MONROE - Eric Ganshert graduated from Monroe High School this spring and is now packing his bags to work as an intern for a year in Germany.
Ganshert won the Congress-Bundestag Vocational Scholarship that includes seven weeks in an intensive language course in Munich, followed by 10 months as an intern in Freiburg. He will be living with a host family in each location.
He is the third student in four years from the Monroe High School to receive the scholarship, and he has a good idea what's in store for him abroad.
Two years ago, Eric's brother, Joe, won the same scholarship. They are the sons of Tom and Jodi Ganshert, Monroe. Joe Huber was a recipient in 2008-2009.
The prestigious scholarship is awarded to only 25 recipients in the United States each year. Stringent requirements require the selected young people to exhibit maturity and responsibility, and they are expected to serve as ambassadors for the United States.
International experience is the main element and purpose of the program, funded by the United States Congress and German Bundestag, but efforts are made to place students in their fields of interest, Ganshert said.
"Our placements haven't been selected yet. I requested a large business because of my interest in economics," he added.
Ganshert leaves June 28.
He will also receive special visits to the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C. and its counterpart, the German Bundestag in Berlin, according to Karen Fowdy, Ganshert's Monroe High School German teacher.
Two other MHS students were awarded scholarships for foreign language study.
Eli Rucker was awarded the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship, which is also a full scholarship for a year in Germany. Eli will be visiting the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag, will have an intensive two-month language course in Germany, and then will attend a German high school for one academic year.
This is also a very competitive scholarship, according to Fowdy.
"It is quite an achievement that Monroe High School has two winners of the Congress Bundestag scholarships. Monroe High School has not had a Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship winner since 1995," Fowdy said.
Claire Dombkowski has been awarded a full scholarship to attend the Concordia Language Villages in Bemidji, Minn., in July.
"Concordia Language Villages gave Monroe High School German Department this scholarship in honor of the 'outstanding German program and first-place finish at German Day at UW-Madison in April,'" Fowdy said.
After an application and selection process, Dombkowski was chosen from a group of qualified applicants, all students in the Monroe High School German program.
Ganshert won the Congress-Bundestag Vocational Scholarship that includes seven weeks in an intensive language course in Munich, followed by 10 months as an intern in Freiburg. He will be living with a host family in each location.
He is the third student in four years from the Monroe High School to receive the scholarship, and he has a good idea what's in store for him abroad.
Two years ago, Eric's brother, Joe, won the same scholarship. They are the sons of Tom and Jodi Ganshert, Monroe. Joe Huber was a recipient in 2008-2009.
The prestigious scholarship is awarded to only 25 recipients in the United States each year. Stringent requirements require the selected young people to exhibit maturity and responsibility, and they are expected to serve as ambassadors for the United States.
International experience is the main element and purpose of the program, funded by the United States Congress and German Bundestag, but efforts are made to place students in their fields of interest, Ganshert said.
"Our placements haven't been selected yet. I requested a large business because of my interest in economics," he added.
Ganshert leaves June 28.
He will also receive special visits to the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C. and its counterpart, the German Bundestag in Berlin, according to Karen Fowdy, Ganshert's Monroe High School German teacher.
Two other MHS students were awarded scholarships for foreign language study.
Eli Rucker was awarded the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship, which is also a full scholarship for a year in Germany. Eli will be visiting the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag, will have an intensive two-month language course in Germany, and then will attend a German high school for one academic year.
This is also a very competitive scholarship, according to Fowdy.
"It is quite an achievement that Monroe High School has two winners of the Congress Bundestag scholarships. Monroe High School has not had a Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship winner since 1995," Fowdy said.
Claire Dombkowski has been awarded a full scholarship to attend the Concordia Language Villages in Bemidji, Minn., in July.
"Concordia Language Villages gave Monroe High School German Department this scholarship in honor of the 'outstanding German program and first-place finish at German Day at UW-Madison in April,'" Fowdy said.
After an application and selection process, Dombkowski was chosen from a group of qualified applicants, all students in the Monroe High School German program.