German Studies Department Scholarship and Award Winners, 2026
July 14, 2026
The German Studies program celebrates our student awardees
Outstanding First Year German Student
- Bridgette van Valkenburgh
- Asher Lyons: Asher Lyons is a freshman double majoring in History and International Relations. He loves trivia and learning about German culture, and he plans to study abroad sophomore year in Berlin.
Outstanding Second Year German Student
- Kathryn Daniel
Outstanding Third Year German Student
- Althea Milionis
Outstanding GERS Minor
- Zoë Salazar - Zoë Salazar is from Anne Arundel County and is a senior majoring in Studio Art. She has been part of the German Cluster at the St. Mary’s Language House Immersion Program for two semesters.
Outstanding GERS Major
- Lucian Jessel - Lucian Jessel is a non-traditional student doing a triple-degree in German Studies, International Business, and International Relations. He has a background in fine arts and is particularly interested in studying the intersection of culture, gender, and politics. After graduation, he hopes to work in development and human rights advocacy, with a focus on making small-scale change that impacts everyday life.
Strauch Scholarship
- Elizabeth Reuther
Kightlinger Scholarship
- Joseph Horwege - Joseph Horwege is a freshman pursuing a double-degree in Mechanical Engineering and German Studies. His passion for German language and culture was sparked as a child by playing countless rounds of German board games and speaking the language with his grandfather, a retired German professor, and his two older sisters. His journey with the language has been elevated through participation in a study abroad program in Berlin, serving as a teacher at a Saturday German school, and traveling through Germany with his family. He plans on utilizing this scholarship to fund his study abroad in Freiburg this summer.