Step Reflection
Type of Project: Study Abroad
- Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. Write two or three sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed.
For my STEP Signature Project, I studied abroad in Dresden, Germany through a program offered through the German department. The Dresden Summer Language Program is an immersive language and culture program in which I earned 9 credits towards my German minor. I took one class focused on language and grammar, one class on culture and history, and a final class that combined the two. Through this program we lived and studied at the Technische Universität Dresden. We also took many day trips and longer trips to other places of interest in Germany.
- What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? Write one or two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place.
My STEP Signature Project was deeply transformation in many ways. Spending two months in a different country as a student was a much more immersive experience than simply visiting as a tourist. I came to have a greater understanding of Germany, it’s history and culture, the German people and the city of Dresden specifically. As someone who has become increasingly critical of American government, society, and culture, I was looking forward to experience one that is different and, in many ways, more progressive. Spending two months in a country with the types of progressive society I would like to see in America has cemented that this is the future we need. For instance, Germany’s openness to refugees and other immigrants, drastically lower costs of education, nationalized healthcare, and the list goes on. For myself, the biggest change has been that it inspired me to come back to America with a renewed goal to do what I can to bring about progressive change in my country.
My view of the world also changed. Germany is a country with a long history, and an especially dark one until fairly recently. The history of the Holocaust and Nazi Germany is something that has to be confronted in order to understand current German society. Seeing and experiencing how Germany has come to terms with such evil and life-altering events was enlightening. Coming to the realization that an entire nation became accepting of genocide and total war made me realize that people have such a potential for destruction and that erosion of truth and humanity is accomplished a lot easier than we think. This certainly made me reflect on the current political climate in our country and the danger that comes with the purposeful obscuring of the truth and increased claims to executive power. In general, the transformation has been that I am now realizing that we as individuals (especially those with privilege) have ownership in our society. We have a responsibility to be proactive in pursuing the social change we want and must defend human dignity from immoral and dangerous elements. If I don’t act, who will.
- What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.
The most impactful experience in Germany was visiting Buchenwald Concentration Camp. By far this experience is the one that I have thought about the most and caused the deepest reckoning from this study abroad. Buchenwald is located outside of the city of Weimar, a very important city to German history and culture. Seeing firsthand the remnants of the Nazi regime and the cruelty that they inflicted was chilling. Seeing the large operation of murder and the stripping of human dignity was emotional and jarring, especially as someone that would have faced persecution under the Nazi regime. This experience is something that I will always remember and use to find perspective when thinking about politics and the presence of nationalized violence, which has always been present but is being highlighted more recently.
Another important experience for me which related to the trip to Buchenwald was visiting the Topography of Terror Museum in Berlin. This museum painstakingly documents the rise and fall of the Nazi government. It showed in detail how the government ran a bureaucracy dedicated to dominance, fascism and institutionalized violence. This museum was difficult to come to terms with, as it showed how the people of Germany reacted normally to their fascist government. The transition from democracy to a fascist dictatorship so quickly was startling. It made me think about the dangers of fear-based politics and unhindered populism.
Lastly, the leader of our study abroad program, Dr. Kevin Richards, was instrumental in fostering a transformational experience for me. His open discussion style led us to have meaningful reflections on what we were seeing in Germany. His knowledge and wisdom on many subjects are something that I relied on for guidance and thought, as he listened to all of us fairly and equally. His genuine care for my opinions and experiences empowered me to share more and express my thoughts. Last, but not least, his compassion has inspired me to seek out the same kind of understanding that he did throughout our program. Compassion was something that was void from some of the historical and cultural experiences that we had, so it was welcome from him.
- Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Write one or two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.
This transformation is deeply significant to both my personal and professional goals. Personally, it has shifted some of my political views and how I look at society. I am making an effort to view societal situations from a more well-rounded and complete view, but also with a strong emphasis on compassion. Professionally, I have always wanted to be a lawyer but have toyed with which sector of the legal community I would like to work in. I now feel that it is my responsibility to work for the betterment of society, especially those in society who are facing the worst discrimination. As shown with German history, when nobody stands up for those being hurt, there are terrible repercussions. Therefore, I would like to work in legal aid or even public defense.
