Impressions from German Students on ERP Program to the United States
A group of 15 journalism students and young journalists took part in a newly created three-week fellowship to the United States in March and April. The students, 10 of whom were on their first trip to the United States, spent a week together in New York meeting with American journalists, local and state political leaders such as New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, political activists such as Black Lives Matter leader Chivone Newsome, newsmakers like best-selling author and former Donald Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, community leaders, sports figures such as Jürgen Klinsmann and organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League and its director Scott Richman that works to stop hate crimes.
The German journalists also visited the NBC, Bloomberg and Vice newsrooms, the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem and the Hasidic Jewish section of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The German students, nine of whom are based in eastern Germany states, then visited eight different universities in the Midwest and Southwest for two weeks to learn more about journalism training and campus life in the heartland states of the United States: University of Oklahoma, Texas A&M, New Mexico State University, Arizona State University, Indiana University, Southern Illinois University, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and University of Minnesota.
The ERP program was created with support from the Transatlantic Program of the Federal Republic of Germany and was funded by the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Economy and Energy (BMWi) Ministry. Here are the impressions of the three-week program from the students:
Lara Jäkel, Free University Berlin (Texas A&M)
If I had to name one take-away from the countless impressions of the RIAS program, it would be the enormous diversity of the United States. During our meetings and conversations in New York, we learned about the different perspectives and ideas that each of the guest speakers like Black Lives Matter NYC founder Chivona Newsome or former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen brought to the table. Along the way, we explored many parts of the city – from Harlem to the Hasidic Jewish quarter in Brooklyn – getting a sense of their very own history and characteristics. These experiences alone would have been enough to talk about for weeks – but the program had only just started. Leaving the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple behind, a nine-hour trip took me to College Station, Texas. Compared to New York, things couldn’t have been more different: Not to reinforce clichés, but the first thing I heard at the airport was actually “Howdy”, spoken by a man wearing a cowboy hat. There is not a single building that is higher than three stories in College Station, and don’t hold your breath waiting for public transport… What fascinated me most about the town, though, was the sense of community emanating from this place and its residents. From celebrating their (very successful) sports teams to gene-modifying carrots to make them maroon (Texas A&M’s signature color) instead of orange, the “Aggies” are definitely serious about their school spirit. And even in this seemingly small and homogenous place, the opinions I heard ranged from die-hard conservatism to liberal and progressive views. Considering that I have only been to two of the 50 + 1 states, this at least gives a hint at how much diversity can be found in the United States.
Daniel Heyd, ntv/RTL Journalism School (University of Oklahoma) It was an indescribably eventful time. Three weeks full of impressions and one highlight followed the next every day. When I think back, it is unbelievable what was on the program, how many interesting spots and people were visited and how many exciting conversations were held. Sometimes it was lunch with Michael Cohen, then visits to the editorial offices of ARD from Bloomberg and Vice. The first five days in New York already provided a very detailed insight into the media landscape of the USA and the mentality of the people. Then it was off to Oklahoma and the impressions overflowed. Seminars at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, trips to the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, an afternoon with the homicide squad in Tulsa, a meeting with the mayor of Oklahoma City, a visit to a regional high school and various meetings with local journalists at their TV stations. Oklahoma impressed me not only because of its indescribable hospitality, but also because of its diversity. The people, the history, the landscape and the culture were brought closer to me from day to day. A detailed insight into the Midwest that I would never have gotten either as a tourist or as a journalist. It was in all an indescribable time. Every day I spent in the U.S., whether on the East Coast or in the Midwest, brought me closer to the local people, broadened my horizons tremendously, and helped me learn about and better understand the country. I will forever be grateful to RIAS for this opportunity and becoming part of the RIAS network through it. The program and the contacts made will have a great impact on my personal and professional life – if they haven’t already.
Emma Matthea Lübbert, University of Leipzig (University Wisconsin-Oshkosh)
The first thing I did after arriving back in Germany was look up flights to New York City. Although the RIAS experience left me speechless, all I could think about was going back. From the VIP tour of the Empire State Building to visits at VICE, CBS, Bloomberg and ARD – our time in New York was even better than I imagined in the last two years. Every day was a new learning experience, mixed with fun in local bars and restaurants in the evenings. Even though getting up at 7 in the morning felt wrong on some days, every minute of the program was worth it and a once in a lifetime experience. We were blessed with amazing speakers all over the political spectrum and got a real insight in how journalism and politics work in the USA. Even though I was sad to leave the big apple, my time in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was just as enjoyable. Thanks to our amazing and lovely hosts – Joel Waldinger and Barb Benish – our experience in Wisconsin was a delightful experience. I will never forget my time in the states with RIAS.
Rieke Smit, University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal (New Mexico State University)
I’ve gained so much experience in a short amount of time that I’m still processing it. Talking about the past few weeks really makes you realize the insights we’ve had both in New York and at Station Week. After all, who can claim to have had breakfast with Michael Cohen for 2.5 hours, in the service of the Abyssinian Church personally welcomed by Reverend Dr. Butts, or speaking to “the voice of the subway” Charlie Pellett at Bloomberg.
The Station Week in particular has significantly broadened my view of the USA, which I visited for the first time with this program. Spending time in New Mexico, in a region that is shaped by the border with Mexico, showed me the everyday reality of a situation that the German media often only shows when there are problems. I also got to know a university course that produces live news shows that are as professional as some newsrooms in Germany. But what impressed me the most was the openness and friendliness with which we were greeted everywhere. We were able to ask any questions and always found a way to discuss things on an equal footing with our counterparts. The word exchange will be capitalized in what is expected to be a challenging program and being part of the RIAS network already feels like part of a global journalistic family. It was an impressive 22 days.
Adrian Liehr, University of Leipzig (Indiana University)
After two years of hoping that the RIAS program could still take place after the corona-related cancellation in 2020, the time had finally come – for three weeks we were able to experience the USA from very different perspectives. In the first nine days, we got to know New York on a journalistic and political, but also on a social and cultural level. I count the conversations with Phil Murphy and Michael Cohen, the visit to the Broadway musical “Come from Away”, the evening harbor cruise and the visit to the church service in Harlem among my absolute highlights. Due to the abundance of appointments, I could go on with this list. I have become a fan of New York and would like to return there soon. The second part of the trip took me to Indiana University in Bloomington. There I had the opportunity to accompany the reporters of the local TV and radio station in their work and at the same time get a feel for life in the Midwest and the lifestyle there. This is very different from the omnipresent hustle and bustle of Manhattan. All the people I met were open and interested in me. The American hospitality and the sincere interest in my personal background and life in Germany were particularly noteworthy. This resulted in great conversations that I will remember for a long time. All in all, the time in the USA was an incredible experience that will leave a lasting impression on me. On the one hand, the three weeks felt far too short, but on the other hand, due to the many program points, I sometimes had the feeling that I had already been in the country for three months. The entire group also contributed to this, and this experience will be forever associated with them.A big thank you goes to the RIAS team and especially Erik Kirschbaum for organizing and making this special trip possible!
Marita Wehlus, Deutsche Journalismus Schule Münich (Indiana University)
The encounters with politicians, media professionals, activists and students that make up the RIAS program gave me a glimpse into the American reality that I will likely draw on for a long time. I got to see, in that one week in New York and the following two in Bloomington, Indiana, a country that is torn and traumatized and hopeful and relentlessly open. Hearing from Chivona Newsome (BLM New York) why, for her, the police will always be a racist institution gave me food for thought, as did Phil Murphy (Gov. of New Jersey), who made me feel for the first time how professionalized the demeanor of politicians in the U.S. is. There were so many moments in this program that showed me new perspectives. Seeing the life of a small, Democratic pinpoint of a town in Indiana, in the middle of a very red-voting state, was probably one of the most interesting. I saw students applaud Ann Coulter (right-wing author) while she described the “bloody, godless” French Revolution as the origin of liberalism. I sat across from a Democratic state senator who, despite being in the absolute minority, is trying to influence legislatures and asked me if I could explain to her how Trump happened in 2016. And I had the opportunity to speak with Dan Coats (Republican, retired senator), who spoke to students about how bipartisan collaboration no longer seems possible, how everything has become a war. Despite all this tension, there were also the magnificently talented journalists from WTIU/WFIU, who not only produce award-winning documentaries (I think in part because there are no longer police scanners in their newsroom to cover every blue light story), but are also a prime example of cross-media producing. The new generation of journalism students is no less impressive. And finally, it was an unforgettable experience above all because in almost every encounter I and we encountered critical reflection, but also a desire for debate and so much interest in our perspective.
Sarah-Maria Köpf, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (Texas A&M)
Three weeks in the U.S. – one in New York, two in Texas – gave me an insight into the country and its media landscape that I would never have experienced without RIAS. After all, how often do you get the chance to meet the governor of New Jersey or talk to Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen? I was particularly pleased that it was possible to visit the news rooms again after the tough restrictions imposed by the pandemic and that we were thus able to get an even closer picture of the work of journalists – starting with NBC and Bloomberg in Manhattan and ending with Vice in hip Williamsburg. But my absolute highlight was having lunch with Black Lives Matters NYC co-founder Chivona Newsome, where we talked about activism and everyday racism. Even after our trip, the day will remain in my memory for a long time to come
In College Station, I was able to take exciting journalism seminars at Texas A&M University and was pleasantly surprised by how practical and career-preparatory the courses were. In several seminars, I had the opportunity to talk with students and share more about the German media system and my own journalistic work. In the process, we discovered that the demands on young journalists and our own expectations and motivations are not very different from one country to the next. I was also impressed by the college newspaper “The Battalion,” which produces a new print edition every week with fewer than 20 students, as well as writing additional online and social media articles. I was also impressed with the local ESPN TV sports station, which is a very professional and well-structured media outlet at the university. College sports in general are writ large at Texas A&M. I was able to experience how much the students here cheer on the “Aggies” live at a baseball game, which was truly a unique experience. I will definitely need a few more weeks to process this exciting trip with RIAS. One thing is for sure though, it has changed my view of the USA and I have gained a better understanding of past and current events in the country.
Tom Wagner, Humboldt University Berlin (Southern Illinois University)
Due to a very early flight and my inability to sleep sitting up, I arrived in New York extremely tired. Every day I promised myself in the morning to go to sleep early that day. Nevertheless, I never arrived at our hotel before midnight, because this city never sleeps and I now understood that I did not want that here either. All the fascinating personalities and places we visited every day and the extremely interesting conversations we had there, as well as the endless possibilities in the evening were such unique and thrilling experiences that I didn’t want to miss a single second. Being born and raised in Berlin, I am usually glad that people mostly mind their own business. Therefore, I was a little worried about the friendliness and openness of the Americans and especially the New Yorkers as friends had warned me in advance. But very quickly I got used to this open-heartedness and enjoyed talking to strangers and learning from them about the city, the country and the people. Experiencing this country, which you think you know so well from movies and television, in this way was eye-opening and enriching. Looking back, probably no event describes the impressions of this trip as much as the visit to the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, where deep social conflicts and the indestructible will to look ahead and to make the best of the situation together are so close to each other.These and other experiences will probably take me a while to fully process.
Jessica Schäfer, University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg- Stendal (University of Minnesota)
Two years later than originally planned, the time had finally come: My first trip to the USA started. I didn’t really believe it until I landed at JFK and looked out the window of my hotel room at the Empire State Building. Thanks to RIAS and my great group, I spent ten unforgettable days in New York, where one highlight followed the other! My personal highlights include attending a service at Abyssinian Baptist Church, visiting various U.S. newsrooms – including Bloomberg and Vice -, meeting New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and ex-Trump attorney Michael Cohen each for an in-depth conversation, and watching an NBA game at Madison Square Garden.
I spent my Station Week in Minneapolis – the city of Prince. There, too, I experienced many things every day. With my host Scott, I visited a wonderfully arranged photo exhibit about the murder of George Floyd, which gave me insight into the residents’ perspective. I gained insight into the educational system of American universities at the Hubbard School of Journalism, participated in seminars such as Newscast Producing, Multimedia Production & Storytelling, and TV/Radio Reporting. I attended the Midwest Journalism Conference, where I discussed journalism, politics, various cultural topics and differences between the U.S. and Germany with American journalists. The two highlights during my stay in Minneapolis were the visits of the radio station MPR and the TV station Kare 11, which belongs to NBC. There I received a detailed explanation of the daily work of the news and sports editors. I was allowed to spend the whole day there following their work flow while asking them lots of questions. All in all, I am incredibly grateful that I was able to take part in this RIAS program and that I gained so many exclusive and inspiring insights into the U.S. media landscape, politics and culture.
Florian Sädler, Axel Springer Academy Berlin, (University of Oklahoma)
As the RIAS program was coming closer, I had tried to not get too excited about it. After all, the whole thing had been scheduled four times before, dating back to our original trip in March 2020. Two years, countless waves of Covid and all these cancelled flights later, it only hit me that this really was about to happen when I left JFK Airport and found myself actually in New York City. Three weeks later and I haven’t really had time to process anything of what we experienced in the States. From Day 1 do Day 21, there were hardly any breaks, sometimes not even to grab a proper meal. Most days we didn’t get back to our hotel room or apartment until somewhere between 10 PM and midnight, just enough to catch a bit of sleep to be in somewhat presentable shape to do it all over again the next day. When we ventured out into the city – or, during part two of the program, into the countryside – we did everything from meeting with a Governor, meeting with a host of High School students in a poverty-riddled area of Oklahoma City or with Donald Trump’s former attorney to visiting Afghan refugees, multiple NBA games or a Gospel Church to taking tours through an ultra-orthodox Jewish Quarter in Brooklyn, the Empire State Building or a Streetfood Festival in a Village in Cherokee Nation. There hasn’t been one boring day. We got to talk with so many different people and visit so many different places that, within only a couple of days, it became hard to remember everything that had happened up to this point. Or even yesterday, for that matter (which is quite the luxury problem, I guess). It all just melted into a very enjoyable and memorable blur. I’m somewhat glad I didn’t get my expectations up before I stepped onto the plane. That way, I was even happier for the way it all worked out. Adding to that, the concept of spending one week in New York City and then spreading out across the Midwest worked wonders. Nothing better to get a feel for the contrasts that shape this country than going from Manhattan straight to Norman, Tahlequah or Kingfisher, Oklahoma. The more time I’ve spent in the US, the less I believe anyone can really explain this country. Especially foreigners. Still, through all the different impressions I got through this RIAS journey, I feel like I can understand what makes different Americans tick and why a little bit better than before. Nothing more to ask from a three-week exchange program.
Amy Woyth, Mittweida University of Applied Sciences (Wisconsin-Oshkosh)
After years of waiting and waiting, in March the time had finally come to board my flight to New York City – “I’ll believe it when I’m actually there,” I had said for the past weeks. And it was been everything I had hoped for and more. After a week-long schedule in NY with too many appointments and highlights to count, it was time to embark on a trip to the Midwest. Although I didn’t have particularly high hopes for a small town in Wisconsin, it rounded the trip out perfectly. My host family, whom I can now call my godparents, was the most amazing family I could have wished for, showing me the city and fulfilling my bucket list for the States together with me. Even though I have been to the States multiple times with my own family, Oshkosh, WI really showed me what American life is like. The program was successful in its mission: I have learned so many things about the US, its people and its customs, that I will now need a few months to process everything I was so privileged to have experienced.
Leonie von Randow, Axel Springer Academy, (Southern Illinois University)
Never before have I met so many interesting people and absorbed so much input in such a short time like during the week in New York. Every day was packed with appointments that a journalist can only dream of: We met feisty individuals like Arthur Aidala, radio host and lawyer for Harvey Weinstein, or Michael Cohen, former lawyer and close confidant of Donald Trump. We had lunch with the incredibly impressive and personable Black Lives Matter activist Chivona Newsome and asked Clare Toeniskoetter, editor at the New York Times hit podcast “The Daily,” about her work. On Sunday, we attended a very rousing service at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem and began to better understand religion in America. I am filled with all the unique experiences and wonderful time I got to spend with Erik and the other RIAS fellows – and I look forward to meeting many other RIAS alumni in Berlin or anywhere else in the world.
Friedrich Steffes-lay, Free Tech Academy, Berlin (Arizona State University)
Two years of waiting because of Covid, but every day of patience was worth it! The time in the USA was so intense and informative that I still haven’t processed everything. For me, too, the background discussions with ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and Governor Phil Murphy will be remembered above all, but also the deep insights into US journalism in the newsrooms of Bloomberg, VICE and WNBC. During my university station week, I dove deep into Phoenix local politics and met people with a wide variety of views. I was allowed to learn how professional (investigative) journalism is done on campus – and got active myself with an interview with a German consul general. But my personal highlight is definitely my research on human trafficking in Phoenix, which even took me behind the closed doors of a local rescue center. All of that was initiated by a conversation with a politics professor at Arizona State University. But the program wasn’t just a great experience on the journalism side. In New York and Phoenix, I was able to reunite with several friends I had already made through RIAS three years ago – and I will see some of them again soon in Germany.
Jana Glose, German Sport University Cologne (University of Oklahoma)
After Corona prevented me from going to the U.S. in the 2020 election year, my RIAS program started together with other journalism students from all over Germany almost 700 days later in New York, the city that never sleeps. And I’ll say this right away: there really wasn’t all that much sleep during the days in the city, but it was more than worth it. I got to know America and especially American journalism from an exciting side. Through the numerous conversations with journalists, activists and politicians, as well as through visits to editorial offices, including Bloomberg, the ARD studio and Vice, I was able to develop an understanding of American life and the American media landscape. The in-depth conversations and discussions showed me ideas, innovations and perspectives, but also fears, concerns and problems within America’s population. My personal highlights in New York were attending a Rangers hockey game, having lunch with Black Live Matters New York founder Chivona Newsome in the Harlem neighborhood, speaking with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphey, and seeing the musical Come from Away. Topped off with interaction with the other participants, the RIAS program in New York was a memorable and highly educational experience.For my University Week I went to the University of Oklahoma. A huge campus with TV studios with daily news and weekly sports shows, a cafeteria like in Harry Potter and a football stadium with room for 90,000 visitors are just a few impressions that remain with me. The university offers students a wide range of opportunities to prepare for a career in journalism. I was particularly impressed by the fact that the professors are strongly committed to helping all students find a job after graduation or, if possible, before. Unfortunately, after two days in Oklahoma, I had to make acquaintance with the American healthcare system and spend the rest of the week in bed. But that was also an experience, even if, unlike the others, I could have easily missed.
Simon Lanzerath, University of Cologne (Southern Illinois University)
Before the trip, I was worried about American democracy and transatlantic relations, especially after the storm on the Capitol and four years of Trump. After this trip and the many conversations with political actors, students, but also people on the street, I know: our partnership is strong and so is the will to defend democracy. What it takes is mutual understanding. Through the RIAS program, we were able to improve this understanding – among Germans as well as Americans.
Erik Kirschbaum, Executive Director, RIAS Berlin Commission
Spending time in the USA with a group of German journalism students on a newly created ERP exchange program with the RIAS Berlin Commission has been a truly delightful experience, perhaps in part because most had never been to the country before and brought unbridled enthusiasm to learn more. They arrived with open minds and left three weeks later with their heads filled with memories, valuable new discoveries about the USA and perhaps about themselves too. And because they came so well-prepared and with so much curiosity, their talks with American journalists, politicians like New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, African-American leaders like Chivone Newsome, Jewish leaders like Anti-Defamation League NY Director Scott Richman and German-American sports celebrities like Jürgen Klinsmann, the conversations were outstanding.
The ERP program is supported by the Transatlantic Program of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has been funded by the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Economy and Energy (BMWi) Ministry.
