Newsroom/Programs & exchange·March 22, 2022·6 min read

Students from Germany start three-week exchange program to USA

A group of students from Germany on a newly created German-American exchange program to the United States began their three weeks in the United States with a meeting-filled week in New York. The program, which is supported by the Transatlantic Program of the Federal Republic of Germany, has been funded by the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Economy and Energy (BMWi) Ministry. The German students, many of whom are from eastern Germany and studying journalism, will spend their final two weeks in the United States visiting journalism studies programs at the University of Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Southern Illinois University, Indiana University, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, University of Minnesota, New Mexico State University and Arizona State University. Here is further information about the students:

Amy Woyth, Mittweida University of Applied Sciences

Amy Woyth is a media management and journalism major at the University of Applied Sciences Mittweida in eastern Germany. Alongside her studies, she works as an editor for an independent online magazine and as a marketing associate for an IT-company in her hometown of Leipzig. She is also active as a freelancer on cultural issues. After she graduates in 2023, she plans to pursue a career in multimedia journalism, and is especially interested in reporting on broader topics like politics and culture.

Emma Matthea Lübbert, University of Leipzig

Emma Matthea Lübbert is working on her Bachelors thesis in Communication and Media

Science, and will graduate in 2022. She is working as a social media author for the ARD Podcast “Machiavelli – Rap and Politics”. She also is an author/host at the WDR radio station “Cosmo”. She also does volunteer work at the “TinCon”, a media convention for the youth interested in journalism and media. She plans to continue career in musical and political journalism as well as digital storytelling in Cologne.

Adrian Liehr, University Leipzig

Adrian Liehr is studying for a Master in Communication Management at the University of

Leipzig. He will graduate in 2023. Adrian has a background in journalism, as he has experience working at his university radio station and has been working in sports journalism for over four years.

Sarah-Maria Köpf, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg

Sarah-Maria Köpf will graduate with a master’s degree in digital journalism in
2022 from Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg. She is also working an
online editor at Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR). She did her bachelor’s degree

in communication and media studies at the University of Leipzig and also

completed one semester at Miguel-Hernández University of Elche (Alicante) in

Spain, studying journalism and audiovisual communication. Sarah has also worked for the local newspaper in Leipzig, the campus radio station Mephisto 97.6 and the online editorial of GRAZIA magazine.

Jessica Schäfer, University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal

Jessica Schäfer is a student of Social Health Journalism (M.A.) at UAS Magdeburg- Stendal and will graduate in 2022. She received a bachelor’s degree in Media Literacy: Audiovisual Culture and Communication from the University of Magdeburg. During her studies she has worked for several German media outlets such as the public broadcast service rbb, a local city magazine and GQ Germany. After graduating Jessica wants to work for a magazine preferably in the field of sports, lifestyle or music.

Rieke Smit, University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal

Rieke Smit recently received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of

Magdeburg-Stendal and is currently studying for a masters in international humanitarian action. She has also worked for several German media companies, including ZDF public TV and is currently working at the German news agency DPA. Rieke’s goal is to work abroad with a focus on international politics.

Tom Wagner, Humboldt University Berlin

Tom Wagner is studying history and English at Humboldt University Berlin and will graduate in 2022. He is also working on the sports desk of ZDF’s MorgenMagazin in Berlin as a content manager. After graduating, Tom wants to become a history and English teacher or focus on a journalism career. He has also worked in the moderation and community management for Welt.de, a major German online newspaper. He is especially interested in politics and sports.

Florian Sädler, Axel Springer Academy Berlin

Florian Sädler works at “WELT”, one of Germany’s biggest newspapers. After completing an

apprenticeship at a publishing company and working as a freelancer for various newspapers and online media, he swapped studying History/British & American Studies for a chance to join “Axel Springer Akademie”, a top journalism school. His coverage has ranged from the European refugee crisis to the French Foreign Legion to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Lara Jäkel, Free University Berlin

Lara Jäkel is a North American studies major at the Freie Universität Berlin and will graduate in 2022. During her studies, she worked for different regional and national media, among others for Welt and Spiegel Online. She is also taking part in a scholarship program of the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation (JONA) that supports young journalists through seminars and workshops. Her goal is to work for national news media with a focus on politics. She is especially interested in international politics, economics and history.

Simon Lanzerath, University Cologne

Simon Lanzerath graduated at University of Cologne in October 2021 and recently received a master’s degree. He now works at Radio Erft, a German local radio station near Cologne. Besides his studies, Simon has participated in a journalism program of the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation. Simon’s passion is radio, but he has also experience in TV journalism. He did an internship at public broadcasting network ZDF in 2021. He has also done an internship in the press section of a major company and worked for various radio stations, a local newspaper and a business platform focusing on a young audience.

Friedrich Steffes-lay, Free Tech Academy, Berlin

Friedrich Steffes-lay is an editor at WELT. He works in the social media resort and writes mostly about pop culture and politics. Before joining WELT, he was part of the staff of the music magazines “Musikexpress” and “Rolling Stone” and finished a two-year traineeship at FreeTech Academy, formerly known as Axel Springer Academy.

Marita Wehlus, German School of Journalism Munich

Marita Wehlus is a freelance journalist from Munich who graduated from the GermanSchool of Journalism in 2020. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and worked in radio, local reporting and factchecking (with a Facebook media partner). Her reporting focusses on telling stories about people, culture and society. In addition, she works in developing new digital formats for broadcaster Deutsche Welle and teaches Design Thinking for journalists.

Daniel Heyd, n-tv / RTL Journalism School Cologne

Daniel Heyd is a trainee at the 24/7 commercial news network “n-tv,“ with a focus on politics and economics. Prior to his traineeship, he studied Journalism (BA) and Sports Economics (MA) in Cologne as well as worked for various networks and newspapers in Germany. He is especially interested in international politics, and he is a sports enthusiast.

Leonie von Randow, Axel Springer Academy Berlin

Leonie von Randow recently finished a two-year traineeship at FreeTech Academy, formerly

known as Axel Springer Academy in Berlin. She is a reporter/producer at WELT TV, one of Germany’s leading all-news channels. There she creates video reports on a wide range of topics for WELT TV, ProSieben, Sat1 and Kabel Eins. Leonie also is an on-air reporter and has covered topics such as the German federal elections in 2021 or Germany’s COVID vaccination campaign.

Jana Glose, German Sport University Cologne

Jana Glose is studying Sport, Media and Communications (MA) at German Sport University in Cologne and currently taking part in a journalism scholarship program of the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation (JONA) at SUNY Cortland as an exchange student for one semester. She finished her
Bachelor’s degree in Media Management and Journalism at Jade University of
Applied Sciences Wilhelmshaven in 2020. She has gained experience as a
freelancer for local newspapers, a business portal and through internships in
radio and television. Most recently, Jana worked at ARD “Sportschau.de” and an online portal for women in sports.

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