Ken Burkman

MA Graduate in German, 2002

Spring Semester 2001 in Vienna

Ken chose the University of Illinois largely on the reputation of its study abroad program in Vienna. As an Army Captain, he had been selected to earn a master’s degree in German and wanted to spend as much of his graduate study as possible immersed in the culture and language of German-speaking countries.

Vienna proved to be an ideal university environment. He took classes in Spring 2001, ranging from Middle High German and pedagogy to military history and European politics. Many of the offerings were unique to Austria, including an 8-week practicum with Balkan and Middle Eastern asylum seekers learning German as a requirement for citizenship. The coursework was challenging, but did not prevent him from exploring beyond the Vienna city limits to places like Salzburg, Graz, Wiener Neustadt, and Berlin.

Upon completing his M.A. with a thesis on post-war German cinema, Ken served as a German instructor at West Point, then had assignments in Iraq, with the Navy's Strategic Studies Group, and at the RAND Arroyo Center. He retired at the rank of Colonel, having led the Army’s recruiting analytics at Fort Knox. Today, Ken serves as Professor of Practice in Engineering Management at the University of Vermont.

Looking back, Ken considers his time studying abroad to be the single greatest factor in improving his ability to speak and understand German as it is spoken today. His experience living in a foreign culture continues to inform his worldview in a way that few other opportunities could.