The Fulbright winners couldn't agree more. White, who will be researching Germany's preemptive decision to recognize Croatia in 1991 as well as ongoing arms trafficking in the Balkan Peninsula, noted the department's family atmosphere as a catalyst to the number of Fulbrights the department is consistently awarded.
"Despite being a prominent research university, the BC faculty is incredibly available to its undergraduate students. [The application] absolutely turns on the tight-knit family that professor Resler cultivates in the German department year after year," said White.
"Because the department is relatively small, I get the impression that the German faculty is better equipped to engage their students both inside and out of the classroom. This translates into better applications," said White.
White said his ability to cultivate personal relationships with faculty members was key to his personal and academic development, emphasizing the guidance he received from Resler and professor Timothy Crawford of the political science department.
In fact, many of the students in the department attribute the Fulbright success in part to the advising process they receive throughout the application. Campbell, who will be studying at the University of Munster in Germany, emphasized this point. "Boston College, especially the German studies department, have become very good at pinpointing what factors are necessary to produce a successful proposal, and much of our success has come from the fact that our advisers have 'figured out' the process," he said.
Resler, is quick to deflect the praise: "It's all the students. Ultimately, they get it on their own - they wouldn't get it if they didn't work hard. They deserve all the credit," said Resler. n
Spring Break
