Students at UNA will have an opportunity to interact with representatives from Germany and German companies at a special event scheduled for Oct. 17.

Germany on Campus: Bringing Work, Study, Research Opportunities to UNA

Oct. 12, 2023



Michelle R. Eubanks , UNA, at meubanks@una.edu, 256.765.4392

FLORENCE, AL – Students at the University of North Alabama will have an opportunity to interact with representatives from Germany and German companies at a special event made possible by a grant from the German Embassy in Washington, D.C. Germany on Campus is scheduled for Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. until noon in the Banquet Halls of the Guillot University Center, the event will include guests from the German Embassy, Mercedes-Benz, Rödl & Partner, and Schönox. 

“Partnering with outside entities is the absolute best way for students to gain experiential learning,” said Rebcca Linam, the German Professor as well as the event organizer. “After all, when they graduate, they’ll be working with those same businesses and organizations. It’s better for them to get some experience with them now so that they’re the top candidates for jobs when they graduate.” 

Linam said the Germany of Campus event is not just for students of German. Students in history, political science, English, psychology, computer science, business, and other STEM-related fields should also consider attending. 

Germany on Campus includes three separate opportunities:

  • The interactive browse fair that allows students and businesses to interact directly and how to take advantage of work, student, and research opportunities in Germany.
  • A panel presentation with a Q and A session to follow that will include Mercedez-Benz, Rodl & Partner, Fulbright recipient Brandon Blevins, and Dr. Ulrich Groetsch, an Associate Professor in the Department of History.
  • A screening of Sophie Scholl, which depicts the life of a little-known resistance fighter against Hitler during World War II. This will take place from 6-8 p.m. in the Wesleyan Hall Auditorium on Oct. 17. 

Knowing a foreign language and being versed in the culture of a foreign culture are tools for success in the global economy, said Linam.

“The greater part of problems that result from today’s society are due to misunderstandings, whether they be linguistic or cultural, she said. “Part of the collegiate experience is to gain a greater understanding of the world in general as it related to a student’s major. No man is an island, or put in context, no ‘major’ is an island. Students need to connect to others in their fields in order to fully understand them. Learning a foreign language ensures they are making an effort to look at their major through the eyes of someone else’s culture and help prevent future problems that arise from a misunderstanding.” 

All of the events associated with Germany on Campus are open to the campus as well as the broader Shoals community.

About The University of North Alabama

The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering credential, certificate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs in the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. The first-choice University for more than 10,000 on-campus and online students, UNA is on a bucolic campus in Florence, Alabama, part of the historic and vibrant Shoals region. Lions Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of the NCAA Division I’s ASUN Conference. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: www.una.edu and www.una.edu/unaworks/