Elite Scholarship for Study in Germany Awarded to UA Student

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – University of Alabama student William Robertson of Ozark has received a DAAD Scholarship to study in Germany.

Robertson is one of 58 undergraduate students from 46 different Canadian and U.S. universities selected by a panel of experts in higher education to receive the prestigious scholarship.

Robertson, a political science, German and American studies major at UA, graduated from the George W. Long School in 2003 and Enterprise-Ozark Community College in 2005.

The DAAD Undergraduate Scholarship Program is aimed at students who want to spend part of their third or fourth year of college in Germany. The students stay anywhere from a semester to a full academic year to study, to do an internship or to conduct senior thesis research.

“Having the chance to study abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Being able to participate in an exchange program will give me the chance to grow both personally and intellectually. Going abroad gives me the first chance I have had to be away from friends and family as well as the familiar surroundings of the U.S.,” Robertson said.

“I hope that my experience will allow me to gain a new perspective on world affairs by increasing my understanding of international political and economical issues as well as increase both my fluency and knowledge of the German language and culture,” he added.

Dr. Thomas Fox, professor of modern languages and classics at UA, says the scholarship is an honor for both Robertson and UA.

“The DAAD grants are generally reserved for advanced graduate students. A smaller percentage is reserved for students who have just completed their bachelor’s degree. The smallest and most competitive percentage of grants is reserved for students who are still undergraduates, as is the case with Mr. Robertson. His receipt of the grant speaks to the quality and maturity of his work, as well as to the mentoring he has received at UA,” Fox noted.

For more information on DAAD programs go online to http://www.daad.org.