Rose Shafer

    Majoring in German Studies has been a highlight of my time at William & Mary. When I started college, I intended to take a few German classes just to improve up my language skills but taking courses on topics from 18th century German literature to 20th century German film broadened my horizons and piqued my interest in all aspects of the German-speaking world, and I ended up becoming a German and History double major -- a combination which has since sent me down countless wonderful academic rabbit holes. I served as a TA for courses from German 101 to German 387, sharpening my own language skills along the way. I spent my junior year studying abroad in Freiburg im Breisgau, where I explored topics from the Roman Empire in Germany to WWI-era children's books and met fellow students from around the world. I also got the chance to complete an internship at the German Federal Military Archive, which eventually spurred me to write a History Honors thesis about the East German Border Police based on archival sources. My adventures in History and German Studies are far from over: I will be returning to Germany next year to work at the Buchenwald Memorial in Weimar. Wherever these adventures take me, I will always be immensely indebted to my German Studies professors (shoutout to Professor Taylor, Professor Ellis and Professor Leventhal) and all the connections I made at W&M's German program and abroad!