Testimonials

What is studying German intensively like from a student's perspective? What has it meant for the future trajectory of some? Here are a few things students have written about the RC German program over the years:

Doug and Emma talk about their experience as German language tutors in our program (transcribed from their bilingual podcast):

Doug: Now we’re both back with the RC German program, working as tutors and helping out with some of the students who are currently in the Intensive German classes. It’s been an awesome experience to be able to stay connected with the RC and to see the Intensive German program from this different angle; to see how much the students are learning and how fast it is. Intensive is not a lie! It’s pretty fast-paced and there is a lot of material. They’re learning so much.

Emma: It’s also cool to see these students going through the same program that we did. When we were in their situation we had older students who’d gone through the program we really looked up to, so it’s cool to be in a reversed position and to be able to meet their needs pretty well because we know what it feels like to be in that intensive German program.

Doug: It’s also really fun to continue working with Karein who was our professor during our time in the Intensive German program. Seeing it from a different angle and trying to help out is an awesome opportunity, also to review and improve my own German language abilities while helping the students out.

Emma: This program is important for both of us. I want to move to Germany next year and hopefully work in a school setting with kids, so that fact that I’m getting hands-on experience working with students and helping them learn German is so valuable and pretty rare.

Doug: I’ve certainly thought about moving to Germany at points in my undergraduate experience. I think if you get involved with Intensive German that might be a thought that comes through your mind, but I’m currently thinking about becoming a German teacher in the States. This program and my current involvement as a tutor has been a tremendous experience to up my own abilities and help better prepare me for what my life might look like after the university. So the program has come back all around for me. Now it’s a new and awesome opportunity for me to improve my own German and teaching abilities.

This video testimonial relates how transformative studying German at the RC can be. Ian Singleton (RC class of 2004) had no prior ("absolut null") German before starting our program. Ian completed the entire sequence and still speaks German, as well as Russian. Ian is a writer, translator and professor of Writing at Baruch College in New York and thanks the RC German Program for getting him started with German. 

These comments are drawn from emails that were sent to us by alumni who recognized the value of their language study, sometimes even years later. They are also pulled from anonymized course evaluations, with emphasis on more recent feedback to reflect the program in its current incarnation.  

The quality of teaching was phenomenal! We discussed various important topics of Germany's history, culture, and contemporary society. Through the material, I continuously felt pushed to improve my German. (2023)

I knew zero German before I started, and because many of the other people in the class did, it was admittedly intimidating at first. However, Karein and Carla worked with me every step of the way and were always understanding and willing to help. (2023)

I loved German 291. Without a doubt, I got a new lens to see the world. But most importantly, I gained the chance to scrutinise the world that I'd taken for granted for several years and to pick up the pieces that I'd missed, e.g. literature (when I interpreted those literature works) and creative writing (when we were pushed out of our comfort zone to make up stories, even sometimes they were absurd). I just can't believe that I really enjoyed myself in reading and writing one day (auf Deutsch). (2022)

"Participating in the RC German program was hands-down the best decision I made coming into college. I gained so much confidence in my language skills, to the point where I was thinking and dreaming in German by the end of the semester. RC German also helped me get to know my classmates quickly, because learning a language together is a serious bonding experience. The RC German teachers are beyond supportive. They are very good at creating a positive learning environment where students feel comfortable speaking in class and making mistakes (because you can't learn a language without doing so!)."  (2022)

"When I first came to U-M, I didn't speak any German at all, nor did I think I would ever have an opportunity to learn it. However, joining the RC gave me the perfect opportunity to learn a new language in an environment that was welcoming and supportive. The first day of class was daunting, but by the second and third week I was beginning to feel more comfortable with the language. As thankful as I am for the new language I have acquired, I am most thankful for the opportunities RC German has given me: my first trip abroad to Berlin, a chance to perform a play completely in German, professors that have mentored me, access to a wealth of foreign-language films that I can watch without subtitles, and a tight-knit group of friends that I am fortunate enough to enjoy these opportunities with. Because of RC German, I am now considering a career in international politics, as well as a gap year in Germany between undergrad and law school. I am simply a better, more well-rounded person because of RC German." (2022)

"I would not have been able to survive in Germany without everything I learned in the Intensive German Program. You encouraged me and I am very grateful for my time in your classes. I know it improved me as a person."  (2021)

"I can't even believe how lucky I am to have been a part of RC German. It is one of the experiences I will miss the most. It has been absolutely life changing, and I will cherish it forever."  (2020)

"Taking RC Intensive German was one of the best decisions I made during my time at U of M. Before college, I never really saw myself as a language person; I could never quite get the whole accent thing down, and I found memorizing long lists of vocabulary frustrating. But the RC fundamentally changed the way I looked at language learning. From eating and speaking Deutsch together with my cohort at Mittagstisch and Kaffeestunde to performing dialogues in class, RC Intensive German exemplified that learning a new language can be hands-on, rewarding, and fun. Not only did I leave the program proficient in German, but I met some of my best friends and worked closely with a team of exceptionally talented professors while I was at it. Four years later, after a cross-country Deutsches Theater trip, an internship in Berlin, and a semester abroad in Munich, I am returning to Germany for a fourth time as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. To the incoming student reading this, I encourage you to add RC Intensive German to your backpack at summer orientation—it will seriously change your life."  (2020)

"Thank you for giving me the space to learn everything I could and helping me with my German. All those office and coffee hours, helping me prepare for my study abroad in Germany; I couldn't have done it without you."  (2020)

The knowledge I acquired from taking Intensive German and the possibilities it opened up for me  are so meaningful to me. I can now speak with my cousin in Switzerland and I want to pursue a career abroad. German is now very important to me. (2015)

"RC German were the best 20 credits I took at ⁦U-M ⁦and probably the closest approximation to the intensity and volume of information in my med school courses." (2013)

"I took RC Intensive German during my first year of college and it inspired my love of languages when I didn't think I was good at them ... My experiences with the intensive courses were interesting, inspiring and, most of all, extremely effective in learning German quickly. So effective was the instruction, that I ended up taking on German as a major and living and working in Germany."  (2004)