Alexander Claussen, a master’s student in modern languages and graduate teaching assistant of German at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Germany for the 2018-19 academic year.

Alex graduated from Millard South High School in Omaha. He received his Bachelor of Arts in German, history and global studies from Nebraska in 2015. He was also a member of the University Honors Program.

Claussen plans to immerse himself in European culture and improve his German while abroad. He said he loves to teach, and the Fulbright ETA will give him another opportunity to do so.

“It is of course an honor to be chosen to represent the United States in another country, but the real prize for me is the opportunity to share my love of language and history with a new group of students,” he said.

Outside of the classroom, he intends to volunteer with a nonprofit that works with immigrants and refugees. Besides volunteering, he will be able to continue a small research project on the postwar “Sprachkrise,” or language crisis, when authors sought to rebuild, redefine and reinterpret the German language. Having access to museums, libraries and archives in Germany, as well as to native speakers, will be invaluable.

Upon his return, Claussen will pursue a doctorate in comparative literature, with an emphasis on language pedagogy.