Christopher Bernens, 2nd year International student at Mary Immaculate College (MIC) was recently awarded a prestigious DAAD Scholarship (German Academic Exchange Service) the 4th MIC student to be in receipt of this award.
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), founded in Heidelberg in 1925 on the initiative of a single student, is a publicly-funded independent organisation of higher education institutions in Germany. DAAD supports over 100,000 German and international students and researchers around the globe each year making it the world’s largest funding organisation of its kind. DAAD also promotes internationalisation efforts at German Universities, helping developing countries build their own systems of higher education, and supporting German Studies and German language programmes abroad.
Christopher, from San Diego, California, is currently studying philosophy and theology as part of the Liberal Arts programme at MIC. He applied for a DAAD scholarship in order to undertake a course at the University of Cologne, entitled Landeskunde/deutsche Geschichte, where he will study the German language through the lens of German history, geography, and culture.
Congratulating Christopher on his remarkable achievement Dr Christiane Schönfeld, Head of German Studies at MIC, said “My colleagues and I in the Department of German Studies are absolutely delighted for Christopher and proud of his tremendous achievement. He has worked very hard for this award which is a highly competitive process”.
Commenting on his award Christopher said he was very much looking forward to taking the course, as he has a personal interest in German culture. He also hopes to improve his ability to speak German during his month in Cologne and looks forward to the opportunity of living in Cologne and experiencing German culture first-hand. Thanking the German Department at MIC he said “I came to Mary Immaculate College knowing virtually nothing about the German language; now, I can say that it is another language that I have studied and with which I am fairly comfortable. I want to thank the German Department for all they have done for me, especially in helping me receive this scholarship.”
He paid special tribute to Anne Nospickel, the Department of German Studies DAAD-funded language assistant (2018-19), who was especially instrumental in mentoring him through the various application phases.
Christopher will commence his studies at the University of Cologne this August before returning to MIC in September to conclude his final year of the Liberal Arts programme.
We wish him continued success
