The IPS is a offered each year from March 1 through July 31 by the German Bundestag in cooperation with Berlin’s three major universities — the Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the Technische Universität Berlin — to approximately 120 young university graduates from up to 50 countries. 

The program’s goals include promoting relations between Germany and the participating countries and strengthening democratic values.

“Having Helen and Soma be selected shows how competitive our students are internationally,” said , a professor in the Department of German. “They are exceptionally well prepared to fully engage with the political and cultural life in Germany. Participating in IPS gives our students a unique opportunity to gain insights into how the political and professional work environment functions in Germany.”

Helen Poe (C’22)

Poe applied to the IPS program to better understand what the policy and law-making process is like in Germany. She wanted to learn how the lawmakers inform themselves, communicate with their constituents and reach compromises. 

“I don’t particularly want to be a politician myself, but I care deeply about cultural exchange and transatlantic relations and would like to work in a governmental organization that deals with these topics in some capacity,” said Poe, who graduated from Georgetown with a double major in German and Russian. “I was hoping to gain a better idea of what specific types of work I might be interested in. And I have!”

At the start of the five-month program, participants attend workshops, presentations and seminars designed to help familiarize them with the principles of parliamentary democracy and the local academic life. The majority of the program takes place in the office of a member of the Bundestag.

Poe typically started her days by sorting mail her member of parliament received. This was one of her favorite tasks. 

“The letters we received from constituents were a really great way to discern which topics the German public was most concerned about at the moment,” she said.

During weeks when the Bundestag was in session, Poe spent very little time at her desk. Instead, she attended parliamentary committee meetings, working group sessions, internal party meetings and sessions where members debated and voted on legislation. She also got to accompany her member of parliament to meetings with constituents, journalists, activists and nonprofit organization representatives.

Poe’s favorite “everyday activity” throughout her internship was attending the Bundestag’s Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid meetings, where lawmakers met with experts from organizations like the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP).

“Listening to the experts’ reports — and observing their interactions with lawmakers of various parties — has been incredibly eye-opening, and I’ve been able to learn a lot about specific humanitarian crises,” Poe said.

Poe credits her German coursework and linguistic electives as an undergrad in the şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł for preparing her to succeed in the IPS program. 

“At Georgetown, I learned to write and speak German at an academic level, which is crucial to dealing with complex topics in a fast-paced political environment,” said Poe, who is currently searching for jobs in the field of international education and cultural exchange. “I also developed a solid understanding of German culture, history and current issues and trends, which allowed me to more actively participate in discussions and understand political developments in context.”

Soma Arens (C’24)

Politics in the U.S. and Germany have always interested Arens. 

His mother is from Germany and he grew up speaking German at home. Arens had visited Germany prior to the IPS program, but the opportunity to spend five months in Berlin and learn about issues related to American and German foreign policy and transatlantic relations inspired him to apply. He left Germany grateful for the experience.

“Through the IPS, I have been able to meet like-minded young professionals working in political and political-adjacent fields from around the world,” said Arens, who was a history major and Spanish minor at Georgetown. “Aside from the clear professional benefits, this experience has also been socially rewarding and culturally enriching.”

During the first two months of the program, from the beginning of March to the end of April, Arens attended daily seminars, workshops and lectures. He learned about the German political system from guest speakers that included federal officials, Bundestag staffers, think tank researchers and analysts and journalists.

The second part of the program, from the end of April to the end of July, consisted of the parliamentary internship. Arens collaborated with colleagues to review and analyze proposed and existing legislation, conducted research on a variety of policy issues and prepared reports, wrote press releases and engaged with constituents via email and mail correspondence. A big part of his day involved attending parliamentary sessions, committee hearings and other meetings and briefings.

Arens said his Georgetown education and his time interning on Capitol Hill as an undergrad helped him prepare for the IPS program.

“The global mindset and intercultural awareness I was able to cultivate through my Georgetown education contributed immensely to making my experience in the IPS valuable,” Arens said. 

Working to serve constituents reminded Arens of to live in service to others.

“Georgetown’s commitment to service and its mission of cannot be overlooked in the field of politics where, ultimately, during my internship, I had been working to promote the interests of my member of parliament’s constituents and, more broadly, to strengthen German democracy for the benefit of everyone,” he said.

Three professors received Dean’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching: , , and . Two staff members received the Distinguished Service Staff Award: Lanah Koelle and Courtney Feldman. (SFS’95) received the CondĂŠ Nast Award and received the Farr Faculty Excellence Award.

“Every year, I am delighted to take this time — just as spring is beginning — to congratulate and celebrate important contributions made by our faculty and staff,” said Rosario Ceballo, dean of the şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł of Arts & Sciences. “These seven awards recognize our incredible colleagues whose work in the classroom, the office, and the wider world contribute to the vitality and richness of our academic community.”

Charles McNelis

Charles McNelis, the faculty director of Graduate Liberal Studies and a professor in the , received the Dean’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching. 

“I am deeply humbled by this award, and grateful to my colleagues in Classics and beyond for their support,” said McNelis. “Most of all, I am thankful to the students at Georgetown for their energetic curiosity and willingness to think about human experiences from a variety of perspectives, both ancient and modern.”

McNelis, who came to the Hilltop in 2002, is well-loved by students who consistently rave about his courses, in which he introduces budding classicists to the great poetry and literature of antiquity. 

“In his more than twenty years on the Hilltop, Professor Charles McNelis has revolutionized the teaching of both Greek and Latin language and literature,” said Andrew Sobanet, vice dean for faculty affairs in the şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł of Arts & Sciences. “His courses explore the ancient world in ways that allow students to expand their horizons and to deepen their understanding of contemporary notions of literature, religion, sexuality and gender. Consistently highly enrolled and highly rated, Professor McNelis’ courses are rigorous, challenging, stimulating and fast paced.”

McNelis researches the connections between Greek and Latin literatures, particularly in the genre of epic poetry. He has published extensively on the 1st-century poet Statius. McNelis’ book, Statius’ Thebaid and the Poetics of Civil War, argues that aspects of modern civil war are manifest in the poet’s re-telling of the battle between the sons of Oedipus for the throne of Thebes. His soon-to-be published version of Statius’ Achilleid extensively examines and develops both ancient and modern notions about sexuality and gender.

“Professor McNelis’s work with our students represents the best of Georgetown’s şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł of Arts & Sciences: he consistently focuses on his students’ intellectual growth; he has been an active and generous mentor; and his classes have a long-lasting impact on his students’ lives,” said Sobanet. “We are most fortunate to count Professor Charles McNelis among our faculty.” 

Donatella Melucci 

Donatella Melucci, a teaching professor in the , received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. 

“I am overflowing with gratitude upon receiving the 2023 Dean’s Excellence In Teaching Award,” said Melucci. “This recognition reflects the incredible support, collaboration and inspiration I have received from my colleagues, the Department of Italian Studies and the şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł of Arts and Sciences.”

Melucci’s in-demand course on Italian translation invites advanced students to put their skills to the test by translating Italian books into English for publication. Their coursework, once completed, is reviewed by the original authors and publishers before the printed and bound copies hit bookstore shelves with their names attached. 

“In her fifteen years of teaching in Georgetown University’s şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł of Arts & Sciences, Professor Donatella Melucci has been an inspiration to our students,” said Sobanet. “Her courses in the Department of Italian have been wide-ranging, dynamic and rigorous. Experiential learning is a signature element of Professor Melucci’s teaching.”  

Melucci has authored, co-authored and edited numerous textbooks on the teaching of Italian as a foreign language.

“Most recently, Professor Melucci has brought her passion and innovative spirit to her position as one of our inaugural co-directors of the International Business, Language, and Culture program,” said Sobanet. “Throughout the years, Professor Melucci’s attention to our students’ personal and intellectual growth and her commitment to Georgetown’s ideal of cura personalis have been nothing short of exemplary.”

“A special thanks goes to my wonderful students, who are the heartbeat of my teaching practice,” Melucci said. “Their enthusiasm, curiosity and unwavering determination inspire me every day. It is a privilege to be a part of their educational journey, and I am honored to play a role in shaping their future.”

Joseph McCartin

Joseph McCartin, a professor in the Department of History, received a Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. 

“I consider it the highest honor of my teaching career to be recognized by colleagues and administrators whose passionate commitments to education inspire me and by an institution that has taught me to see teaching as an act of cura personalis,” said McCartin. “I feel so lucky to teach here.”

McCartin, who has taught on the Hilltop for some 25 years, is an expert on U.S. labor, social and political history

“Professor Joseph McCartin has taught thousands of students across a wide array of courses and levels,” said Elena Silva, vice dean for faculty affairs. “His pedagogy focuses not only on sharing his deep understanding of American and global labor history but on connecting classroom learning to the development of informed and self-reflective modes of social and political engagement.” 

McCartin’s research has focused on the politics of labor, organizing and the working class in America throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. His book Collision Course investigates the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) illegal strike in 1981 and its subsequent decertification by the Reagan Administration, situating the event and its handling as one of the most pivotal moments in the history of American labor. 

“As the founder and director of the Kalmanovitz Initiative for the Labor and Working Poor, he has supervised students in hands-on, socially engaged work that complements what they have learned in his classes and prepared them for internships with community organizations, social-justice initiatives, think tanks and labor unions,” said Silva. “Humble to his core, Professor McCartin exemplifies the ideal of social engaged pedagogy. We are delighted to recognize his commitment to advancing knowledge and fostering a dynamic learning environment for all students.” 

Lanah Koelle

Lanah Koelle, who serves as the manager of academic records in the şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł of Arts & Sciences, received the Distinguished Service Staff Award. 

“This award is such an honor! I’m grateful to collaborate with such excellent colleagues in the Dean’s Office,” said Koelle. “Though I’ve been at Georgetown for a little more than two years, I’m excited to have made an impact and to receive recognition for my work supporting CAS programs and students.”

“Ms. Koelle is widely appreciated for a calming and unflappable presence, her ability to organize and her unfailing collegiality,” said Woods. “Lanah has become expert in the many and complex database systems that produce reports relied on by deans, departments and programs across the şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł. She is also known for anticipating problems and choke points, and for devising and implementing solutions.”

Before coming to the Hilltop, Koelle worked as a program manager and librarian at Harvard University’s Center for Hellenic Studies. At Georgetown, Koelle balances numerous responsibilities related to the oversight and record keeping for more than 3,400 undergraduate students. 

“Ms. Koelle’s many responsibilities include management of degree audits for the approximately 50 major and 50 minors pursued by students in the şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł of Arts and Sciences; managing behind-the-scenes work to make CAS Commencement run smoothly via accurate graduation lists used in the Commencement program book and to order diplomas; managing the production of myriad departmental reports; as well as accurate processing of all student academic forms,” said Woods. “Ms. Koelle was an essential member of the CAS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force and the Main-Med Sciences at Georgetown Task Force”

Off campus, Koelle is a jazz musician and vocalist who frequently performs in the wider Washington, DC area. 

Courtney Feldman

Courtney Feldman, an administrative officer in the Department of German, received a Distinguished Service Staff Award. 

“I am truly touched to receive this award,” said Feldman. “I feel very fortunate to have worked with such a wonderful group of people during my time at Georgetown and their support means so much to me.” 

“Ms. Courtney Feldman has served as the administrative officer for the German Department since 2015, demonstrating dedication, creativity and precision in her role,” said Mary Helen Dupree, interim chair of the Department of German. “She meticulously tends to all administrative and organizational tasks, offering equal attention not only to the department’s degree programs but to all its activities, with a sharp eye for how they combine to create a full experience.”

Prior to arriving on the Hilltop, Feldman worked as a projectionist and manager for many years for several cinemas in Detroit, Chicago and Baltimore. She holds a bachelor’s degree in German from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI.  

“In addition to her work for the German Department, Ms. Feldman has generously stepped in to fill in administrative gaps in other Departments, especially during and since the pandemic without seeking additional compensation,” said Dupree. “For her exceptional and tireless contributions, we are honored to recognize Ms. Courtney Feldman with the şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł of Arts & Sciences’ 2024 Distinguished Staff Service Award.”

Shweta Bansal

Shweta Bansal, a professor in the Department of Biology, received the Farr Faculty Excellence Award. 

The Farr Faculty Excellence Award honors excellent faculty research, effective mentoring of student research and/or innovative dissemination of scientific knowledge in the natural sciences, computer science, mathematics and statistics and psychology.

Bansal, who holds a slew of positions across campus in addition to her role as a professor, is a sought-after expert in the fields of public health and infectious disease. 

“Professor Bansal is a trailblazing scholar renowned for her groundbreaking work on the interplay between social behavior and infectious disease dynamics, revolutionizing traditional approaches with innovative socio-ecological mathematical models,” said Silva. “Professor Bansal has been particularly active in disseminating scientific knowledge in an effort to combat misinformation, particularly regarding viral diseases like COVID-19 and influenza.”

On the Hilltop, Bansal serves as graduate faculty in both the Global Infectious Diseases Ph.D. Program and the Biology Ph.D. Program. She is also affiliate faculty for the Massive Data Institute, the Global Health Institute and Earth Commons.

“Professor Bansal demonstrates exceptional dedication to mentoring, guiding numerous scholars at various stages of their academic journey mentoring over 30 undergraduates with many co-authoring peer-reviewed research articles and receiving prestigious fellowships, including the Rhodes, Fulbright and Churchill scholarships,” said Silva. “Professor Bansal’s multifaceted contributions underscore her as an exemplary recipient for the Farr Faculty Excellence Award, embodying the essence of scholarly excellence and societal impact.”

Sabrina Wesley-Nero

Sabrina Wesley-Nero (SFS’95), a teaching professor in the Program in Education, Inquiry, and Justice, received the CondĂŠ Nast Award. 

First awarded in 1966 by the şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł Student Council to honor the memory of the first President of the Yard, the CondĂŠ Nast Award is awarded annually by the şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł of Arts & Sciences to a faculty member who has served the şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł with distinguished teaching, research and service or leadership.

“Through my work at Georgetown, I help undergraduate and graduate students imagine and work toward an education system that centers the needs of those furthest from opportunity, lead and develop programs in collaboration with brilliant and dedicated colleagues and partner with educators in schools and communities to move us toward a more just society through equity-oriented education,” said Wesley-Nero. “It is a privilege to do this work, and I am grateful.”

Wesley-Nero’s research focuses on the experiences of marginalized students and the factors that contribute to their success or failure in the education system.

“In her decade at Georgetown, Professor Sabrina Wesley-Nero has demonstrated both success in the classroom and dedication to the larger community,” said Dean Ceballo. “She has left an indelible mark on two Georgetown programs — the Education, Inquiry, and Justice Program and the MA in Educational Transformation.” 

In addition to serving as a leader on campus in numerous roles, including as the director of the Program in Education, Inquiry and Justice, she has taken her scholarship into the wider world. Wesley-Nero received national acclaim for developing the curriculum for the 1619 Freedom School in Waterloo, Iowa, a collaboration with Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones. 

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MLK in Berlin

Already an internationally famous figure by 1964, King visited West Berlin on the invitation of Social Democratic leader Willy Brandt. He  attended a memorial service for John F. Kennedy and spoke before a crowd of 20,000 where he called the newly constructed Berlin Wall “a symbol of the divisions of mankind on the face of the Earth.”

The same day King visited Western Germany, a man named Michael Meyer attempted an unauthorized escape from the Eastern side. He made it to the Western side of the city but was shot by East German guards soon after crossing, sustaining serious injuries. After his speech, King requested to visit the spot where Meyer was shot.

King also received an invitation from East German pastor Heinrich GrĂźber to deliver an address at a church in East Berlin. Though his State Department detail withheld his passport due to concerns that this trip to Soviet territory would spark an international incident, King crossed anyway using an American Express card as identification.

King only remained in East Berlin for a few hours that night. Responding to concerns raised by church organizers of a possible state crackdown as a result of the large crowds King tended to draw, he delivered the same speech in two separate venues. 

“We are all God’s children, and no man-made barrier can obliterate that fact,” King said in reference to the division of Berlin. 

Class Presentations

During the week of February 19, 2020, each German class will spend 15 to 20 minutes discussing King’s visit during this week. Professor and Ph.D. candidate Andrea Bryant have prepared a presentation that contains details from King’s speeches, articles and multimedia materials available to all German professors and their students. 

Bryant, whose research focuses on diverse perspectives in German, enjoyed bringing a rich variety of materials on King’s visit to Georgetown.

“You could probably do an entire semester on this visit,” Bryant said. “There’s art and literature on this in German, it’s been performed on stage.”

This part of the history of the Berlin Wall is often forgotten, but these materials provide students with a unique lens to examine an important section of Germany’s past. 

“Everyone teaches about the Berlin Wall. This isn’t in it.” Weigert said.

Professors will use their own discretion on which materials to utilize based on the course level they’re teaching, and the presentations all offer additional resources for students looking to learn more. Bryant expects it will be a valuable learning opportunity for students at all levels each year. 

“We have some documents in English and some in German, so depending on the level and instructor, there are options on how to teach it,” Weigert said. “But the main thing is that there’s a commitment from the entire department. This is our contribution.”

A Unique Contribution

Weigert is excited that the German department has found a special way to participate in Georgetown’s MLK Initiative, a cross-campus celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“I was always intrigued by the annual university-wide “Teach-the-Speech” initiative, but couldn’t quite figure out how we, in the Department of German, could contribute. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered reading that Dr. King had spent time in Germany,” Weigert said. “I looked it up, and it turned out that he had indeed visited both East and West Berlin shortly after the Berlin Wall  had been built. Teaching about this visit, then, became our unique angle to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”  

Students reacted very positively to the initial “Teach-the-Visit” class component last year. Plans are to repeat the “Teach-the-Visit” class project each year in February for the foreseeable future. 

In addition, the Department plans to share the multimedia presentation compiled on Dr. King’s visit to Berlin with colleagues at other universities.

More than a Wall

The event series will begin with a poster exhibit in the Edward B. Bunn S.J. Intercultural Center Galleria on Monday, November 4, 2019. The exhibit, “Understanding Borders: The Berlin Wall 1961-1989” will feature infographics that detail aspects such as where border troops were stationed, and the locations of those individuals who lost their lives attempting to cross. Its purpose is to shed light on the history of the wall’s construction, as well as showcase that the wall was much more than a simple wall, it was a border complex.

This is the third landmark anniversary of the wall’s fall that the German department has held at Georgetown. Each time, Weigert has designed the events so that the students can reflect not only on the wall as it existed in 1989 but also on the concept of walls as they persist in our current society.

“With our series of campus events, we aim to make the historic event of 1989 accessible and relatable to our students, most of whom were not born yet when the Wall fell thirty years ago,” says Weigert.

Walls Beyond Berlin

It is for this reason that Banchoff and Weigert have arranged for a replica of the wall to be displayed in Red Square from Thursday, November 7 through Saturday, November 9. Students can write and draw on it to express their current thoughts and feelings surrounding not only the Berlin Wall, but other walls, metaphorical and literal, that play a role in their lives. A replica of the wall was also used during the 20^th and 25th-anniversary events of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Weigert reported that five years ago, students wrote on the wall in multiple languages, addressing walls between the United States and Mexico or Palestinians and Israelis.

“While the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall is a central feature in our Advanced courses, its relevance goes beyond a single historic event in a particular course,” Banchoff says. “Today, 30 years later, walls between countries and peoples continue to exist, or are in the process of being built. Our students are encouraged to draw connections between then and now –  between Berlin and the US-Mexico border, or the separation of the two Koreas.”

The Georgetown community will also have the opportunity to hear an eyewitness account of the wall’s collapse from , an American citizen who was a student in Germany on that fateful day in November of 1989.

“Despite the fact the I was not even living during the Fall of the Berlin Wall, learning about this topic has been as relevant as ever to both my German studies and the current political environment,” says Ben Lang (C’21). “I genuinely look forward to furthering my understanding of the importance of the fall during all the exciting events planned by the German Department during this week.”

Speaking of Walls

Banchoff and Weigert have also invited students across all disciplines to speak for brief, five-minute intervals about walls as part of the . The walls that students discuss can be physical, they can be conceptual, or they can be abstract, but their talk must be based on the idea of a wall. Students can only speak in English and German, however.

This discussion will contribute to the broader idea of walls that Weigert and Banchoff are hoping to emphasize in this event series.

“Writing on a replica of the Wall on Red Square, interacting with an eyewitness, and creatively exploring the various “walls” we all encounter in our lives will hopefully enrich and further their learning experience at Georgetown,” Weigert said.

Ceremonial End

The event series will conclude on Saturday in Red Square with a ceremonial “ cake cutting. A cake made to look like a portion of the Berlin Wall will be cut and shared on the actual anniversary of the wall being torn down.

No matter the generation, the collapse of a barrier, between countries, cities, or individuals, is always worth celebrating. Banchoff and Weigert encourage students to look at what events such as these mean not only in our pasts, but for what lies ahead. “The fall of the Berlin Wall, then, is a hopeful sign for our future,” says Banchoff.

MLK IN BERLIN

Already an internationally famous figure by 1964, King visited West Berlin on the invite of Social Democratic leader Willy Brandt, appearing at a memorial service for John F. Kennedy and at a rally before a crowd of 20,000. He spoke out against the newly constructed Berlin Wall, calling it “a symbol of the divisions of mankind on the face of the Earth.”

The same day King visited, a man named Michael Meyer attempted an unauthorized escape from East Germany. He made it to the Western side of the city but was shot by East German guards, suffering serious injury but surviving. After his speech, King requested to visit the spot where Meyer was shot.

King also received an invitation from East German pastor Heinrich GrĂźber to deliver an address at a church in East Berlin. His State Department detail, concerned that a trip to Soviet territory would spark an international incident, withheld his passport. King crossed anyway, with border agents accepting an American Express card as identification.

In East Berlin for just a few hours that night, King gave the same speech in two separate venues, as church organizers were concerned about the possibility of a state crackdown if one event drew too big a crowd.

“We are all God’s children, and no manmade barrier can obliterate that fact,” King said.

CLASS PRESENTATIONS

Each German class that meets this week is spending a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes discussing King’s visit. Professors have access to a presentation featuring details from King’s speeches, as well as a trove of additional articles and multimedia materials prepared by  and Ph.D. candidate .

Bryant, whose research focuses on diverse perspectives in German studies pedagogy, enjoyed bringing a rich variety of materials on King’s visit to Georgetown.

“You could probably do an entire semester on this visit,” Bryant said. “There’s art and literature on this in German, it’s been performed on stage.”

“Everyone teaches about the Berlin Wall. This isn’t in it.” Weigert said.

Professors will use their own discretion on which materials to utilize based on the level of course they’re teaching, and the presentations all offer additional resources for students looking to learn more. Bryant expects it to be a valuable learning opportunity for students at all levels, especially given that the visit has received little attention in German studies circles before this year.

“We have some documents in English and some in German, so depending on the level and instructor, there are options on how to teach it,” Weigert said. “But the main thing is that there’s a commitment from the entire department. This is our contribution.”

A UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION

Weigert is excited that the Department of German has found a unique angle to participate in Georgetown’s MLK Initiative, a cross-campus celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered reading somewhere that Dr. King had spent time in Germany,” Weigert said. “I looked it up, and it turned out he had indeed been in both East and West Berlin— shortly after the wall had been built. So I thought maybe we could do a “teach-in” about this visit. This first time around, it’s a a bit of an experiment, but we plan to refine the presentation and ideally repeat this project every February.”

Events thus far have included a nonviolent resistance campaign workshop, a screening of the film “Rebirth of a Nation,” and the annual s.

In addition to the German teach-in, the remainder of February will feature a performance based event sponsored by the , as well as panel discussions on health in the Black community, race and higher education, and the changing nature of Black D.C.  for more information.

Still, we know there are a few of you out there who, for one reason or another, are still looking for one last class to fill a gap in your schedule. The sheer number of courses available in the şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł can seem daunting, and it can be hard work poring over the course schedule on MyAccess (now GU Experience) to find a great class with space available.

With this in mind, the şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł Dean’s Office did some of the work for you.

We tasked our with putting together a list of their favorite fall courses that still (as of Tuesday morning, August 30) have spots available. It covers seven separate academic departments and includes everything from HIV/AIDS politics to Germanic fiction to the study of horror films.

So if you’re on the fence about picking up that fifth class, give this list a look. We expect you’ll find something worth checking out, no matter what your interests. But move quickly — we suspect it won’t be long before some of these fill up!

10 Great Classes to Fill Out Your Schedule

Emerging from diverse disciplinary contexts (film studies, literary studies, cultural anthropology, and creative writing), each panelist shared innovative insights from their current work related to migration in Europe and the United States.

Following introductions by FLL Convenor  (Department of German), Sylvie Durmelat presented findings from her recently translated volume, (the University of Nebraska Press; co-edited with Vinay Swamy). The book examines the different ways in which Maghrebi films exemplify integration while also participating in and critiquing integration in France. According to Durmelat, not only do these films recast Maghrebi immigration, they also challenge national memory narratives and static notions of ethnicity.

Nicoletta Pireddu continued the discussion with an introduction to the work of Italian writer and European intellectual Claudio Magris from her book,  (Palgrave Macmillan). In particular, she argues, Magris’s literature provides an opportunity to reflect upon the possibility of European consciousness, the idea of frontiers, and the important role of narratives in challenging Eurocentrism while exploring common values and issues of concern that transcend national borders.

Next, Susan Terrio turned the audience’s attention to the U.S.-Mexican border and the difficult experiences facing unaccompanied minors detained in federal facilities. Her book, Ěý(University of California Press), collects multiple interviews and observations of legal proceedings between 2009 and 2012 to shed light on the reasons motivating an ever-growing number of children to cross the border, their often harrowing experiences during the journey and within federal facilities in the U.S., as well as a critical evaluation of this federal system that provides neither appointed legal representation nor child advocates to this vulnerable population.

The panel concluded with Maxi Obexer, who described her new theatrical production on “illegal helpers” (Illegale Helfer), performed in German theaters and as a radio play. Her project sheds light on people from different professional, age, and social strata of society who are engaged in helping migrants without legal status, and who do so beyond the confines of the law. She explores the diverse motivations and activities of these helpers through interviews with participants and depicts an example of existing, yet widely unnoticed, activism whose activities help those in need, but are considered unlawful.

As Anna De Fina pointed out in her commentary, in different ways and through the examination of different media, the four panelists stimulated consideration of contemporary migration issues within diverse socio-cultural contexts, in each case encouraging both critical reflection and empathy.

The presentations concluded with a reception with remarks from Dean Gillis and a book fair to celebrate these recent publications, as well as those of more than twenty additional FLL faculty, showcasing a wealth of humanities and linguistics scholarship at Georgetown şŁ˝ÇÂŰĚł within diverse disciplinary contexts.

—Meghan O’Dea, Department of German