Maura Binkley Study-Abroad Scholarship

Funded by the generous support of the Office of National Fellowships and the Bergische Universität Wuppertal. In addition, a John and Ursula Simons scholarship offers financial assistance with the study abroad program (John and Ursula Simons Endowment).

The Maura Binkley Study-Abroad Scholarship seeks to award current FSU students who share Maura’s ambition, critical inquiry, resourcefulness, cultural openness, and cosmopolitan spirit. The scholarship enables recipients to spend the FSU spring and summer semesters (March-July) on the Bergische Universität Wuppertal – FSU Exchange immersing themselves in the German language and culture.

The scholarship provides financial support for: dormitory rent for the entire period (sponsored by Wuppertal University); travel costs and everyday expenses (up to 1,500 USD, by reimbursement). Students also use their financial aid while abroad.

While in Wuppertal, scholarship winners enroll in the equivalent of at least 12 FSU credit hours and, in addition, may take FSU classes online if necessary. 

 

maura-binkley.png

"It can be really scary at first knowing that you are going to spend a semester far away from home in a place with all new people and a different language, but in the end, the experience is so rewarding and makes the world seem so small…. Yes, there are times where you get lost or get confused in situations due to cultural differences, but times like those turn into big teaching moments and make you grow a lot. I’ve learned more and made so many more valuable friendships than I ever thought I would in just four months.”

Maura Binkley interviewed in “A Summer to Remember: FSU Students Travel the Globe, Hone Research Skills,” 08/03/2018

Maura Binkley was guided by an interest in using her German language and culture skills to improve the lives of others. In summer 2018, she studied for a semester at Wuppertal University. This study-abroad period offered her a rewarding academic experience and a unique opportunity to explore Germany and Europe. Back on campus and close to her BA graduation, Maura was considering additional fellowships to explore her career interests in diplomacy and governance in Germany. Maura tragically lost her life in a mass shooting November 2018. She will always be remembered by her FSU family. This scholarship honors her legacy.

 


SELECTION CRITERIA

Successful candidates demonstrate academic excellence (a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0) and a manifest interest in German culture and language, for example by having taken or taking German courses at FSU at the time of the application. They have an established interest in critical inquiry, creativity, cultural openness and an appreciation for the “cosmopolitan spirit” related to German lifestyle, culture and language. Successful candidates are expected to take at least one German language or German-themed course abroad. 


APPLICATION MATERIALS

*Letter of intent (300 - 500 words in English) that addresses the candidate’s established interest in critical inquiry, creativity, cultural openness and their appreciation for the “cosmopolitan spirit” related to German lifestyle, culture, and language.
*Unofficial transcript.
*Curriculum Vitae.
*Either a letter of recommendation from an FSU instructor (faculty, TA, etc.) or a reference.


SCHOLARSHIP CONDITIONS

Upon receiving the scholarship, winners will immediately contact the Center of Global Engagement (“The Globe”) and start the direct exchange procedure. Please contact Leigh Ann Bauer (l.bauer@fsu.edu).

For credit transfers in German language and German Studies at all levels, please contact Leigh Ann Bauer (l.bauer@fsu.edu) and Dr. A. Dana Weber to fill out the Course Approval Form. For credit transfers in other fields than German/ German studies, please contact advisors and faculty in the respective fields.

Scholarship winners will also immediately write a letter of thanks and submit it to the FSU foundation through Ms. Jeannine Spears (jspears@fsu.edu). The scholarship will be disbursed as a refund: please submit your flight ticket and receipts of other expenses up to 1,500 USD to Ms. Jeannine Spears asap.


TIMELINE

Application deadline: Late October. (For yearly deadlines, please contact Mr. Jesse Wieland and Dr. A. Dana Weber.) Please submit all application materials as attachments in ONE email addressed to Dr. A. Dana Weber (aweber@fsu.edu) and Mr. Jesse Wieland (awieland@fsu.edu). If applicable, ask your recommender to submit their letter in a separate email to Dr. A. Dana Weber and Mr. Jesse Wieland by the same deadline.

Winners are notified by the end of October and must start the direct exchange process immediately.

For more information, please contact:

Office of National Fellowships: Mr. Jesse Wieland; Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics: Dr. A. Dana Weber.

 

The scholarship was created in 2020 by the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics  with support from the Office of National Fellowships, the Office of the President, and the John and Ursula Simons Endowment

In Remembrance

It is with deep regret and profound sadness that the entire Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics joins together in mourning the loss of Maura Binkley, one of our cherished students. Maura was a German major in our department, who also pursued a second major in English. Her academic performance was consistently excellent, and she also excelled in her extra-curricular and study-abroad initiatives.

In memory of our student, we have launched the Maura Binkley Scholarship.

In the fall of 2017 she won the second prize, out of twenty-seven competitors, in the essay contest, “Germany: Integrating Immigrants,” which was a part of the activities of the Campus Week “Germany: Making Choices.” Maura also received a prestigious Winthrop-King undergraduate scholarship to study at the University of Wuppertal in Germany during the summer of 2018. While abroad, Maura explored Germany by traveling from Munich in the South of the country to the Frisian Islands in the North together with family members. She successfully completed her German academic courses and also visited other European countries. Professor Cornelia Grasel, the Vice-President for International relations at the University of Wuppertal, recalls the honor of welcoming this “enthusiastic, kind, generous, and hard-working exchange student” who made a real impact on their campus community.

We cannot echo enough these words to express how much Maura impacted those she interacted with in our department. We would like to remember here the special person Maura was and the positive impact that she had on her instructors and students, as she so diligently and successfully worked to achieve her degree in German.

In the following short quotes from longer messages addressed to Maura’s loving family, her fellow students of the German program remember her constructive impact: “The impact that she had on our lives […] will linger and exist in our hearts and minds” (Wilson Xu) as “she will continue to shine her light in the hearts of all that knew her” (Rebekka White). Maura was an “inspiration” and gave everyone “smiles, laughter, and love” (Alexander Dally). Her smile “was blinding; it was warm; it was pure joy” (Sterling Strmel) and “her presence always carried such a joyous and bright energy with it. An energy that was contagious” (Jamie Macpherson). Maura “radiated warmth […], was genuine” (Alix Clise) and her “spirit remains with us here at FSU” (Rowan Basham). Maura’s fellow students aim “to continue her legacy,” for example her investment in the “importance of women in politics” (Gabriela Maduro). The students of the German program and the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics “feel the loss of her presence in [their] lives, but the golden memory of her yet lives and all of us here know that it will never fade” (Jacob Salas).

Members of the German faculty echo these feelings by remembering Maura as “such a kind spirited, energetic, joyous person. I still see the smile and cheerfulness she brought to class meetings” (Birgit Maier-Katkin). She was an “enthusiastic, hard-working, and committed student whom I respected and valued very much” (A. Dana Weber). “Over the semesters in our program, we saw her grow into a wonderful young woman – intelligent, courageous, determined. Making best use of the great resources that our academic community has to offer, she explored the beauty of this world and was filled with the ambition to share this beauty with others” (Christian Weber).

No words can adequately express the pain that Maura’s loss has caused her family and loved ones, her instructors, her fellow students, and her friends. What we can do is celebrate and honor the memory of someone who touched so many with her enthusiasm, curiosity, determination, cheerfulness, and caring nature.  

I won’t pretend that I know your story.
What I do know are stars scattered
amongst the night sky, emerging during brief
chats before the bell rings and gleaming
while we discuss a hard read.
I wish I could’ve seen the constellations,
known the story from beginning, and not
just the all too bitter end.
Where did the North Star lead?
Graduation approaching, perhaps another trip to Germany,
teaching English and making good use of that degree,
or maybe working near home in Atlanta
with a stable five figure salary.
We were strangers, but over the years
solidarity grew between us while studying
a second language.

(This poem for Maura was written by fellow student Tessa Foster)

We would like to close by sharing Maura’s reflections about her study abroad experience during the summer 2018 term as a recipient of a Winthrop-King scholarship:

“During the summer semester of 2018, the Winthrop King Institute made it possible for me to spend 4 months at Die Bergische Universität Wuppertal in Wuppertal, Germany. Thanks to the undergraduate study abroad scholarship I was awarded through Winthrop King, I was able to embark on the experience of a lifetime without having to worry about the financial burden often associated with studying abroad. In Wuppertal, I studied German language and culture alongside German and other international students. This experience refined my German language skills and challenged me academically. Not only did I grow intellectually, but also because of the Winthrop King scholarship, I was able to make invaluable friendships with students from around the world. My time in Germany led me to new horizons and will forever be remembered as one of the greatest parts of my college experience.”

Learn more about her story and ways to give