Computer Science, International Relations, Environmental Sciences, Combatting Hate Speech, and Exploring New Sustainable Materials: The exceptional young researchers awarded Quadrille Scholarships for the current academic year are passionately committed to diverse areas of study, poised to effect meaningful change in their respective fields. Thanks to the generous contributions of Quadrille Sponsors, donors, and guests, the Germanistic Society will once again fund 25 talented and inspiring students enrolled at universities in the United States and Germany.
In cooperation with the Institute of International Education and the Fulbright Commission, we continue to support highly qualified American graduate students in the current academic year: Gina Pantano, a doctoral student at the University of South Florida, conducts research in new materials for sustainable innovation at the Johann Gutenberg University, Mainz; Savannah Whittemore, a doctoral student at the University of Mississippi, works at a tool for the early identification of hate speech with German doctoral advisors at the Ruhr University, Bochum; Rachel Wong, a doctoral student at the University of Chicago, performs her research which spans the disciplines of philosophy and literary studies with faculty advisors at the University of Leipzig.
During the summer of 2023 ten students from the Columbia University German Department were enrolled in language courses by the FUBiS Summer Program at the Freie Universität Berlin. As the number of students enrolled in German courses in the United States decreases, it is essential that future German majors be encouraged and supported. They are likely to become German teachers or use their German language skills and knowledge of the culture in future careers in the arts, business and industry. We also supported two German instructors from High School and University level, whom we selected in cooperation with the American Association of Teachers of German. They participated in an advanced professional development course designed by Heidelberg University. Parts of the stipends were a gift from the University’s president, our 2015 Guest of Honor.
With the help of the generous support from friends of the Quadrille, we are also supporting five graduate students from the Ukraine studying in the US and five Fulbright scholars from Germany, helping them to continue their research in the United States once their Fulbright funded year has ended.
We are deeply grateful to all of you and your generosity and for the donations raised through the 2024 Quadrille Ball, which enables us to fund again 25 stipends and fellowships in the next academic year.
With funds raised by the Quadrille Ball over the years, the Germanistic Society has awarded more than seven hundred fellowships and stipends to outstanding graduate and undergraduate students and teachers from American universities to pursue their studies at German institutions of higher education and has also funded graduate students from Germany studying in the United States.
Dr. Barbara Elling, President, Germanistic Society of America
“I’m currently pursuing my Master’s in Artificial Intelligence and Innovation at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, and I can tell you – it is absolutely incredible to be at one of the most important research centers for AI at this time where the entire field of Artificial Intelligence is evolving so rapidly.”
Scholarship recipient Marlies Goes from Stuttgart, Germany
“It is my hope that this tradition of intellectual exchange, cultural immersion, and bringing together of people from around the world can continue so that many more after me can experience what I experienced.”
Scholarship recipient Benjamin Hunter Williams, Columbia University
