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Matthew Wendahl

Student Profile

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Matthew Wendahl

DAAD, German Exchange Program, Summer/Fall 2006/2007
Chemistry

I chose chemistry at PSU simply because it was my favorite class in high school.  I had an amazing high school chemistry teacher – I liked chemistry so much the first year I took it that I decided to take chemistry 2 as well, and after that I was sold.  I am one of the few at PSU that hasn't changed his major since the application to Penn State.  While at PSU, I tried to get into research here, but it always fizzled because I usually had large course loads and plenty of extracurricular activities, and it was difficult finding a professor willing to take on an undergraduate student for a meaningful project.  So, by the end of my junior year, I had a couple of attempts at research, but not much to show for it.  I was also entering a quandary because I wasn't sure if I wanted to do medical, dental, or chemistry graduate school.  So I decided to drop all the distractions of schoolwork and do a co-op.  This, in my opinion, would give me the clearest idea of what the graduate life of a chemist would be like.

One day I randomly saw a flier for an info session on doing research in Germany for the DAAD RISE program (Research Internships in Science and Engineering) and decided to investigate.  The program looked perfect – performing research during the summer in close coordination with graduate students.  I would essentially have all the same responsibilities and tasks as a graduate student.  And the fact that it was in a foreign country made it all the better.  I had German in high school, but that was years ago and I couldn't remember very much at all, which was no problem because there because there is no language requirement for the program.  In fact, 70% of the 300 students in RISE don't speak a word of German.

So I applied, and worked out a special deal where I could stay through the fall semester too for what normally is just a summer program.  The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) has so much money to give away, all it took was an inquiry or two and before I knew it, my entire time in Germany was funded by the DAAD.  And the experience was fantastic.  As far as travel and networking goes, the program is very well organized, and the 300 students scattered throughout Germany are well connected, including a summer convention in July.  The research aspect was perfect too.  I got a quintessential taste of the life of a graduate student.  I performed research, analyzed all the data, attended symposia, actively participated in the publication process, and presented my research at the end.  I was even invited back to get my Master's degree there.  And while I probably won't go on to graduate school in chemistry, the experience will undoubtedly be my most cherished collegiate experience and truly helped me decide what is best for my future career.

On a side note, this was not the first or last time I traveled abroad for school credit.  The winter break before, I took Biology 499A, which is a 2 week course in tropical ecology that takes place in the heart of the Costa Rican rainforest and what really sparked my interest in traveling.  Then, this past winter break, I participated in the course offered through the Schreyer Honors College and the Theater department, Theater 497H.  This course, called the London Study Tour, is a two week tour of London that focuses on its theater scene.  It was a truly amazing class.  International experience is one of college student's biggest regrets, and if you aren't afraid to look, you'll be amazed at what's out there, either through Penn State or other organizations.