University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa student Jessica Johnson is one of 75 Americans selected to participate in the 2017–2018 Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX), a year-long U.S. Department of State-funded fellowship for study and work in Germany. Since 1984, more than 2,000 Americans have been awarded this opportunity to gain cultural, academic and practical work experience in Germany.
While in Germany, Johnson will attend a two-month intensive German language course, study at a German university or professional school for four months, and complete a five-month internship with a German company in her career field of zoology, biology and animal studies. Participants are placed throughout Germany, and have the opportunity to learn about everyday German life from a variety of perspectives.
Johnson is a graduating senior with a major in biology and a minor in German. She plans to pursue veterinary studies and to work with marine mammals.
“I am extremely excited to take on this new adventure. I am so honored and grateful for this amazing opportunity! I couldn’t have done it without the help of the amazing German program here at UH! All the professors are outstanding. I especially would like to thank Katinka Hammerich for pushing me and believing in me, I would not be where I am without her,” said Johnson.
More about Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange
CBYX is a reciprocal scholarship program. While Johnson and her fellow participants spend the year living in Germany, 75 young German professionals will also be spending the year experiencing life in the United States. German participants study at U.S. colleges in the fall and work at local businesses in the spring, all while living with an American host throughout the year.
Conceived by members of the United States Congress and the German Parliament [Bundestag], the CBYX program is financially supported by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State under the authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act, and by the German Bundestag.
