University Communications and Marketing

This press release was written by Brooke Burkett, intern for the Office of International Studies.

MSU Billings students receive international scholarships to study abroad

Ellen Kuntz and David Ballew will spend the fall 2018 semester in Germany

University Communications and Marketing, 657-2266

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — Montana State University Billings students Ellen Kuntz and David Ballew have received prestigious scholarships from the German government to study abroad in Germany during the fall 2018 semester.

Kuntz was awarded a Baden-Württemberg-Stipendium of $2,400 to study abroad at Ludwigsburg University of Education. Ballew was awarded a Baden-Württemberg-Stipendium of $2,500 to study abroad in Nürtingen-Geislingen University of Applied Science and a $2,500 scholarship from the Marine Core Scholarship Foundation.

“This scholarship has added some extra protection for me financially, and the universities have been very helpful throughout this whole process,” Kuntz said. “I am very excited to go to Germany and be immersed in the language and culture.”

The Office of International Studies at MSU Billings helps students study abroad to enhance their education through language immersion, cultural experiences and other opportunities.

Study abroad and exchange programs are reasonable and affordable for every student, which the Office of International Studies team works hard to make a reality. Students from MSU Billings on an exchange program pay their home university’s tuition in order to make studying abroad an option for more students.

“I would tell any student that is considering studying abroad to have an open mind and know that study abroad is very affordable,” Ballew said.

The universities that Kuntz and Ballew will study at are institutional partners with MSU Billings, which hosts their students in exchange for sending its own students. In total, seven MSU Billings students will study abroad this fall in Germany, China, England, South Korea, and Spain.

Four of those students will be receiving scholarships, two from the Baden-Württemberg-Stipendium and two from the Foster Family Endowment for Study Abroad. Brandon Dronen, who will study in Spain, and Maria Sylvester, who will study in South Korea, received the Foster Family Endowment.