Real-World Experience

Sensitivity to and awareness of other people and cultures are among the top five transferable skills that employers look for in applicants—a mix of accuracy and creativity, confidence, and flexibility. That’s why we encourage students to look for opportunities to gain real-world experience through participation in faculty projects and internships.

Some recent projects our students have participated in include the Etymological Dictionary of the English Language (with Prof. Liberman), the Green German Project website (with Prof. Melin), the development of environmental modules for the second-year German curriculum (with Dr. Kautz), and collaboration with the Resilient Communities Project through an immigration course facilitating the exploration of the Peterson Farm Homestead settled by Swedish immigrants (with Dr. Norrman). The opportunities vary from year to year, so students are encouraged to ask about current possibilities.

Where do you start? Research opportunities with faculty are supported by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). The Center for German and European Studies has a program in Germany: the WorkART Kunstverein Fellowship Program. Other community institutions with regular openings include Twin Cities German Immersion School, the Germanic-American Institute, the Museum of Russian Art (TMORA), the American Swedish Institute, and Norway House. Students can also find opportunities to use their abilities in language learning as tutors for English in area schools.