Meet Northwestern's CBYX fellow
Gabriela “Gaby” Dago (WCAS ’17) is one of 75 Americans selected to participate in the 2017-2018 Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX), a yearlong U.S. Department of State-funded fellowship for study and work in Germany. Since 1984, over 2,000 Americans have been awarded this opportunity to gain cultural, academic, and practical work experience in Germany.
While in Germany, Ms. Dago will attend a two-month intensive German language course, study at a German university or professional school for four months, and complete a five-month internship with a German company in her career field (Government). Participants are placed throughout Germany, and have the opportunity to learn about everyday German life from a variety of perspectives.
At Northwestern, Gaby’s areas of focus have been political science and foreign languages. She has also studied at Pontificía Universidad Católica de Chile and Leipzig University. During her fellowship year, Gaby aims to share her Cuban and African-American heritage and looks forward to working in diplomatic service.
Conceived by members of the United States Congress and the German Parliament [Bundestag], the CBYX program is financially supported by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State under the authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act, and by the German Bundestag. The program began in 1983 in commemoration of the 300th anniversary of the arrival of the first settlers from Germany in America, and has remained an important part of the special relationship and close connections between the two countries over the past 30 years, creating hundreds of new business and institutional linkages that bring benefits to both nations.
Participants come from a wide variety of career fields, and from all over the United States. This year more than 500 young professionals vied for a place in this prestigious program.
Participants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents between the ages of 18-24, and have clear career goals and experience in their professional fields. Young professionals in STEM, business, agricultural, and vocational fields are especially encouraged to apply, though candidates in all career fields are eligible. German language ability is not required, but is strongly recommended. Interested applicants should visit www.CBYX.info for more information.
CBYX is a reciprocal scholarship program. While Americans like Ms. Dago and her fellow participants spend the year living in Germany, 75 young German professionals will also be spending the year experiencing life in the United States. German participants study at U.S. colleges in the fall and work at local businesses in the spring, all while living with an American host throughout the year.
Contact Stephen Hill today at s-hill@northwestern.edu for more information about the CBYX program.