Record Number of Montclair Students Study in Germany in Summer 2025

For the third summer in a row, a cohort of Montclair students spent the month of August as visiting students studying German language at either the University of Konstanz or the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich. While the program began with just 8 students in 2023, this year 13 students participated, with 10 of them benefiting from generous $1500 scholarships that the Kade Foundation has offered Montclair students for summer travel programs for the past three years.

Students have used these scholarships to cover much of their tuition, housing, and even travel costs for the 4-week program in which they take German courses alongside students from around the world, taking time to explore Neuschwanstein castle, the Alps, the BMW headquarters, and other sites along the way.

The students, many of whom choose to major or minor German and/or the interdisciplinary Language, Business & Culture (LBC) major with a concentration in German, return with three credits toward their major or minor as well as unforgettable experiences to take into their continued studies and careers in a variety of fields.

Hear From the Students

My summer experience in Munich was a life-changing experience that helped me learn more German than I did before and interact with people around the world. I had many first-time experiences, such as hiking, going to Austria, and experiencing nightlife. I had an amazing time and I thank the Kade Foundation for assisting in funding that experience for me. – Miguel Disla; Mathematics Major, German Minor

Fortunately, I had the opportunity to participate in the MISU’s summer program at München. Thanks to the Kade Foundation scholarship, I was able to improve my German through daily interactive lessons taught by Valeria. At first I did experience culture shock, but I learned to adapt and live here for the entirety of August. I am truly grateful for making unforgettable and fun memories with friends from around the world. –Ruth Fernandez; Language, Business & Culture and Business Administration Double Major

The Kade scholarship that I received helped me travel to Europe for the first time in my life. My experience changed me immensely and helped me gain insight into a new culture and experience. I also learned a lot about how much I like to travel and I also met many students from all over the world giving me connections to a plethora of different cultures. – Eric Anilonis; Economics Major, German minor

I am so thankful for the experience I had in Munich this summer; as my first time living away from home I felt independent and more ready to explore the world. I am thankful for the stipend as it allowed me more freedom to explore the culture and truly live out my international experience as fully as I could! – David Darius; Biology and German Double Major

My Munich summer experience was inspiring and allowed me to build lifelong connections to the language, culture and people. While there, I attended classes, interacted with locals, experienced historical landmarks and made connections with people from around the world.  – Madison Gunderman; Psychology 

I am a triple major with around 1 1/2 years of experience in learning German. This scholarship allowed me to pursue my dream of visiting Germany as well as support me in learning German. I was able to go to Austria for a weekend with friends and experience the culture and landscape over there. It was a lot of fun and I got to eat a lot of good food as well. This opportunity solidified my aspiration to work and study in Germany for my graduate program in geoscience. – Kit Haig; Earth and Environmental Sciences, Geographic, Environmental and Urban Studies, and German triple major

I’m majoring in linguistics and language, business, and culture with a German concentration. This scholarship has helped me complete my course requirements for my major concentration. It has also helped me gain first hand experience on what it is like to study in a foreign country, such as Konstanz, Germany, and gain insight on cultural differences and practices, learning history, etc. The most memorable experience for me was meeting and getting to know other fellow students from around the world, as well as meeting two new friends whom I’ll never forget. Studying abroad has increased my aspirations in traveling more to see the world, learn new languages and cultures, and looking forward to conducting more business travel. It also makes me aspire to meet new people from different backgrounds and create new friendships and connections for memorable experiences. – Ykaterina Diaz; Linguistics and Language, Business & Culture (concentration in German) double major