Meet the 2024 GASOP Cohort

In October, DAIS selected 10 fellows to participate in this year’s German-American School Outreach Program (GASOP). GASOP encourages vibrant transatlantic dialogue among schools in Central Germany through workshops and projects led by young American educators. By expanding access to native English speakers and innovative thematic content, our fellows bring intercultural exchange directly into classrooms across the region.

For our fellows, the program offers valuable opportunities for professional growth. Through workshops and meetings in Leipzig, they develop their skills as educators, contextualize their experiences in the region, and become part of a supportive network of like-minded young professionals.

Our 2024 cohort comprises fellows with backgrounds in education and transatlantic affairs, each committed to fostering international understanding in the classroom while learning about the specific regional context of Central Germany. Learn more about them below!

Meet the Fellows

ELEANOR THOMPSON · WITTENBERG

Hallo! My name is Ellie Thompson, and I am currently living in Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Sachsen-Anhalt where I work as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant at the Luther-Melanchthon-Gymnasium. I was born and raised in Carmel, Indiana and moved to Florence, Alabama where I graduated in 2023 from the University of North Alabama with a B.S.Ed. in history education and a B.A. in German language and culture. In university, I became interested in the impact of language learning and began looking into ways to incorporate this learning about different languages and cultures into different classroom settings. I’m very excited to continue focusing on the impact of learning about different cultures and languages as a School Outreach Fellow! Outside of the classroom, I enjoy reading all kinds of books, watching movies, visiting museums, and exploring as much of Germany and Europe as I can. After my Fulbright grant, I plan to return to the U.S. to teach both history and German as well as to pursue a master’s degree in English as a Second Language or German.

JACOB CAMDEN · MAGDEBURG

Jacob is an English Teaching Assistant working at Norbertusgymnasium in Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt. He grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, and studied philosophy, literature, and languages at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. After his time in Europe he aims to return to the U.S. for a PhD in philosophy. He hopes in his GASOP workshops to explore with students the tension between majority rule and individual and minority rights and liberties, both in the American context and in democratic societies in general. He is grateful and excited to be able to work with eastern German students through GASOP.

DECLAN SANDER · BRANDENBERG

Hallo zusammen! I am Declan, a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant at OSZ Gebrüder Reichstein in Brandenburg an der Havel. I am from Western North Carolina, and graduated from Wake Forest University this past May with a B.A. in English and German. My interests jumped around in college, from creative writing, to 19th century German literature, and finally to Old English, but my fascination with reading in educational contexts has held strong throughout. As a School Outreach Fellow, I will investigate the spectrum of regulated literature in public education, from “required reading” to “banned books.” After another year (either here, as an English Teaching Assistant, or in the US as a legal assistant in discovery) I will pursue a PhD in Medieval Studies, focusing on the literature of early England. I spend my free time reading everything I possibly can, visiting the historical sites I’ve read too much about, biking when it’s flat, and hiking when it’s not.

SUKAINAH ABID-KONS · LEIPZIG

Sukainah Abid is from Harrisonburg, Virginia, and works as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Leipzig. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from Agnes Scott College, where she also studied German and was an active member of the German Club. During college, Sukainah worked as an intern and freelance reporter for several newspapers as she pursued her interest in writing and journalism.

MCKENZIE NELSON · LICHTENTANNE

McKenzie Nelson grew up in Nebraska and now lives near Zwickau in Saxony. She graduated with a B.A. in German and global studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2023, where her research focused on the field of linguistics. Currently, she is working as an English Teaching Assistant at a gymnasium in Rodewisch, Germany. Outside of the classroom, McKenzie is enjoying traveling more, getting to hike in the mountains, and trying pastries from the bakery right next to her apartment.

KATE EISENHUTT · CHEMNITZ

Kate is a Fulbright English Teaching assistant at the Förderzentrum "Georg Götz"-Schule mit dem Förderschwerpunkt Hören in Chemnitz. Growing up as the daughter of a piano teacher in Liberty, Missouri, she became fond of multiple genres spanning the musical sphere, including conscious wave rap, avant-garde art song, acid jazz, and indie folk. She received dual undergraduate degrees in German and music composition from Valparaiso University in December 2022, and hopes to use her degrees and experiences in the Fulbright program to start a nonprofit offering affordable music lessons to impoverished communities. She takes a keen interest in music writing, piano performance, hiking, cooking, and learning German sign language from the children that she teaches.

ABBI LESNICK · FINSTERWALDE

Hi there! My name is Abbi Lesnick and I am from Des Moines, Iowa. I am currently working as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant at the Sängerstadt Gymnasium in Finsterwalde as well as the Oberschule in Massen. I have a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University in global studies with a concentration in geopolitics and global economies as well as minors in both German and political science. After I finish my year as a Fulbright ETA, I plan to return to the United States in order to pursue a career with the Department of State working in foreign policy. In my free time, I like going hiking with my friends and my dog, Bosco, as well as reading and quilt making! My favorite thing by far to do though is travel, so far I have visited 23 countries and can't wait to visit more. I am so excited for the opportunity to interact with more students and discuss topics that I am passionate about with them.

RICK SMALLSHAW · DRESDEN

Rick Smallshaw is a recent graduate of the University of Lynchburg in Lynchburg, Virginia, holding a degree in European history with a concentration in English literary studies. While in college, Rick served as an academic writing tutor and taught beginner music lessons in violin and viola performance. He is currently conducting his Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship at the St.-Benno-Gymnasium in Dresden, Saxony. In the classroom, Rick enjoys engaging students with literary topics and discussing the impact of books and authors on society, particularly regionally specific or "homegrown" authors from both his native Virginia and from middle and eastern Germany. His goals in the classroom are to introduce students to the personal benefits of reading and to exemplify literature's impact on popular culture and its importance to cross-cultural competency.

SHANNON SCOTT · LEIPZIG

My name is Shannon Scott, and I am a first-year teaching assistant at the Werner- Heisenberg-Gymnasium in Leipzig. I was born and raised in Lakeland, a city in Florida that’s close to Orlando, and attended the University of Florida. In 2023, I graduated with a degree in history, a double-minor in German and religion, and a certificate in Holocaust studies. My research at UF focused on Holocaust history and German queer history, and I intend to continue with both subjects as well as learn more about disability history as a PhD student at Ohio State University. In Germany, I’ve enjoyed traveling to as many cities as I can with the Deutschlandticket, playing Dungeons & Dragons, searching for the best Mexican restaurant (so far, it’s Moctezuma in Mainz), researching at the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, and comparing life and culture in Germany and the U.S.

More information about the German-American School Outreach Program, including annual reports, can be found here:

Learn more about GASOP

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