"Being able to mingle with people from each of these schools challenged me to look at Art and Music Humanities in ways I had never thought possible."

In the U-Bahn of Berlin a photo of a Red Bull advertisement
This summer, I was fortunate enough to participate in the Columbia Summer Core in Berlin: Art Humanities and Music Humanities program. The program description was straightforward: students would take their required Art and Music Humanities courses in Berlin for 3 hours per day, Monday through Thursday, and participate in field trips to museums and concerts. Approximately 30 students attended this program, and while all of us were united by our desire to complete Art and Music Humanities, each of us brought an exciting aspect to the program that greatly enhanced the program. For example, the program consisted of a healthy mix of CC, GS, and SEAS students.

Being able to mingle with people from each of these schools challenged me to look at Art and Music Humanities in ways I had never thought possible. At the end of our time in Berlin, we all presented a piece of art and music that were significant to us for any reason. My classmates shocked me with their presentations: from the mathematics of a clapping opera to a psychological analysis of a Picasso painting, my classmates took very unique approaches to their assignments, as they had done throughout the semester. Being able to make friends across schools was also a unique opportunity that added to the value of the program.

A sasuage dinner in Berlin
In addition to the diversity of school representation, the program was also enhanced by the knowledge and experience of our professors. We were split into two groups, each with one Art Humanities and one Music Humanities professor. My professors consistently displayed expert knowledge of their material, as well as the interdisciplinary relationship between music and art, skillfully integrating each other’s material into their lessons. What I mean by this is that we would discuss music’s impact on art in Music Humanities and art’s impact on music in Art Humanities. Taking the two classes together with such lovely professors allowed us to explore both topics and their intersections in-depth in a way that the business of a normal semester would not allow.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not thank UGE for their support via the Global Learning Scholarship. The $2,000 scholarship reduced my bill significantly, allowing me to afford basic necessities like food while in Berlin. UGE also sent a representative to check in with us midway through the program and has been very receptive to our feedback. Without their support, my time in Berlin would certainly have been a much different experience.

Being able to study in Berlin as a German Literature major was a fantastic opportunity to connect with various professionals and academics after my classes were over. Not only did my time in Berlin advance my academic career, but it advanced my professional career too, providing me with connections that I plan to leverage into a Fulbright fellowship or graduate school.