American University student earns prestigious CBYX fellowship following semester in Munich
Brian Merdani, a senior at American University and summer 2024 participant in the Junior Year in Munich (JYM) program, has been awarded a Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) Fellowship for Young Professionals. The competitive, year-long fellowship will take him back to Germany after graduation this May, marking the next step in a journey shaped by immersive international education and a passion for diplomacy. This interview has been slightly edited for a reading audience.
What are you studying at American University?
I study international relations here with a focus on national security and U.S. foreign policy and my region is Europe. In addition to that, I have a German minor and I'm completing a German translation certificate this semester.
Why did you decide to participate in JYM?
I always knew I wanted to study abroad in Germany and I had a spring break trip with my friends sophomore spring break. We went to Berlin and Munich and I just fell in love with Munich. I loved the city, I saw what the program had to offer and I saw that AU in partnership with Wayne State, offered JYM, so I said, “Why not?”
How did JYM help you with your academic and professional goals?
JYM helped me a lot, especially through the internship search. The entire staff in Munich was very helpful with trying to get me an internship. I ended up doing one at the Amerikahaus. I dealt with transatlantic relations and cultural differences between the US and Germany. I worked a lot with school-aged kids, which required a sensitivity to intercultural communication. That helped me to get into the CBYX program and it will also help me in my future career, whether it be in the foreign service or something else. It truly gave me a lot of intercultural skills which I don't think I would have gotten otherwise.
What was your favorite Munich experience?
I would have to say living in Olydorf and Olympia Park: the proximity to the park, the great restaurants nearby and of course, all the student organizations and student activities there, just being surrounded by so many students in such a nice area where there was something new going on every day. I'd say that was my favorite experience. I was in bungalow N56 and you really cannot get a better place to be a college student studying abroad or just studying full-time.
Tell us about your CBYX fellowship and what you will be doing.
I first heard about the CBYX fellowship my freshman year from my German professor in my first ever German class, Beginner One. I thought it would be something cool to do after graduation. With the help of the Office of Merit Awards here at American University, I applied to CBYX in the fall. I did my interviews in early February. Then, a little less than a month ago, I was informed that I was selected as a finalist. So, I'll be going to Germany. I don't know where exactly. I'll be finding that out very soon.
It's a three-fold program. For the first part, I'll be at a language school in either Cologne, Radolfzell, or Saarbrücken. I’ll spend two months there living with a host family or in an apartment or in a dorm. After that, I'll be taking university classes in my field of interest, which is international relations. Luckily, I don't need those for credit because I will be graduating in just a few short weeks. During that period, I’ll also be volunteering and getting involved in the community, which is part of CBYX's citizenship/ambassadorship mission. After that, for the last six months, I'll be finding an internship in my field. I don't have one at the moment because I don't know where I'll be, but as soon as I find out my placement city, I'll start to search for that. I'm looking for something in the field of international relations, or something in the aviation industry, or something having to do with sports and sports diplomacy.
The CBYX is a very competitive fellowship. Do you have any suggestions to others for achieving success?
Talking to people who have done the program or who are involved in the program definitely helps. Lori Felton over here at the OMA office at AU had done interviews before, so I did a few practice interviews and I think that really helped. Also important are knowing the program, being authentic and knowing if it's truly the one for you.
What are your professional goals? Where are you headed after CBYX?
After CBYX, I'm hoping to join the workforce in some capacity. I'm not sure where exactly. I chose CBYX over a few job offers I had here in Washington, D.C., one of which was with the federal government. I was lucky enough to get a job offer with Naval Air on the F-35 program as a contract specialist. I'm looking to postpone that and maybe I can do that when I come back. I'm open to whatever the future might bring me.
You speak English, Albanian and German. Do you think your language skills will play a role in your future profession?
I think my language skills will serve me well. I'm at a high level of German right now, but I think that'll be only get better after being there for a year. My German improved drastically in only five months in Munich. I can't imagine how much it'll improve after one year in Germany. I have an aptitude for learning languages. So, I might not be done yet with just German, Albanian and English. I might add one more.
The Junior Year in Munich Program congratulates Brian on his CBYX fellowship and wishes him all the best.