Hillsdale College Students Study Abroad in Germany
Students studied in Würzburg and at Saarland University.
HILLSDALE, Mich. — Fourteen Hillsdale College students studied abroad in Germany this summer through Hillsdale’s summer program in Würzburg, and one spent the last semester in Germany through an exchange program with Saarland University.
“We had a promising mix of newer and more experienced students this year,” said Jeffrey Hertel, assistant professor of German, who led this year’s Würzburg program. “Most of the students with us started learning German in the last two years, and they were joined by more advanced and near-native students from the higher levels. I was impressed with everyone’s dedication and progress, and proud to join them in this rewarding, challenging endeavor.”
“I never thought I would travel abroad, but this program is a wonderful opportunity.”
Hillsdale’s Würzburg Intensive Summer Language and Culture Program allows intermediate to advanced German students to spend a month in one of Germany’s oldest university towns. Students earn five academic credits through classes taught by Hillsdale College German faculty. The program also includes weekend excursions to Berlin and Dresden as well as a theater trip to view a German theatrical classic and local visits to museums, castles, and churches.
“I never thought I would travel abroad, but this program is a wonderful opportunity,” said Carli Jungeberg ’28. “I enjoyed learning from the professors and spending time with my classmates. It was an incredible experience to learn about the culture, history, and current events in Germany.”
Through the Saarland University Exchange Program at Saarbrücken, students spend a semester or year studying abroad in Germany while an equal number of students from Germany live and study at Hillsdale. Students may take classes in any field but are encouraged to devote at least a third of their coursework to German language and literature classes, which count toward a major or minor in German.
Hijiri Cramer ’27 studied at Saarland University this year from February through July.
“I got to learn first-hand how true it is that the American experience is a very singular and special thing,” Cramer said. “The beauty of our culture, at least in part, comes thanks to all that we’ve inherited from the German cultural tradition. It was a joy to see, even in our modern age, how this rich cultural history continues to shape each German town and its people in a unique way. I am beyond grateful to have been on the receiving end of such generosity and grace during my time abroad and to have had the opportunity to learn with and from the good people of Saarbrücken.”
“Not only do you learn a great deal about where you visit, but also about where you are from.”
Scholarship aid for both programs is available thanks to the generosity of Hillsdale College donors.
“Hillsdale’s study abroad programs immerse students in the language and culture they are studying,” said Stephen Naumann, associate professor of German. “Studying abroad is an irreplaceable experience for both learning and personal growth, and it sparks joy and curiosity that students bring back to the classroom. Not only do you learn a great deal about where you visit, but also about where you are from.”
On campus, Hillsdale’s Chapter of Delta Phi Alpha, the German honorary, organizes a variety of German activities for students, including lectures, film screenings, and a weekly conversational table known as “Stammtisch.” The honorary has also organized trips to classical concerts, a German exhibit at an art museum, a live German opera, the Christkindlmarkt in Chicago, the Bavarian town of Frankenmuth, and more.
Annual events include Oktoberfest each fall, a “Kaffee und Kuchen Colloquium” lecture series, a “Grillfest” each spring, an Easter poetry walk known as “Osterspaziergang,” and a lantern procession for St. Martin’s Day.
German students at Hillsdale also regularly present at academic conferences, including an annual conference hosted by The Ohio State University and another co-hosted by Lafayette College and Moravian University, where a Hillsdale student won an award last year for the best presentation at the conference.
- More information about the German program at Hillsdale College
- Photos of the students in Germany
- Photos of Hillsdale College
- High-resolution copy of the Hillsdale College clocktower logo
DATE: Sept. 1, 2026