German Advising Contact Information With Office Hours From Tuesday, September 30 - Wednesday, October 8

You can reach the German advisors through a general email: germanadvising@umich.edu

We have two advisors for German undergraduates:

* Mary Rodena-Krasan (MLB 3128; mkrasan@umich.edu)

Her office hours this week are:

Tuesday, September 30: 10-1, 4-5 p.m.,

Thursday, October 2: 10-1 p.m.,

Friday, October 3: 10-3 p.m.,

Tuesday, October 7: 10-12, 4-5 p.m.,

and by appointment

Mary's Link for Office Hours: https://umich.zoom.us/j/92765512004

* Karl-Georg Federhofer (MLB 3422; kallimz@umich.edu)

My office hours this week are:

Tuesday, September 30: 1-5 p.m.,

Wednesday, October 1: 12-3 p.m.,

Thursday, October 2: 11-12, 1-2 p.m.,

Friday, October 3: 9-12:30, 1-5 p.m.,

Monday, October 6: 12-3 p.m.,

Tuesday, October 7: 1-5 p.m.,

Wednesday, October 8: 12-3 p.m.,

and by appointment

My Zoom Link for Office Hours: https://umich.zoom.us/j/909147087

It is best to schedule appointments, which you have to do by 4 p.m. on the previous day. You can schedule appointments with us here: https://myadvising.lsa.umich.edu/appointments/offices/GERM

If you would like to get in contact with a peer mentor in our Department, please write to: germanmentors@umich.edu.

German Conversation Opportunities - "Kreativwerkstatt:" Tuesday, September 30, 1-2 p.m., MLB 3030, and "Schokoladenstunde:" Tuesday, September 30, 2-3 p.m., MLB 3110, and "German Convo on the Go:" Monday, October 6, 2-3 p.m., Burton Tower

We have three weekly and informal conversation opportunities for all students who want to speak German:

"Kreativwerkstatt:" Chat in German and express yourself creatively. Crafting, coloring, painting, drawing, knitting, sewing, crochet, embroidery, origami? At the weekly German “Kreativwerkstatt,” which takes place on Tuesdays from 1-2 p.m., you will combine speaking German (any level welcome, beginners included!!) and creatively expressing yourself. You are encouraged to bring your own materials or (ongoing) projects, but we will also provide some materials and prompts each week. If you have questions about "Kreativwerkstatt" please contact Laura Okkema (lokkema@umich.edu) or Iris Zapf-Garcia (iriszaga@umich.edu.)

"Schokoladenstunde" convenes on Tuesdays from 2-3 p.m. in the German Department Lounge (MLB 3110.) There will be some German chocolate to snack on. Silvia Grzeskowiak (sgrzesko@umich.edu) will bring games, and the hour will be spent chatting and playing games in German (e.g. Tabu.)

"German Convo on the Go" meets on Mondays at 2 p.m. sharp at Burton Tower for a 1-hour walk and talk with Mary Gell (magell@umich.edu.) The walk will happen rain or shine.

Accelerated Master’s Degree at the University of Michigan - Program in Transcultural Studies - Information Session: Tuesday, September 30, 4-5 p.m., Remote

Earn your MA in one additional year!

Join us to learn more about Transcultural Studies, an interdisciplinary accelerated master's degree program designed to enable current undergraduate students in LSA to earn their MA degree with one additional year of study beyond their bachelor’s degree.

The fall application cycle is open to current LSA juniors and seniors.
Fall term applications are due October 15, 2025.

Do you anticipate pursuing a PhD or a career involving international travel, cross-cultural partnerships, or collaborative work in a diverse workplace? The University of Michigan's accelerated MA program in Transcultural Studies can help you develop the historical, theoretical, and practical knowledge you need to navigate forward-looking graduate education and career pathways in an increasingly cosmopolitan and interconnected world. Transcultural Studies uses approaches from across the Humanities and Social Sciences to foster a critical and historically informed understanding of human communication and interaction across perceived boundaries of culture, nationality, race, and religious identity.

This interdisciplinary program is intended to provide both advanced training and a capstone experience for current LSA undergraduates who anticipate pursuing a PhD or working in business or non-profit contexts where intercultural competency and a critical framework for thinking systematically about connections, comparisons, and translations among human communities will be desirable skills.

Website: https://lsa.umich.edu/german/news-events/all-events.detail.html/138961-21884371.html

Max Kade Events - "Deutschtisch:" Wednesday, October 1, 6-7 p.m., North Quad Dining Hall, and "Kaffeestunde:" Friday, October 3 5-6 p.m., North Quad 2450

"Deutschtisch" is a weekly event in the North Quad Dining Hall for Max Kade residents and visitors from outside of Max Kade Haus to speak German during a meal. Visitors should look for a table with German/Swiss/Austrian flags and a bunch of students speaking German.

Max Kade "Kaffeestunde" is a weekly opportunity to mingle and unwind "auf Deutsch". It is a place to connect with other Max Kade residents, chat informally in German and participate in activities prepared by facilitators.

German students at all levels (101 and up) are welcome at all Max Kade events.

If you have any questions, please ask Viola Tietje (vtietje@umich.edu) and Vera Irwin (veremeev@umich.edu.)

German Club - "Stammtisch": Wednesday, October 1, 7-8 p.m., Mason Hall 3353

The German Club will hold its next "Stammtisch" on Wednesday, October 1, 7-8 p.m., Mason Hall 3353.

You will have the opportunity to speak German with other students here from the University of Michigan.

If you have any questions, please address them to Kyle (kirschk@umich.edu.)

German Club - Oktoberfest Table: Thursday, October 2, 2:30-5 p.m., Diag

The German Club will host an Oktoberfest-themed table on the Diag on Thursday, October 2, 2:30-5 p.m.

The table will have trivia questions, candy, German merchandise, a pretzel photo-op, and more!

German Peer Mentors - Tutoring Hours: Thursday, October 2, 3-5 p.m., and Friday, October 3, 10-12, 3-5 p.m., North Quad, Language Resource Center

The German Peer Mentors will have drop-in tutoring hours this Thursday and Friday.

You will find a sign on the German Peer Mentors' table to locate them.

DAAD Contest: #100Years100Postcards: Friday, October 3 (Application Deadline)

For this year’s social media contest, the DAAD is celebrating its 100-year anniversary with #100Years100Postcards! Currently enrolled graduate and undergraduate students are invited to enter for a chance to win a flight to Germany.

This year’s contest is inspired by the commemorative Deutsche Post postage stamp released earlier this year in honor of DAAD’s 100th anniversary. Whether participating in an exchange in 1925, 1975, or 2025, postcards have been an important way for exchange students to keep in touch with friends and loved ones abroad. In that spirit, the DAAD is celebrating its anniversary and the importance of international exchange with #100Years100Postcards!

The first prize winner will win a roundtrip ticket to a destination of their choice in Germany from anywhere in the United States or Canada (up to US$1,700), second prize will receive an online German course at the Goethe-Institut, and third prize will receive a book of their choice by a DAAD alum!

How It Works:
* Select a DAAD alum whose work or exchange story inspires you. This can be someone you’ve met, like a family member or academic mentor, or one of DAAD’s many well-known alumni worldwide. Visit the DAAD Alumni Gallery for ideas!
* Create a postcard inspired by that alum’s story or work. The design may be created using digital or analog methods, but AI-generated images will not be considered.
* On the opposite side of the postcard, write a message to the alum you selected detailing why you chose them for your contest entry.
* Add a stamp and mail your postcard to our DAAD USA team at:
DAAD Social Media Contest
DAAD New York
871 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
USA

For more information, please go to: https://www.daad.org/en/2025/09/02/100years100postcards/

Gilman International Scholarship for Study or Internships Abroad: Friday, October 3 (Application Deadline)

The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program (Gilman Program) supports students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity. The Gilman Program is a competitive, merit-based scholarship. To be eligible for the Gilman Program, applicants must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving a Pell Grant during the term of their study abroad program or internship. The Institute of International Education has administered the program since its inception in 2001.

To be eligible for a Gilman scholarship, an applicant must be:
* A citizen or national of the United States;
* An undergraduate student in good standing at an accredited institution of higher education in the United States (including both two-year and four-year institutions);
* Receiving a Federal Pell Grant during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving a Pell Grant during the term of their study abroad program or internship;
* In the process of applying to, or accepted to, a credit-bearing study abroad or internship program. Proof of program acceptance is required prior to award disbursement;
* Applying for credit-bearing study abroad programs in a country or location with an overall Travel Advisory Level 1 or 2, according to the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Advisory System.

The October 2025 Deadline application is now open for applicants whose abroad programs or internships start between December 1, 2025, to October 31, 2026. This cycle encompasses therefore:
* Academic Year in Freiburg 2026-2027
* Humanities and Social Sciences in Berlin
* Summer Internships Through Sage Corps
* Summer Internships Through IES Abroad

Website: https://www.gilmanscholarship.org/

Vampyr - Der Traum des Allan Gray (Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer): Tuesday, October 7, 7:30 p.m., Michigan Theater

A drifter obsessed with the supernatural stumbles upon an inn where a severely ill adolescent girl is slowly becoming a vampire.

The film is in German with English subtitles

Website: https://marquee-arts.org/event-page/?showingId=962364&eventId=962363

Max Kade Open House: Wednesday, October, 8, 5-6 p.m., NQ 2185

Max Kade Haus is a Michigan Learning Community (MLC) located in North Quad and the only language-learning community on campus, where students live together to practice German, build friendships, and experience language and culture beyond the classroom.

Max Kade residents enjoy a variety of weekly German-speaking events and go on a subsidized spring-break study trip to a German-speaking country (for 2026/27, the destination is Hamburg). To learn more about the program and the application process, please attend the Max Kade Open House on Wednesday, October 8, 5-6 p.m., 2185 North Quad.

You will meet current residents, learn about living in the house and will have a chance to tour the residential Max Kade space in North Quad. For more information, email maxkade@umich.edu.

Website: https://lsa.umich.edu/german/undergraduate-students/max-kade-german-residence.html

CGIS Study Abroad Fair: Thursday, October 9, 12-4 p.m., Michigan Union, Rogel Ballroom

Curious about studying abroad as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan? Come explore everything the Center for Global and Intercultural Study has to offer and find the best program for you!

CGIS is part of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA), but all University of Michigan undergraduates are welcome to apply to its programs.

No matter who you are, where you come from, or what you are studying, a study abroad experience is available to you during your time at Michigan.

Get your questions answered! Come chat with:
* CGIS Program Advisors
* Recent U-M study abroad students
* Financial Aid and the LSA Scholarships Office
* Newnan Academic Advisors
* Other on-campus offices

Several study abroad offices from around campus will also be present.

With over 120 CGIS programs in 40+ countries ranging from a few weeks to an academic year, there are many options to choose from.

If you want to learn more about how to satisfy your major/minor requirements abroad, how to afford study abroad, how to travel with other University of Michigan students on a faculty-led trip, or want to know what to expect, be sure to add this event to your calendar and drop by.

Website: https://events.umich.edu/event/134969

Academic Year in Freiburg 2026-2027 - Information Session: Thursday, October 9, 6 p.m., MLB Lecture Room 2

Join us on Thursday, October 9, 6 p.m., MLB Lecture Room 2, for an information session about the Academic Year in Freiburg.

One former participant will tell you about their experience abroad.

If this time is inconvenient for you, please let Mary or me know, and we will find a time that fits your schedule.

Little, Big, and Far (Director: Jem Cohen, 2024): Friday, October 17, 7 p.m., and Saturday, October 18, 7 p.m., and Sunday, October 19, 2 p.m., Detroit Film Theatre

Visionary director Jem Cohen (Museum Hours) brings the same elegance and intellectual curiosity to his stargazing new feature. The film’s principal subject is Karl, an Austrian astronomer who, after turning 70, begins to re-evaluate both his work and his personal life. He travels to a mountaintop on a Greek island in search of the darkest possible sky against which to view the cosmos in its full grandeur.

Yet the true focus of Little, Big, and Far—whose title refers to the three concepts Karl and his physicist wife believe lie at the core of their work—is a profound reckoning with scientific truth at a moment of humanity’s existential crisis.

In German and English with English subtitles.

Website: https://dia.org/events/little-big-and-far

The (Virtual) Germany Grad Fair: Friday, October 24, 4-5:30 p.m., Remote

Thinking about graduate school abroad? Looking for high-quality, affordable degree programs taught in English at top-ranked institutions that can boost your career? Then mark your calendar for the (virtual) Germany Grad Fair 2025 — your gateway to earning a master's or Ph.D. in Germany!

The virtual Germany Grad Fair connects North American students and professionals with representatives from German universities and funding agencies. Whether you are just beginning to explore international graduate programs or are already preparing your applications, this event is designed to guide and inspire your journey to a graduate program in Germany.

With hundreds of respected universities located in the heart of Europe to choose from, it’s no wonder that Germany consistently ranks as one of the most popular countries in the world for students. Germany offers world-class graduate education, often tuition-free and with a large selection of English-degrees and modules. Many universities also offer great job prospects or internships in Germany - but studying in Germany also supports your career upon return. So if you’re a graduate student, young professional, or career service advisor eager to unlock international graduate opportunities, the virtual Germany Grad Fair is for you!

* Meet university representatives: Learn about master's, doctoral, and fast-track programs in all fields of study and choose your program from a wide range of graduate opportunities at German universities and universities of applied sciences.
* Discover funding opportunities: Hear from the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) and other funding organizations about scholarships and financial support.
* Receive practical guidance and contacts: Get help from experts with every step of the process, from applications and visas to life in Germany, housing and student jobs.

This event is free with RSVP: A reminder and the Zoom-Link to the meeting will be shared one week before the event.

Website: https://www.uas7.org/en/blog/virtual-germany-grad-fair-2025

Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX) 2026/2027: Saturday, November 1 (Application Deadline)

The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX) is a fellowship funded by the German Bundestag and U.S. Department of State. It annually provides 65 American and 65 German young professionals, between the ages of 18-24, the opportunity to spend one year in each other's countries, studying, interning, and living with hosts on a cultural immersion program. One of our University of Michigan 2025 graduates won this fellowship for 2025-2026.

The CBYX program for Americans consists of three phases:
* Intensive Language Training: Two months of intensive German language training
* Study Phase: One semester of classes in one’s academic or career field at a university, technical, or professional school
* Internship Phase: Three- to five-month internship in one’s career field

CBYX is open to candidates in all career fields, and applicants from a broad range of backgrounds are selected for the program each year. CBYX is sponsored in the U.S. by the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, under the authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961, as amended. Cultural Vistas has administered CBYX for Young Professionals for 40 years.

Cultural Vistas partners with the U.S. Department of State on the CBYX program. The program is currently reviewed to ensure compliance with recent executive orders and other guidance.

Website: https://culturalvistas.org/our-programs/internships-fellowships/congress-bundestag-youth-exchange-for-young-professionals-cbyx

German Film Series - Die bleierne Zeit (Director: Margarethe von Trotta, 1981): Monday, November 3 6:30 p.m., North Quad 2435

A fictionalized account of the true lives of Christiana and Gudrun Ensslin (Juliane and Marianne in the film). These sisters both fight for women's rights by very different means: Julianne advocates via journalism, while Marianna joins a violent revolutionary group and is jailed for her actions.

Pizza will be served at 6 p.m., and the film screening will start at 6:30 p.m.

Website: https://events.umich.edu/event/139738