Sophomore Accepted into Prestigious International Exchange Program

Alina Clough Preparing for Internship and One-Year Immersion into German Culture

Alina Clough, sophomore international studies major at Westminster College, is one of only 75 students in the United States accepted into the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) program for the 2016 – 2017 academic year.

The year-long fellowship and exchange program is fully funded by the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag, providing American and German students with the opportunity to become immersed into each other’s culture. In the final five months of Clough’s time in Germany, she will intern in a German company or government office, capping off her experience.

“I am ecstatic to be part of this highly selective opportunity and would not have been able to make it to this point without the support and guidance from those at my current internship and all of my professors at Westminster,” said Clough. “I am incredibly grateful for everyone's help and look forward to the year to come."

Program funding includes round-trip international airfare, year-long housing, a two-month intensive language training at the Carl Duisberg Centrum (CDC), tuition for four-months of study at a German university, health insurance, program-related travel, and a monthly stipend to cover basic costs of living.

“This case highlights our efforts to increasingly internationalize our curriculum and our students’ experience,” said Dr. Timothy Cuff, professor of History and chair of the Division of Social Sciences and Humanities at Westminster College. “This accomplishment is emblematic of the many opportunities which Westminster faculty help our students access. Alina’s selection is a feather in her cap and reflects the investment which the faculty make in Westminster students.”

Clough is the daughter of Kevin Clough and Lynette Kuzenko and a graduate of Lake Shore Central High School in Orchard Park, New York. She is currently an intern at a local congressional district office and participates in the Model United Nations club at Westminster.

For more information, contact Cuff at (724) 946-6152 or cufft@westminster.edu. Visit www.cbyx.info for program details.

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