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HONORS EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROJECT PROPOSAL FORM

Complete this proposal prior to your projects start date and upload it in the UHP Database
(https://webapps.uc.edu/uchonorsstudent). Create a project (Add a new record) in the Tracking Project tab and then
upload your proposal document as an attachment. The deadline for submitting proposals is on the 5th of each month.
While the quality of the proposal is most important, strong proposals are typically 3-4 pages in length (single-spaced).
Please maintain the proposal format.
Basic Information
Full Name: Zachary Andrew Moore
UC Email: moorezh@mail.uc.edu
College: Lindner College of Business
Major: Finance and Operations Management
Title of Project: Study Abroad in UC Munich Program
Thematic Area (choose only one): Global Studies
Expected Project End Date: July 6, 2016
Project Information
1. Provide a detailed abstract of your proposed honors experiential learning project.
Every summer, the Department of German Studies at the University of Cincinnati leads the Summer Munich
Program. This five-week language immersion program provides students who have attained at least a B in the German
1001 course to fully immerse themselves in German culture through academic coursework, daily excursions into the City
of Munich, and planned field trip activities. With nearly 2-3 hours of coursework taken in German language daily,
students have the opportunity to earn at least 10 credit hours during their time in the Munich Program. Unique to this trip,
this coursework teaches students both the basic German language (including grammar, syntax, and flow) and also about
five major German cultural focuses: transportation and shopping, the universities and educational structure, the
working/business environment, the art scene, and the political environment. Perhaps the greatest separation of this study
abroad is the fact that only 13 students from the University of Cincinnati are provided the opportunity to attend, ensuring
an intimate educational experience with the professor abroad.
I am interested in attending this study abroad and developing a self-designed honors experience of this program
on account of my relevant experience in the German language and my passion for travelling. Coming from an excellent
German program at Big Walnut High School, I want to finally experience the opportunity of using the language that I
have studied so diligently. Throughout high school, I would repeatedly get asked about the reasoning for taking German
classes. My honest answer then was that it was the only class at my high school that offered AP credit for a foreign
language. In hindsight, I have come to realize that this study has opened doors such as this trip for myself. I want to prove
those people wrong that continually stated that German couldnt ever be used in the real world. In addition, my high
school German class provided students to attend a week-long tour around Germany. Due to its heavy cost ($3000 for less
than a week!) and my participation in a backpacking trip in New Mexico, I was never able to travel to Germany until now.
Lastly, I am currently working on a Minor in German Studies. This trip, when added to the credit I earned through my AP
German Language and Culture exam transferred credit, will complete the requirements necessary for the completion of
the Minor.
As a five-week program with 3 hours of German Language and Culture coursework every weekday, I will cover
nearly 75 hours of academic work alone during my experience in the Munich Program. In addition to coursework, I will
attend weekend travel activities and research assignments with small groups. There are also 2 individual projects that I
will work on periodically throughout the program. Accounting for these extra-curricular activities will add roughly 6-10
hours for the overall Global Study experience. Lastly, I will include 4-5 hours worth of personal reflection (I will describe
this later in the proposal in greater detail). All in all, I will have at least 85 hours of academic course work, personal and
group research, and time for both cultural observation and personal reflection.
Clearly and thoroughly address how each of the following elements will be exhibited in your work:
2. Connection to Learning Outcomes within the Honors Thematic Area (identified above)
Interact with individuals from different cultures and express a sensitivity, appreciation and respect for the complex
range of experiences of diverse peoples:

This learning outcome centers on the notion of empathy through direct interaction and interpersonal engagement.
In my Munich Program experience, I will have countless interactions with native German persons, whether its my
German professor or just common Munich citizens. During the weekend field trips, the students are expected to be
personally accountable by eating out, asking for directions, and acclimating to the manners of the German culture. One
great example of this is the transition into a food service culture that does not expect tipping. An insight I gained from my
high school German teacher is that German servers do not approach customers unless when the customer calls their
attention. This inherent societal difference result from German restaurants charging higher prices and upholding higher
server wages, allowing for tipping to be largely unnecessary for the average customer. Having this foresight, I will not
attempt to rush the waiter nor ask how much to tip (this typically annoys the native servers who do not enjoy the culture
clash with American food service norms). I also intend to fulfill this outcome by being consistently cognizant when
completing coursework for my German professor and raising any questions regarding assigned homework promptly.
Educational institutions in Europe differ with the University of Cincinnati in items such from curriculum, instruction
style, and grading style. Adjusting to the German educational curriculum is a must when attempting to provide both
personal success and mutual understanding. Lastly, I will exemplify this outcome by being prepared for all of the
opportunities provided in this experience. Knowing specific dialects and common German phrases increases both my
understanding and appreciation for the culture that I will be integrated into. This preparation will also foster stronger
relationships with other native Germans and myself, illustrating my purposeful effort into understanding the diverse
culture better.
Possess global literacy, including knowledge of geography, history, current world issues and similarities and
differences among cultures:
Through the German academic coursework and my natural curiosity, I will strive to execute this learning outcome
to the best of my ability. Fitting naturally into my German cultural focuses classes, the facets global literacyknowledge
of geography, history, current world issues of the learning outcome will be touched upon in my coursework. However, I
will more deeply educate myself in this regard through my interactions with other German citizens. Being so recent and
relevant, I am fascinated to question my German colleagues about the role the Berlin Wall destruction still plays today in
German politics and culture. Along with this, I have great interests in how certain cultures came to be. Therefore, I will
take the time during my personal projects to discuss the large-scale differences in German society with other German
students, covering topics like health care and voting systems. With each conversation, I will also be able to develop a
better sense of different dialects within the German language, ultimately increasing my understanding of global literacy.
3. Connection to Goals and Academic Theories (include reference list, as appropriate)
A.
Studying and living in a foreign environment for a period of time has been a personal goal of mine ever since I
was told about the experience from my older sister Jessica. In 2010, Jessica spent a month in Luxembourg through the
Miami University study abroad program. During her stay, she lived with a host family (with whom she remains in contact
today) that provided her free housing and meals in exchange for her babysitting the host familys two daughters.
Throughout her stay, Jessica would skype my family and describe the many wonderful experiences she was having, such
as experiencing local festivals and trying new types of food and entertainment. My discussions with my sister had a great
effect on me, especially observing the deep relationships she was able to develop in the matter of weeks. This is what has
inspired me to engage with a foreign culture as well.
As a business major, understanding the operations of business internationally is also increasingly important and
relevant. With the growth of technology and international networks, I will need experiences such as the Munich Program
to be better prepared for whatever business career I pursue. In addition, studying and living in Germany is especially
relevant for my business educational pursuits as it is widely considered to be the economic powerhouse of Europe, namely
the EU. Through the growth of international networks, developing a better understanding of the business culture in
Germany is a great investment for a future in working with large, international corporations like 5/3 Bank or Procter &
Gamble.
Lastly, I have a goal of fully developing my literacy of the German language. It has always been my personal goal
to be able to speak a secondary language fluently. Whats my reasoning? I honestly find the ability of being bilingual
impressive and enticing. Having the opportunity to open up conversations with random strangers in diverse areas (like
major metropolitan areas) can open up many doors. For example, this past Spring Break I traveled to Costa Rica with my
church youth group. During one of our days off of working for a local mission, we took a walking tour through a popular
jungle on the western coast and I happened to pass a couple speaking German. Interested in employing my newly-learned
language, I approached them and asked them how their day was going in German. What followed was nearly an hour of

close conversation, concluding with them providing me with their contact information. Experiences like this can only
occur through a greater understanding of Global Studies.
B.
http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Germany.html by author John Eidson
I will use this source to learn more about the history of Germany and its culture, especially in regards to how it
came to be the way it is currently. This source will also help me fulfill the second learning outcome since the content of
the reading discusses the geography, history, and politics of Germany in the past and present. For understanding a
different society than your own, you have to go back in history and understand step-by-step how it has come to be today.
The researched blog also discusses topics that interest me, ranging from how the Nazi regime altered Germany forever to
the effects of the reunification. These areas of interest are especially significant since Munich was a major city in the onset
of Hitlers rise to power. In total, this reading is aimed at setting the stage for my experience in the Munich Program.
Munich, Bavaria, and the Black Forest Travel Guide by Lonely Planet publishers
While the first source discusses the history of Germany as a whole, this guide dives into the current standing of
the City of Munich. Whether its city entertainment, local festivals, or just simple information about historical sites
throughout the city, this travel guide provides extensive insights into effectively designing a global study experience.
Since I will have 1-2 independent weekend projects in which I travel outside the city, the book also describes the natural
wonders surrounding the city. This information is extremely useful in planning locations to complete my interviews that I
outline in the next section of this proposal.
Having the understanding of Germanys history through researching the first source and the relevant and needed
details about Munich from the second source, I will be able to spend less time learning about the culture through outside
sources during my honors experience and be able to engage the opportunities in the Munich Program more intensely.
4. Initiative, Independence, and/or Creativity
For this project, I have many merits that separate me from certain others attending the Munich Program. Most
notably, I have taken over four years of German coursework in comparison to the only one year of college German
coursework required for this trip. In addition, I served as the President of the German Club my senior year in high school,
learning how to develop German culture-based activities. With this experience, I intend on expanding upon my experience
in the Munich Program by including several interviews with the academic coursework. My goal will be to have at least 10
interviews with different German individuals during the Program. These interviews will be both formal and informal,
ranging from activities like eating out together and asking them about their background to attending a German film with a
new friend that I make in Munich. With each interview, I will take notes afterward about their specific experience and
story and include these in my weekly reflective blog. This effort demonstrates my initiative to go above and beyond the
primary academic coursework and research required by the program, likely leading to deeper relationships with the native
German population. I also look forward to taking away from these interviews a more comprehensive understanding of the
Munich culture.
5. Reflection
In order to fully reflect on this experience, I will incorporate two types of reflections into the experience. First, I
will maintain a weekly 2-3 paragraph that answers the following questions:
1. What was the major focus of your academic coursework this week and which language topics did you work on?
2. Were there any interesting/noteworthy inter-cultural experiences that you would like to share about from this
week?
3. What was the hardest or most difficult experience you had this week? Most enjoyable?
4. What is the most important memory that you will take away from this week? How do you intend to share that
memory with others?
This blog will be updated weekly through my Honors Learning Portfolio and will also serve as a communication
channel for my family and friends that wish to view my experiences from home. In addition to this blog, I will develop a

PowerPoint of slides that includes pictures, stories and experiences throughout the Munich Program. The PowerPoint will
be updated weekly along with the blog but will serve primarily to illustrate the experience as opposed to detailing my
activities in length. Included with the picture will be detailed descriptions to provide the intended audience (friends and
family) with a better understanding of my experience as I explain stories following the experiences completion.
6. Dissemination
More than any other piece of the self-designed honors experience, dissemination is the aspect that I look most
forward to due to my love of telling stories. I will accomplish this by completing the reflective PowerPoint presentation
that I described above and present my experience to my both my direct family and my brothers in the Beta Theta Pi social
fraternity (Cincinnati Chapter). These groups were chosen for several reasons. First, I chose my direct family on account
of our strong relationships and interest in the activities that each sibling is involved with. This truth can be attested be a
simple look into the amount of time I FaceTime (a video chat software through the iPhone cellular device) one of my
sisters and vice versa. Second, I have always wanted to travel with my family members to Europe. In sharing my
experience and memories with my three sisters and parents, my intention is to simultaneously educate and establish an
interest in them to attend another trip with me in the future. In regards to my fraternity brothers, I understand the power
that setting an example can be to younger brothers in the chapter. By demonstrating my involvement with the University
Honors Program, I hope to educate them about the immense opportunities offered to them should they attempt to apply for
UHP. Also, I aim to encourage others to check out studying abroad if they hadnt already considered a program like this
before. By showing them that one of their best friends can travel the world and live independently, they may have a
revelation that they need to exit their comfort zones as well and engage the opportunities that UC has to offer them
personally.
7. Project Advisor(s)
For this trip, I will have two primary project advisors. The first is Dr. Eckard Rademann of the Department of
German Studies within the McMicken College of Arts & Sciences. As the Munich Program trip advisor since 2001 and
Adjunct Professor of the University of Cincinnati German Studies program, Dr. Rademann has extensive experience in
study abroad programming as well as international co-op. Under his guidance, I look forward to detailing my personal
goals and expectations prior to the study abroad as well as disseminating my experiences following the experiences
conclusion. Dr. Rademann can be contacted through his email (eckard.rademann@uc.edu) or at his office phone number
513-556-2757. My second project advisor will be Dr. Jennifer Kelley-Thierman, the Undergraduate Advisor for the
Department of German Studies. Since she completed her PhD in 1992 at the University of Cincinnati, Dr. KelleyThierman has taught 15 different German language courses and completed 4 different creative translations. I will work
with her individually prior to the trip to review the language as well as review my academic readings. Upon completion of
the experience, I will disseminate to her as well. If she is interested, I will also share my findings to one of her classes. Dr.
Kelley-Thierman can be contacted at her email (jennifer.kelley-thierman@uc.edu) or at her office phone number 513-5562752.
8. Budget (if applicable)