• Two Marquette students have been chosen to participate in an internship program in Germany this summer
• The Transatlantic Program is offered to only 25 undergraduate students in the U.S. each year
• The program aims to strengthen relations between the United States and Germany and give students a deeper understanding of German culture
• Participants can intern at a number of prominent German companies in several fields of study

Two Marquette students have recently been chosen from a nationwide pool of applicants to participate in an internship program in Germany for the summer of 2008.

The Transatlantic Program, offered through the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, provides up to 25 undergraduate students from across the country with the opportunity to intern at German companies in various fields of specialty, according to program manager Sabine Klensch.

Klensch said the program, which is currently in its fourth year of operation, is targeted toward students with a background in German and an interest in learning more about German culture.

"What is most important to us is what we hope they take away from the program—a broader and deeper insight into Germany and German culture," Klensch said. "We hope they learn to be more open-minded and that they stay interested in being connected to Germany."

Klensch said the program typically attracts mostly students majoring in engineering or business but is open to undergraduates of all majors. She said participants are able to choose the amount of time they spend abroad, ranging anywhere from two to six months.

Although she said she cannot release the exact number of applicants, Klensch said the program is extremely competitive and the fact that two students from Marquette were chosen speaks very highly of the university.

"I think that it is a very good sign," Klensch said. "It shows that Marquette's students are well prepared to go abroad and are ready to experience another country."

John Shusterich, a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences, is one of the two Marquette students chosen for the program. He said the program appealed to him because of both the professional and personal benefits he hopes to gain from the experience.

"One of the major benefits of the program is character growth," Shusterich said. "You're basically on your own out there, so you grow a lot in independence. Also, even though you're definitely going to be working under people, you're doing things that will open doors for you in the future."

According to Shusterich, students participating in the program are required to pay for their own living expenses, including airfare, housing and meals. He said the students are also required to pay a $2,900 fee to the German American Chamber of Commerce to cover a unique 10 day Immersion Seminar preceding the internship. During this seminar, the participants travel to several different German cities of political, economic or cultural significance as an introduction to life in Germany and preparation for their internships.

Daniel Downes, the other Marquette student chosen for the program and a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said he hopes to learn things from the experience that he could not be taught in a classroom.

"The main reason the program appealed to me was because I haven't studied abroad, but the experience is a lot more than a study abroad program," Downes said. "You learn a lot of things beyond simple classroom work."

Downes said he believes that he and Shusterich being chosen for the Transatlantic Program says a lot about Marquette's status in the academic community.

"I think it shows how great a school we are and how competitive Marquette really is," Downes said. "We are definitely gaining a higher profile."