Over 400 students have participated in the program to date
The Department of German Studies is thrilled to be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the AZ Summer Study in Leipzig program. Since 2003, over 400 students have participated in the month-long summer program at the Universität Leipzig, Germany. This year’s cohort has been busy using German daily, exploring new customs and practices, and making new connections. Over the past three weeks, they’ve gotten to know their German language partners, participated in a sightseeing tour with PhD Candidate and Leipzig native, Sina Meissgeier and her partner, who also teaches German, attended a discussion between the US General Consul for the region, Ken Toko, and Professor Eva Ínes Obergfell, the president of Universität Leipzig. They’ve also spent time in Weimar, Berlin, and Dresden.
In the initial kick-off event on Friday, June 1, Antje Schöne from the Stabsstelle Internationales (International Office at Universität Leipzig) emphasized that the university is very proud of the exchange with the University of Arizona. Dr. Janice McGregor (Assistant Professor, German Studies) added: “The Leipzig-Tucson-Connection is very strong!” McGregor has coordinated and led the program since 2022. After a pandemic-related hiatus in 2020 and 2021, McGregor took over from Dr. Peter Ecke (Professor, German Studies), who not only founded the program but also led it between 2003 and 2019. The University of Leipzig recently published an article to mark the program’s 20th anniversary, highlighting the perspectives of two program participants and UArizona German majors, David Asad and Gabriel Juarez.
As the program winds down, students are looking forward to sharing their creative final projects and celebrating a successful month together at Leipzig’s second-oldest restaurant, Auerbachs Keller (of Faust fame).