Ripon College APPLY
REQUEST INFORMATION
CONTACT US
DIRECTORY
HOME
SEARCH
color bar
ACADEMICS:German

Home > Academics > Majors > German > A Word from the Department

{ A Word from the Department }

Germany's Role in Europe and the World

Germany has been one of the motors behind European integration, and German investment is particularly noticeable in Central and Eastern Europe. As a result, German is an important "second language" throughout the continent, and the list of German companies in the United States continues to grow. Think of Mercedes, BMW and Bayer. Germany, too, is changing in ways that challenge old prejudices and making it an exciting culture to explore.

More than six million Germans emigrated to the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries, and millions of Americans share this heritage. For many students, German is a means of finding out where they came from and who they are.

The German department at Ripon assists students in learning German language, literature and culture, and in developing interpretive skills. This mix enables students to understand an increasingly dynamic and interdependent international community. German students acquire skills and knowledge that will help them in any career they choose, and German can give them a lifetime of cultural pleasure.

Lorna Sopcak
Chair