German major or minor or a Language, Business & Culture major with a concentration in German with �ѴDzԳٳ���������’s German program, each got to participate in a study abroad experience. They each complete their undergraduate studies poised to pursue international careers, intercultural leadership roles at international corporations, teaching, or a variety of other careers in which they apply their language, communication, and intercultural expertise.

The World Language and Culture programs at �鶹��ý���� build on this, standing out as some of the best in the country. A few examples:

• �ѴDzԳٳ���������’s French Program was in 2025 the sole university to be named as an by the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF).
• In 2025, German and French Professor Pascale LaFountain was awarded �ѴDzԳٳ���������’s first Presidential Excellence in Teaching Award as well as the national AATG award for Outstanding Post-Secondary Educator.
• Italian faculty member Enza Antenos has been named national Educator of the Year by the Italian Language Foundation, and the American Association of Teachers of Italian (AATI) has recognized Dr. Antenos with its national Distinguished Service Award in 2023.
• �ѴDzԳٳ���������’s German Program in 2020 became one of a very selective group of by the American Association of Teachers of German.
• Italian faculty members Marisa Trubiano and Teresa Fiore have both been named to the prestigious .

With the faculty frequently publishing on their teaching and cultural scholarship, and being invited to share their expertise around the country and the world, each faculty member is also fully committed to teaching and advising at all levels.

Italian Professor Marisa Trubiano notes, “In my twenty-five years of teaching here at �鶹��ý����, every new semester has brought together an exciting, challenging, inquisitive new group of young people into a community of inquiry that it has been a privilege to teach. These students’ intellectual and professional development is always first and foremost on our minds as we all find innovative ways to facilitate and support their growth and readiness for our rapidly changing world.”

Many students choose to double major in Arabic, Asian Languages, French, German, or Italian alongside majors in business, sciences, humanities, education and the arts. While participating in World Language and Culture programs, students engage in collaborative and community-building projects such as the Haitian Poetry Project, Teaching German in the SPARK for German Teaching Lab, performing theater in Italy, and capstone courses in Language, Business & Culture featuring conversations with business leaders applying their language skills for career success.

After graduation, many students take on positions in international companies, win international Fulbright grants after graduation, or pursue advanced degrees.

With its standout programs in World Languages and Cultures, �鶹��ý���� significantly contributes to preparing the next generation of globally ready diplomats, entrepreneurs, teachers, and innovators.

This program will also offer an introduction to the practice of travel writing, teaching writers the process of turning travel journals, observations, and pictures into pieces suitable for potential publication. Students will read and analyze successful travel writing by contemporary writers and engage in writing exercises designed to inspire insightful, original writing about their favorite sites and travel experiences in Munich and Berlin.

Course Dates: Spring 2026
Travel Dates: May 12-May 24
Application Deadline: Dec. 15, 2025
Cost: $2982 (Flights Included)

Program Overview:
SEMESTER Course (required to travel):
Course: GERM 227: Nazi Cinema and Propaganda
Counts as General Education OR SEEDS.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: WRIT 105, HONP 100 or GERM 102 may be taken as prerequisite or co-requisite.
Faculty Leaders: Thomas Herold

This national award, AATG’s highest honor, recognizes innovation in teaching, extraordinary talent, and exceptional leadership in German language education. Dr. LaFountain’s nominators—from Harvard University, Georgetown University, local high schools, and the Goethe-Institut—praised her dedication to the SPARK for German community-engaged teaching program, her advocacy for language learning through pedagogy publications, and her creative, student-centered methods.

Student nominees also highlighted the impact of her teaching. “Dr. LaFountain is committed to creating an environment where students from all walks of life can engage with German language learning,” wrote one student. Another shared that Dr. LaFountain “shows students that education is more than time in the classroom; it is immersive, international, inclusive, and empowering.”

Pascale LaFountain joins German Club on a full-day outing to the Neue Galerie and German Döner Haus in Spring 2025

Avelisse Guzman ’25, currently on a Fulbright in Germany, describes Dr. LaFountain as “one of the most encouraging and inspiring professors I have had during my undergraduate studies,” noting her “boundless creativity” and that she “genuinely wants every student to succeed.”

Bailey Dunn ’25, currently working with the , appreciated the experience of being mentored by LaFountain in the SPARK for German program, saying it “helped me to apply my language skills in a practical environment, allowed me to take on teaching and leadership roles as a student, and was a fulfilling way to connect with the community beyond the university.”

Dr. LaFountain, who also received �ѴDzԳٳ���������’s inaugural Presidential Award for Teaching Excellence in May 2025, said, “I am so excited about this award, most of all because it reflects how much our students can achieve and how playful applied learning can also be highly effective, opening doors for students to pursue multi-lingual and intercultural opportunities of all kinds.”

Read More
�鶹��ý���� Graduates Win Fulbright Germany and Fulbright Austria Travel Grants
Students of German Visit Devils, Ellis Island, Döner Shop and More

2025-2026 �鶹��ý���� Fulbright and Fulbright Austria Winners

Avelisse Guzman, a German major planning a career as a German teacher, was selected for both a year-long English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) grant from and a year-long United States Teaching Assistant (USTA) position through the separate organization. Facing a challenging “Qual der Wahl” [torture of choice] between two of the most exciting and competitive post-graduate opportunities available to students today, she has chosen to accepted the Fulbright ETA in Germany.

Catie DeRienzo, a linguistics major who took several German courses, has also accepted a Fulbright ETA in Bremen, Germany for the 2025-2026 year. Catie graduated in December 2024 and has been working as an elementary/middle-school school ESL teacher in Randolph, NJ for the past semester. Ready to build on this professional experience, Catie describes the step to pursue the Fulbright as “a career progression I’m super excited about.”

Brian Concannon, a double major in German and Language, Business & Culture with a Concentration in Arabic, was selected for a Fulbright ETA to Sachsen, Germany. Brian has chosen to continue in his position as an admissions counselor at Juniata College.

Bailey Dunn, a double major in German and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, will take on a funded US Teaching Assistantship (USTA) from in the town of Oberwart. Dunn was also selected as a summer participant with the and as a winner of a competitive full scholarship to the prestigious Middlebury Summer German School in Vermont, where they will spend a summer in full language immersion under a strict language pledge.

Other Recent Winners from the �鶹��ý���� German Program

Emily Wong, �ѴDzԳٳ���������’s last Fulbrighter to go to Germany for 2023-2024, will stay on to teach as a “Fremdsprachenassistentin” (Foreign Language Assistant) in Bavaria, funded by the German education system.

Alli Kodila, who won a USTA grant from Fulbright Austria to teach in a school near Graz for the 2024-2025 year, will stay on for a second funded year in the same position.

While some of these graduates have specific career goals, others are taking this time to decide what might come next, with the guarantee that these fellowships will continue to open doors to multiple career opportunities.

Where These Winners Started

Almost all of these winners began their German learning journey in German 101 as part of �鶹��ý����’s two-semester world language graduation requirement. Enjoying the learning experience, each chose to invest themselves in a German minor – or a major – that they either pursued on its own or added onto an existing major at no extra cost and with no extension of their time to graduation.

Many of these students participated in a summer, semester, or year abroad, most of which were supported with grants from the Kade Foundation or through , which supports dozens of students each year.

Exceptional Results

Overall, �鶹��ý���� had 32 applicants worldwide in this Fulbright cycle, with a total of 3 Fulbright winners (both to Germany), 11 semi-finalists (4 to Germany), and one additional alternate for Peru. The Fulbright Austria program, which is a separate organization, had two �鶹��ý���� applicants (Bailey Dunn and Avelisse Guzman), both of which became winners.

This total return is unprecedented for �鶹��ý���� and for the German program in particular.The results reflect the University’s growing presence on the international stage.

What are Fulbright and Fulbright Austria?

With the motto “Connecting People. Connecting Nations,” the organization was founded by Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946 with the goal of ensuring strong cultural diplomacy through competitive fully funded international exchanges. Fulbright  has long been considered one of the most prestigious international scholarships in the United States.

There are several types of Fulbright grants, with all winners from the �鶹��ý���� German program being awarded English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) positions. Each of these English Teaching Assistantship positions offers students a stipend to cover all living costs and consists of 12 hours per week of supervised language instruction in collaboration with a teaching mentor, while the fellows also have time to pursue additional individual projects, with past �鶹��ý���� grads having used this time to explore funded European MA degrees, develop performance portfolios, or connect with future career opportunities.

Fostering International Diplomacy and Collaboration

These students will join some of the many �鶹��ý���� graduates who have chosen to pursue graduate degrees in Europe or launched careers between Europe and the United States, bolstering essential international cultural partnership, diplomacy, educational exchange, and economic collaboration.

In spring 2025, this included an evening at a NJ Devils professional hockey game to try to see some of the Swiss and German players on the ice, a day at the Austrian art museum to view Gustav Klimt masterpieces, a lunch at the shop celebrating Turkish-German cuisine, and a full day at to trace over 100 years of European immigration history and meet up with a friend of the German department currently writing a book about the history of the Ellis Island hospital.

Some of these outings were funded by the German Club, a Registered Student Organization of the Student Government Association, and others were funded by generous  friends or alums of of the German program eager to give the next generation of students access to international cultural explorations. In general, these funds covered tickets, train, ferry rides, and meals, with the only costs to students being subway tickets.

Students and faculty benefit not only from the historical and cultural perspective that these trips provide, but also from the camaraderie and travel confidence that one finds in a day on the road. Professor Pascale LaFountain was recently awarded �ѴDzԳٳ���������’s first Presidential Excellence Award for teaching in part for her hands-on teaching style.

I am so proud of the students who have begun German from scratch in our program and used that new passion to win Middlebury summer school full-ride scholarships, Fulbright teaching grants to Germany, Fulbright Austria teaching fellowships, and more. Each of those pathways started in German courses and on joining exploratory trips like these.
– Professor LaFountain

Professor LaFountain and Professor Thomas Herold look forward to meeting up with the 15 students participating in this summer’s August in Munich program and Dr. Herold is anxiously planning his spring 2026 faculty-led trip to Berlin and Munich as part of a historical course on Nazi Cinema and Propaganda, which examines the intersection of art and political manipulation, including visits to film studios, concentration camp memorials, and more. In 2024, Dr. Herold took 17 students on a similar faculty-led course, including a visit to his hometown in Nürnberg, home of the historic post-WWII Nürnberg trials. Gute Reise!

On being recognized by the University, LaFountain shares, “It is the greatest honor to be recognized for my teaching, which I could not do without the deep diversity and cultural curiosity our students bring to class every day. Alongside this Presidential Excellence Award, the greatest recognition is seeing my students regularly experience exceptional success on a national and international level. I am particularly proud to see our students show how ready they are to present their research at national conferences, win international scholarships, and thrive in fully funded graduate programs.”

On May 19, the University will honor its employees on the inaugural Red Hawk Recognition Day. The goal of this day is to thank and recognize each other for our commitment to our students and our mission. Read about the other employees who will be celebrated on Red Hawk Recognition Day.

Teams, co-coached by World Language faculty and students, played fast-paced 20-minute games in a round-robin format. Arabic faculty member Mazooz Sehwail and experienced recreational soccer students refereed the games with objectivity and precision. Teams were well-matched with scores often fluctuating until the final minutes. German faculty member Pascale LaFountain notes, “I love the camaraderie. Even on our diverse campus I think sometimes people come to the field with some cultural stereotypes. The soccer field really brings people together across identity groups and connects through a shared love for the sport.”

The field was lined with avid fans displaying flags from around the world, cheering for teams in a harmony of languages, sharing summer travel tips for world explorations, discussing study abroad plans, taking final pre-graduation selfies, and enjoying pizza with their teams. Faculty and their families, world language classmates, and friends all joined to support the students. This program is part of �鶹��ý���� World Languages’ commitment to bringing language learning beyond the classroom, which the program does through a lively schedule of co-curricular activities, , , and career planning opportunities.

“Regardless of their background, major, language, gender, or experience level, everyone is so respectful on the pitch,” says LaFountain. “Maybe the World Cup could even learn something from these students!”

Winning the International Soccer Tournament Trophy from the French/Francophone team, the 2025 winners were the Arabic team! Yalla yalla! The Arabic faculty will display the trophy with honor … until it returns to the field next year as part of the warmup to the World Cup festivities.

Left: Professor Mazooz Sehwail poses with the trophy. Right: Students on the winning Arabic team pose together with Professor Sehwail.