Two SUNY Oswego students earn grants to study in Germany

The German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, or DAAD) awarded grants to SUNY Oswego students Michelle DiBlasio and Momoko Ogiso for summer study in Germany. 

DiBlasio, a sophomore from Smithtown, majors in German and adolescence education and will study in Munich. “I’m so excited to be able to improve my German, make new friends and explore the city and culture,” DiBlasio said. She intends to teach German after graduation.

Ogiso is a junior from Takayama, Japan, majoring in global and international studies and minoring in German. Already fluent in two languages, Momoko applied for the DAAD grant in the hopes of immersing herself in a third. “I’m really looking forward to studying German with people from all over the world,” she said. Ogiso will study in Bayreuth, a small city in Bavaria known for its music festival.

The students will study the language, literature, culture, politics and economy of Germany during their monthlong courses. As DAAD courses draw students from around the globe, they will learn with and from international colleagues. Extracurricular activities offer students the opportunity to discover local and regional cultural attractions.

The DAAD grants cover the cost of the students’ tuition, health insurance and extracurricular activities. They also include a travel stipend and a contribution to the cost of housing. The DAAD is the largest German funding organization for student and researcher exchanges.

SUNY Oswego's department of modern languages and literatures also awarded GETGO grants to both students to support them in their study of the German language and culture.

“This is a great honor for Michelle, Momoko and SUNY Oswego,” said Patrick Schultz of the modern languages and literatures faculty, who helped the students with their applications.  “Language study is transformative and there are many funding opportunities to study in the German-speaking countries. Hopefully many more Oswego students will win DAAD scholarships in the future.”