Dear all,
 
Though we continue to be affected by COVID-19, we hope that you will consider studying abroad in Freiburg in 2021-2022.  The program is very well coordinated and is cost-saving, especially for out-of-state students, who will still receive regular in-residence credits here at Michigan.  The application portal is open, and you may want to apply for an early decision by Tuesday, December 1.  If you have any questions, please ask Mary or Kalli – see their office hours and contact info in the “German Courses & Majoring/Minoring section of the full version of this email.
 
If you are a current junior in LSA, you may want to consider applying for the Program in Transcultural Studies at the University of Michigan.  You would extend your studies by a year and receive an MA degree upon completion of the program.  The application deadline is Thursday, October 15.
 
Those who are interested in combining a Ross BBA degree with an additional LSA BA/BS major (degree) are encouraged to attend one of the MDDP (joint degree) information sessions on Monday, October 19, and Tuesday, October 20.
 
Global Scholars Program: Do you want to be a part of an international community without leaving campus? Are you interested in improving your intercultural skills with students from different backgrounds and perspectives? The Global Scholars Program is now accepting applications for Winter 2021 and academic year 2021-2022. Please send an email to globalscholars@umich.edu to indicate interest in attending the following information sessions and a Zoom Link will be sent to you:
  • Monday, October 12, 6:30 – 7:30 PM
  • Wednesday, November 4, 6:30 – 7:30 PM
Several University of Michigan students entered the annual DAAD Photo Contest “GermanyInMyFuture.” You can now cast one vote for a photo here.
 
See the “Conversation Hours, German Lab” section below for information about “German Convo on the Go,” “German Convo, Home Edition,” and the Max Kade Kaffeestunde and Deutschtisch, all taking place weekly.

Other highlights from this week’s email, and what section to check for more details:

  • Conversation Opportunities – Conversation Hours, German Lab
  • Study Abroad, Internships, Scholarship Deadlines – Study Abroad/Internships/Scholarship Info
  • Advising Info – German Courses & Majoring/Minoring in German
  • Conversation Partner Options – Miscellaneous
  • International Center Global Engagement and Education Abroad email list – Miscellaneous
  • Student Resources for Learning Remotely; Virtual BlueCorps office hours for students – Miscellaneous
  • Reserving Study Spaces & Adjusting Your Study Habits During COVID – Miscellaneous
  • FU Best Lectures Series – Miscellaneous
  • Finding German Films and Series Online – Miscellaneous
  • Arts & Culture “Attend at Home” event listings – Local Events and Opportunities
  • Democracy & Debate Theme Semester Events, & voting/registering to vote at the Satellite City Clerk’s Office at UMMA – Local Events and Opportunities
 
German Conversation Hours – “German Convo on the Go” (Tuesday, October 13, 5-6 p.m., Bell Tower) and “German Convo Home Edition (Wednesday, October 14, 6-7 p.m. EDT, Virtual)
 
German Club: “Stammtisch (Thursday, October 15; 7-8 p.m., Virtual)
 
Max-Kade Event: “Kaffeestunde (Thursday, October 15; 8-9 p.m., Virtual)
 
Max Kade Event – “Yoga auf Deutsch” (Friday, October 16; 2-3 p.m., Virtual)
 
Max-Kade Event: “Deutschtisch (Sunday, October 18; 6-7 p.m., Virtual)
 
Internship Posting: Recruitment Internship for ZF in Livonia, MI (Friday, October 16; Application Deadline)
 

The German Lab is a virtual office hour taking place Monday-Thursday 1-4 pm. You can ask shorter and longer questions, come for conversation practice, help with homework etc. Here is more info about the German Lab – please take advantage of this great resource! Please sign up in advance on the German Lab Signup: instructors will check the signup at the beginning of their German Lab hour, and will leave the lab for that hour if no one has signed up.

German Convo on the Go” (Tuesdays 5-6) and “German Convo Home Edition” (Wednesdays 6-7) will meet weekly. More details:

  • German Convo on the Go” will take place in person, outdoors, Tuesdays from 5-6, meet at the Bell Tower facing the League between 5-5:10 and then, weather permitting, we’ll head out from there for a chat and stroll. Email Mary Gell at magell@umich.edu if you are late and need to find the group.
  • German Convo Home Edition” will take place remotely each week, regardless of the weather conditions on the internet (haha). Here is the Zoom link.
  • All students at all levels are welcome to come and chat in German at both meetings!

Look for links to Max Kade events (Kaffeestunde, Deutschtisch, Yoga auf Deutsch) in the “Upcoming Deadlines and Events” section!

LRC Conversation Partner Site

Go to this page to sign up or find a conversation partner. Please notify the LRC if you notice problems (e.g. outdated records etc.). Don’t be shy: the more people sign up, the better the site will work!

Ann Arbor Stammtisch

  • We assume Stammtisch is on hiatus for now. Please let us know if you have information about virtual meetings of the Stammtisch, so we can include it here!
  • A German Stammtisch meets once a week, usually on Thursdays at 8:00 pm at Grizzly Peak or another bar near Main Street. Join the email list to stay up-to-date on where and when the group will meet.
  • There’s also a facebook page: look for “German Table / Stammtisch”
  • Alternatively, contact Mechthild Heerde-Olind at heerdeolind@yahoo.com for the current location and for more information.
  • This is NOT something you can do to make up an absence, but you can still go for fun and/or write about it for an AMD.
See the “Upcoming Deadlines and Events” section for this week’s German Club activities!
 
The German Club works to connect students of all levels with a passion for German language and culture to opportunities for language practice, cultural events, and networking! This semester, its events have been adjusted to allow for fully remote participation, and you are encouraged to come to as many or few as you would like! In addition to virtual Stammtisch (German conversation table), the German Club will offer online game nights where you can win German Club swag, virtual German cook-alongs, tutoring, and more.

Email germaneboard@umich.edu to get put on the email list, or “like” the club on Facebook at facebook.com/germanclubumich for updates!

Faculty Advisors Mary Rodena-Krasan & Kalli Federhofer

Contact our two faculty advisors, Mary or Kalli, for advice on study abroad, internships abroad, a German major/minor, upper-level German courses, career opportunities in German, study-abroad and work-abroad opportunities, etc.

    • Mary and Kalli will advise you remotely. Email them or see the info below to find out whether/when they are available to advise you in Spring/Summer.
    • Mary Rodena-Krasan (mkrasan@umich.edu):
      • Mary’s available office hours this week:
        Monday, October 12: 1-2:30 p.m.,
        Tuesday, October 13: 1:15-4:45 p.m.,
        Wednesday, October 14: 1:15-4:45 p.m.,
        Thursday, October 15: 1:15-4:45 p.m.,
        and by appointment
        Mary’s Link for Office Hours: https://umich.zoom.us/j/92765512004
    • Karl-Georg Federhofer (kallimz@umich.edu):
      • Kalli’s available office hours this week:
        Monday, October 12: 10-11 a.m., 1:30-3, 8-10 p.m.,
        Tuesday, October 13: 8:30-10:30 a.m., 4-6, 8-10 p.m.,
        Wednesday, October 14: 1:30-6, 8-10 p.m.,
        Thursday, October 15: 1-3:30, 8-10 p.m.,
        Friday, October 16: 9-11 a.m., 3-6, 8-10 p.m.,
        Sunday, October 18: 8-10 p.m.,
        and by appointment
        Kalli’s Zoom Link for Office Hours: https://umich.zoom.us/j/909147087
    • To reach either advisor: germanadvising@umich.edu
    • You can also schedule appointments with Mary & Kalli by clicking here
    • …and you can contact Kalli via text message (734-277-7341) or via Facebook (Kalli Federhofer)

German Peer Advisors/Mentors

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

  • Current classes and potential courses
  • Study abroad, internship, and traveling in Germany
  • Academic requirements (major/minor, LSA language requirement) and combination (engineering, pre-health, etc.)
  • Max Kade House
  • Departmental scholarships/fellowships
  • On- and off-campus German opportunities (German Club, German Day, etc.)
  • Career/job search
  • Getting involved – enhancing your undergraduate experience with the German Department

This page will only include entries in this category when there is a job/internship etc. aimed at German students at all levels. To see more internship and job opportunities, scroll through Kalli’s blog, addressed to all upper-level German students

Check out the arts.umich.edu “Attend at Home” event listing for this week. Each week’s listing includes a wide range of exciting events, including
  • that week’s Penny Stamps Lecture (A high-profile artist or public figure speaks about their work each week. These lectures are a highlight of UM’s intellectual life. If you aren’t aware of this series, please read more about the Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series here, where you can also see a list of upcoming speakers)
  • virtual exhibits, lectures, discussions etc.

Check out the website for the Democracy & Debate Theme Semester. For anyone who has not yet registered to vote or would like to pick up/cast an absentee ballot, there is now a satellite Ann Arbor City Clerk office at UMMA. Hours:

  • Sept. 22-Oct. 23: Weekdays 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
  • Oct. 24-Nov. 1: Weekdays 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturdays 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Nov. 2: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Nov. 3: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

There are two German Department facebook groups:

  • “German Advising at University of Michigan” [Read news here!]
    • Join this group to see much of the information you see in this email, as well as other relevant info, in the form of individual announcement posts.
  • “German Program at University of Michigan – Vorwärts Blau!” [Post things here!]
    • You are encouraged to join this group to in order to read and post interesting/fun items related to German language and culture. If you have trouble joining the group or posting something, please email Hartmut!

AND there is a German Department facebook page. Check it out: https://www.facebook.com/umichGerman/

You can find weekly updates similar to this email but with lots more content on this blog.

We also encourage you to join us on our LinkedIn site: ‘University of Michigan German Department’

You can also follow us on Twitter: @umichGerman

Conversation Partner Options: Various options for finding conversation partners are listed on this page.

Sign up here for the International Center’s Global Engagement and Education Abroad email list. Weekly emails include info on workshops regarding travel and work abroad, conversation groups, cultural info sessions etc. SEHR interessant!

The Study Spaces at U-M website helps you find and reserve study spaces on campus.

Study Advice: “Adjusting Your Study Habits During COVID”

  • If you are looking for ways to structure studying under these new circumstances, here is some great advice for adjusting your study habits. VIELEN Dank to the German Club’s Paul Chamberlain for finding this. It is full of excellent advice. I am a big fan of the “Pomodoro method” for focussed “mono-tasking.”

Student Resources for Learning Remotely; Virtual BlueCorps office hours for students

FU Best Lectures Series

Check out the FU/Best Lecture series (e.g. for an AMD in German 101, 102 or 221/231). A 45-minute lecture is released each Wednesday; a recording of the Lecture can be accessed anytime after that date (just expand the description to see the link). Topics include e.g. Jewish-German Life – Then and Now; Young Culture: Hip Hop and Street Art as Expressions of Youth Identity in Germany; Multicultural Berlin: The Dynamics of Muslim Cosmopolitanism; etc.

Finding German Films and Series