On Friday, October 9, the German Club, International Education Office, Public Affairs Department, Modern Language Department, and Dining Services brought a little piece of Germany to the Back Quad for Oktoberfest. Students and staff were able to enjoy German music, food, and for those of age, German beer in the pop-up biergarten. Attendees tasted Brats mit Kasespatzle (brats with sauerkraut), Kartoffelsalat (German potato salad), Laugenbrezel (Bavarian-style pretzels with dipping sauces), Apfelstrudel (apple strudel), and Black Forest cupcakes, along with a couple varieties of Hofbrau and Spaten beers.
One of the highlights of the evening was hearing from students and staff about the German Club and the Leipzig Semester program. Simon Gardehl introduced the German club to those in attendance, and Lexie Ruckman spoke about her time in Leipzig. “I believe that you have to go to grow. For me, this was going to a country where I didn’t even know how to say hello. I would not trade this experience for the world. Leipzig and the people I was with became a home that I never thought I would have had,” Ruckman said of her experience. Professors Dr. Rob Willingham and Dr. Andreea Mihalache-O’Keef, who have led the program before and will lead the program this upcoming fall, respectively, invited students who are interested to come on this life-changing experience.
During the Leipzig Semester, you will live and learn in Leipzig, Germany with other students and a Roanoke College professor. It is open to all Roanoke College students, regardless of major or language credits, as there is not language prerequisite. Classes meet Monday through Thursday, leaving plenty of time to explore Germany and Europe as a whole. Students will travel to three different countries and ten cities in Europe, several UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the Naumburg Cathedral, and the treetop walkways in Hainich National Park. Courses during Fall 2021 include German language, The Other Side of the Wall—The German Democratic Republic in Film (ENG 356/INQ271), Europe in Transition: The EU, Democracy, and Citizenship (POLI/IR 260/351), and Heritage: The Politics of Nature, Culture, and Sustainability (POLI/IR 260/351). These courses can substitute into a variety of different majors, minors, and concentrations. Applications are due February 1, 2021 for the Fall 2021 semester. To learn more, visit https://www.roanoke.edu/leipzig or talk to Dr. Mihalache-O’Keef (mihalache@roanoke.edu) or Carmen Boggs-Parker (boggs@roanoke.edu) with International Education.
Casey Wilson
Contributing Writer
