The Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures has been selected as the recipient of the 2017 Department Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education by the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. In her announcement letter Assistant Dean Angela Dillard gave the following commendation:

“The Germanic Department has demonstrated a thoughtful and coherent collective approach to undergraduate education and has also created a caring and welcoming atmosphere around the department. The selection committee was impressed with the pedagogical leadership of the Department, including an extensive set of resources for highly engaging language learning and a variety of courses on topics including business, science and engineering, and law, without shortchanging opportunities to engage with grammar, literature, and other aspects of culture. The philosophy of ‘culture from the beginning and language until the end’ seems to provide a remarkably engaging and successful model.

“The Department’s outreach reaches well beyond the University; impressively, the Department’s approach to German Studies has become known as the “Michigan Model,” and a comprehensive website of resources is available to users around the world. Likewise, educational accomplishments of members of the department, and the reflections of former undergraduates, speak to the vision and leadership of the Germanic Department in undergraduate education. The Department reflects a strong commitment to the College’s priorities in diversity, equity, and inclusion: through its designated R&E courses; through its emphasis on thinking about diversity, ethnic difference and minority identities; and through other opportunities, such as hosting minority German authors through the writer-in-residence program inaugurated this past academic year. The success of the Scandinavian and Dutch programs is impressive in its own right, and student comments reflect a healthy and helpful general atmosphere throughout the department: a close-knit community with extraordinarily active, friendly, and knowledgeable faculty and advisors, all with a strong commitment to excellence in undergraduate education.”

LSA initiated this award In 1992 as a way to recognize and reward its units for their contributions to undergraduate education. The Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures first received this honor in 1996. The distinction comes with an award of $25,000 and will be formally presented by Dean Andrew Martin at a reception in September 2017.