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I was interested in attending New York University largely due to its international vibe and the breadth of the university’s study abroad programs. As valedictorian of her class at Bellows Free Academy in Fairfax, Vt., she was also awarded a Green & Gold scholarship to �պ�����. She took a closer look and discovered a rich array of study-abroad opportunities available at the school practically located in her backyard. “I was able to study abroad in Dublin the summer before I started at �պ�����, went to China the next summer, and then studied abroad for a full year in Vienna,” she said. A business major with minors in German and European studies, she worked with advisors across two colleges at �պ����� to develop an ideal educational experience for a career in international development or diplomacy.

Her life travels and natural sense of adventure came into play as well. “I lived in South Korea for three years as a young child and enjoyed every minute of it—my mom still makes Korean food as our type of ‘home-cooked comfort food.’” Her interest in modern German history led her to pursue German as a minor, though she first considered studying Russian. The clincher came when her father took an overseas assignment in Germany the summer before her sophomore year at �պ�����. “I was looking into the exchange program in Vienna at the time, so it just seemed like a good idea!” Baczewski believes the combination of language skills and cultural experience abroad will be a big key to her success. “It's the small experiences and details of living in a foreign country that help you pick up the nuances of a different culture.”

She completed an M.A. in European studies from the University of Applied Science in Bremen, Germany, with the help of a German Academic Exchange Services (DAAD) Graduate Scholarship. Professor Schreckenberger and her faculty colleagues in the �պ����� German department supported Baczewski in her efforts to study abroad at the undergraduate level, and then enroll at a German university for graduate school. “I first met Professor Schreckenberger as a sophomore in her Honors College seminar. Before she even knew me well, she was helping me with my German minor requirements (I started a year late, so I really had to plan well to get all my credits in) and even helped me fill out my Austrian visa forms. I really think it was her commitment to my studies and future that helped me succeed. Even now, I know I can still count on her for advice whenever I need it.”