It’s day 6 of the study tour—so we’re just over halfway! It’s hard to believe. We had a half day of presentations in Weimar and a welcome afternoon of free time.

Our academic experience was at Bauhaus University Weimar, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Dr. Christian Kästner briefly described the history of the university, which was founded in 1919 as The Bauhaus design school and after several transitions became Bauhaus University Weimar in 1995. The university has four faculties: Architecture and Urbanism, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Art and Design, and Media, all of which are interested in the intersections of design and technology. According to Dr. Kästner, the university is most interested in allowing students the freedom to “find solutions in your own time.”

Marion Hensel provides scholarship coordination and doctoral advice and kindly gave us an overview of the scholarship landscape. She suggested our students might look for funding through DAAD and Fulbright, of course, but also at www.stipendimplus.de, www.mystipendium.de, and www.research-in-Germany.org.

Finally we had a campus tour, guided by a delightful architecture student. He was super knowledgeable about the Bauhaus and a very enthusiastic guide. For example, he explained that Bauhaus was never meant to be a particular style, as it is often referred to today, but a school that evolves with the human impulse. It pulls together and/or critiques many different elements and styles.

We wrapped up and went off for adventures on our own. About 2/3 of the group took a bus to the Buchenwald Memorial just outside Weimar. Others chose to explore the town or return to the hotel to work or put their feet up. Michael C. Madison and I meandered through town to a bakery recommended to me by a local woman, where we enjoyed pastry and good company. I went on to visit the Neues Museum, or the Museum of Modern Art. I learned more about the Bauhaus, including some architectural models, furniture and paintings. One of the most interesting exhibits was an interactive display of a bookbinding workshop.

We have a bit of free time tomorrow morning before moving on to our last sop, Vienna!

Written by Deb Viles (she/her), Director of the Office of Top Scholarships at the University of Colorado Boulder.