Austin College sophomore Christopher Burke of Denton, Texas, will travel to Washington, D.C., in March to participate in a nationwide conference and final essay competition hosted by the German Embassy in Washington, D.C. He is completing a major in political science and a minor in German.
The conference and finals competitions are the culmination of the 2012-2013 interdisciplinary campaign “Think Transatlantic: United States and Germany in the 21st Century,” sponsored by the embassy and involving partnerships with 30 colleges and universities around the U.S.
Austin College received a grant to fund its participation, which was coordinated by Ruth Cape and Wolfgang Lueckel of the German faculty. Austin College activities included an essay competition, which Christopher won with his essay, “Immigration and Integration: A Comparative Study of American and German Immigration Policy.” He received a cash prize in addition to the Washington, D.C., trip to participate in the national essay competition.
Many academic departments took part in the fall 2012 Austin College Think Transatlantic events, which, in addition to the essay contest, included a German Expressionism-inspired art competition hosted by the Department of Art and Art History, an evening of art and music hosted by the Department of Music, and music and cabaret hosted by the Theatre Department. Additional events included a discussion on immigration issues led by Austin College Jordan Family Language House German native speaker Ateeb Rehman, a traditional German folk dance program, an authentic German lunch prepared by Aramark food services in the campus dining hall, a coffee-and-cake event in Jordan Family Language House, a soccer competition organized by the Austin College German Club, and a presentation by Karl Lehman, regional sales manager of Lufthansa at the closing event.
Initiated by the German Information Center USA—the center for public diplomacy at the German Embassy—the Think Transatlantic campaign was designed to stimulate discussion about the historic importance and stability of the German-American partnership and its relevance for the future, as well as the importance of transatlantic partnership, strategic alliance, and mutual values between Germany, Europe, and the United States The campaign aims to promote dialogue and to exchange ideas of how to build upon past transatlantic successes with new initiatives. The campaign also highlights cultural aspects of German life.
Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the college is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives.