Our Student Ambassadors are undergraduate Germanics majors who want to connect with prospective and current students to share their experiences and support them with the college/major decision process.
Here is our first Student Ambassador Sara Koeck:
"After graduation, I wish to go into international business with a focus on marketing and advertising. I am especially interested in the specific advertising strategies that come from the differences in the German and English Language.
I chose Germanics to not only improve my language skills but to also get a more in-depth study of its literature styles. Since I am originally from Austria and did not have to take many of the language classes, I focused my German degree on studying the different eras of German literature. This has taught me a lot about phrases, dialects, and images that are specific to different geographic and temporal areas of the language.
My advice to prospective students who are thinking of majoring in Germanics is this; even if it is just a class you are taking because it is a requirement, be open to what you are learning and look into the major. At such a big school as the UW, it is a perfect major for those who wish to have a greater sense of community within their major. It is also a great option for those people who are thinking of wanting to pursue multiple majors, such as myself."
Interview with our second Student Ambassador Francesca Cook:
What are your aspirations after graduating?
Francesca Cook: "I want to spend some time traveling (especially to German-speaking countries), then go to graduate school in psychology for a research PhD in neuroscience."
Why did you choose Germanics?
Francesca Cook: "I didn't choose Germanics so much as I fell into it. I chose German in high school because my dad has a PhD in German from UW, then I studied abroad in Germany near Dortmund, and then again in Vienna with the department in college. Studying German has been a great way to keep up and improve my German!"
What is your advice to prospective students?
Francesca Cook: "Getting a German degree is easier than you think! When I first came to UW, my plan was to only minor in Germanics. After participating in Spring in Vienna in 2016, I realized I only needed a few more classes to get a BA. If you have any interest, just keep taking classes and see where it goes."