This blog post is part of the ESC Summer Fellowship 2025 series. These fellowships provided funding for research projects related to the environment, sustainability and/or the Climate Action Plan. This post was written by Ava King, one the fellows of this past summer cycle.
Hello! My name is Ava King, and I am a rising sophomore at K looking to study biology, as well as a mixture of philosophy and German. This summer I was granted the opportunity to spend two weeks at the University of Potsdam, participating in the Sustainable Development Academy. This academy brought together undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students from over ten countries in the context of global sustainability and mindsets surrounding these topics. Throughout this program we learned from experts in various fields, listening to lectures and participating in field trips to tour significant areas around Potsdam and Berlin. The history of Potsdam was enticing to learn, as we were able to study at Neue Palais, a former palace now utilized as a university.
This opportunity has been enlightening in more ways than I could have expected. The friends I made through this program allowed me to glimpse perspectives I have never understood before, from varying cultural norms to driving on the left side of the road. I truly believe and hope these people will stay in my life for the long run, which is the greatest gift I could have been granted from this experience. The beauty of Potsdam and Berlin was immense, and I hope to return one day for graduate work or other opportunities spoken of at this conference.
Another experience I would like to speak of in regards to this experience may seem generic, which is growing a deeper sense of self. I have always valued my time alone, pondering ideas or simply taking a social break as I am an introvert. There is something so solidifying in traveling abroad for the first time alone (minus Canada, living in Michigan I don’t count it). There’s a certain openness with the world and with yourself you must come by to succeed in this type of adventure, and this method of visualization is one I hope to always hold onto. The anxiety of new items awakens something in me. My host parents for example, only spoke German (with a limited English vocabulary I found later in the weeks). This was terrifying, but I can now say that my German improved significantly during my time with them, and I am lucky to have another set of grandparents in my life.
I would like to thank the German department, Center for International Programs, and Environmental Stewardship Center at Kalamazoo College for making this opportunity possible, as well as the SDA and International Programs Center at the University of Potsdam for hosting this conference. I would also like to send a special thank you to Professor Sederberg, as the kind and significant amount of support provided permitted this experience to flow smoothly. I was able to stay with the original host parents of Professor Sederberg from when she first arrived in Germany. This was a gift I am so grateful to receive as this couple has changed my life, and so has Professor Sederberg. Thank you to all who have lent their support to me over the past weeks and months preparing for this trip, and to those at U.P. who have made that campus feel as a second home.
Environmental Stewardship Center
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