Two Nebraska Wesleyan University seniors have been awarded Fulbright scholarships that will take them to Germany next year.
Jeff Seems of Highlands Ranch, Colo., and Brittney Hrabik of Murdock will both teach English in Germany.
The Fulbright Scholarship is the flagship international education program sponsored by the U.S. government. Students are selected based on academic merit and leadership potential.
Seems will graduate in May with a major in communication and a minor in German. He first studied in Germany during the 2009-2010 academic year.
“Deciding to study abroad only after two semesters of German classes was the best decision of my life but the most challenging,” said Seems. “Studying in a small town where there were no English speakers allowed me to successfully and quickly learn German.”
Seems eventually plans to pursue a career in international business with hopes of one day working for the FBI.
“I have always thought it was important to find an exciting job where I can work with people and travel the world,” said Seems. “A 9 to 5 desk job never appealed to me.”
Hrabik credits her German heritage and her love for the History Channel for further developing her interest in international travel. The accounting, international business and German major said her goal during her year in Germany will be to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and those living in other countries.
“I’m excited to be a part of this while learning more about the German language and culture,” she said.
Hrabik — who will also graduate in May — studied abroad last year in Bavaria.
“I really loved the environment and all of the intercultural communication,” said Hrabik. “All of my experiences during my semester abroad led me to apply for a Fulbright Scholarship to Germany.”
Forty-one Nebraska Wesleyan University students have been awarded Fulbright Scholarships, with 31 of those awarded in the past decade. The Institute for International Education has consistently recognized NWU as one of the top national producers of Fulbright scholars.