Work gallery

German Verse-speaking Competition 2007

On Thursday 13 September 2007 Gabriela Pohl and Rod Wilson hosted the annual Presentation of Awards evening for the USQ German Verse-speaking competition for primary and secondary school learners of German. Professor Peter Goodall welcomed around 90 attendees - prize winners, their families and teachers. All first prize winners in the seven different sections recited their poems for the audience, and the first, second and third prize winners received books donated by the Goethe-Institut, Australia (Sydney branch). Some 260 students participated in the competitions.

A highlight were the contributions of the USQ Opera Studio singers, this year Theresa Adermann and Jon Maskell, who each song two songs in German, to the delight of the attendees. Phillip Gearing generously offered his services as accompanist.

 

Primary School winners: Front Row (left to right): Natasha Sieg, Martin Luther Primary School (Special Prize for Excellence) Kate McCormack, Kingaroy State School (First Prize, Beginners) Stefanie Benitez, Fairholme College Junior School (First Prize, Advanced) Back Row (left to right): Professor Peter Goodall, Dean, Faculty of Arts Gabriela Pohl, Lecturer in German Language Rod Wilson, Senior Lecturer in German Language

Secondary School winners: Front Row (left to right): Briony Munro, Fairholme College (First Prize, Year 9) Roderick Gavey, Concordia Lutheran College (First Prize, Year 8) Kristen Thompson, Concordia Lutheran College (First Prize, Year 12) Back Row (left to right): Kimberley Manning, Ipswich Girls' Grammar School (First Prize, Year 10) Professor Peter Goodall, Dean, Faculty of Arts Gabriela Pohl, Lecturer in German Language Rod Wilson, Senior Lecturer in German Language Sebastion Erdelyi, Toowoomba State High School (First Prize, Year 11)

 

Students awarded German scholarships

USQ students awarded German scholarships.

Selected from a list of applicants Australia-wide, Alyceia Facer, Sherrin Moss, Carly Lusk and Becky Maguire were awarded scholarships from The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Goethe-Institut Sydney (G-I) and the G-I, Goettingen. The scholarships will provide the students with the opportunity of spending six to eight weeks over our summer break to study at German universities or institutes.

Rod Wilson, Head of Humanities and International Studies, said the scholarships are highly sought after. "The fact that four USQ students received individual scholarships indicates the University's German program is highly regarded by the German Goethe-Institut. It is particularly gratifying again to have a student awarded one of the very competitive DDAD grants, in addition to the two scholarships from the G-I Sydney and the special scholarship provided by the G-I, Goettingen."

The girls are studying a variety of disciplines ranging from education to journalism, but they all share the ambition to live and study in Germany.

Recipient of the DAAD scholarship, third year business and journalism student Carly Lusk said she did not expect to receive the scholarship but was excited to be spending part of the Australian summer in Germany, attending a course at the University of Leipzig. "The course involves language study, history, literature and cultural studies. I believe in-country study is a great way to learn a foreign language. You can probably learn as much in one month in Germany as you could in a year in Australia."