Studying abroad is on the rise globally and nationally, allowing students to see new parts of the world. But some study abroad programs like the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) are also open to recent graduates. Computer science alumnus and Honors Scholar Hunter Fleischhacker, B.S. ’25, is part of the program’s 43rd cohort and will spend nearly a year in Germany.

The program, jointly funded by the United States and German governments, provides around 300 scholarships annually for high school students, recent graduates and young professionals up to the age of 24. Each scholarship recipient is placed with a German host family. Daily life varies depending on the program, but young professionals like Fleischhacker will complete an eight-week intensive language training program, then relocate to their permanent placement location for the rest of the program.

For three months, Fleischhacker will study at a German university, or Hochschule, to gain an understanding of the higher education system with regard to his career field. The courses are taken in German to further develop vocabulary and practical knowledge of the language. During his study period, he’ll seek and apply to internships matching their field. He will begin the internship in February or March, and spend the next six months working in a German-speaking environment.

One of the unique things about CBYX is that it doesn’t require a specific degree or research interest to apply. The program is open to various fields and especially encourages participants in business, engineering, technical, vocational and agricultural fields to apply. Fleischhacker’s background is in computer science, so he’ll explore the technological side of Germany’s workplace.

Fleischhacker took German lessons all throughout high school and liked it, but his love for the language deepened when he got to UAA. He joined the German Culture Club and added a German minor to his degree path, crediting Professor Masanovic Courtney, Ph.D., with much of his success in the program. “She was so supportive and consistent for the four years I was at UAA. She was also very patient, which is a necessity when you’re learning a new language.”

The College of Engineering’s computer science program was the first thing that drew Fleischhacker to UAA. He spent his first year in the on-campus residence halls, where he loved meeting people who had come from all over the world to attend UAA. Being able to bike to classes in the spring and summer was another boon of living nearby. Fleischhacker returns to campus often to visit the UAA/APU Consortium Library and his former professors.

For students who want to try living and learning in a new place, Fleischhacker suggests taking initiative. “It’s great to receive help from other people, but you can’t rely entirely on others to build your skills — you have to do it on your own time.” For complex subjects like computer coding and language learning, he says “you have to be a little bit obsessed about it” in order to absorb it.

Fleischhacker begins his year abroad this month, and we look forward to sharing more updates from our Seawolf in Germany as he goes through the program.