ETSU alumna Kendall Robertson was selected for the prestigious CBYX Fellowship and will spend a year studying, interning and living in Germany.

Kendall Robertson, an East Tennessee State University alumna from Nashville, has been awarded the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX) Fellowship.

Robertson is one of only 65 Americans selected nationwide each year from a highly competitive pool of around 600 applicants and is the second recipient of this prestigious award from ETSU.

Fellowship provides year-long study and internship experience in Germany

Through this fellowship, Robertson will study in Germany for a year. Beginning in August, CBYX participants spend eight weeks in intensive German-language training before immersing themselves in German daily life and culture by studying at a German university and interning in their intended career fields. Throughout the year, fellows live with host families and engage in cultural exchange designed to strengthen mutual understanding between the United States and Germany.

Robertson, whose intended career field is transportation, and specifically transportation and automotive policy, will begin the program studying language at the DID Deutsch-Institut in Munich.

“This achievement represents a significant milestone for both Kendall and ETSU, and it reflects the strength of our students and the global opportunities available through the university,” said Dr. Carson Medley, director of the Office of Prestigious Awards in the ETSU Center for Global Engagement. “From day one on campus, Kendall bought into the scholar development process of research, community service, internships, education abroad, campus leadership and the critical reflection that comes from the prestigious awards application process.”

In addition to the CBYX Fellowship, Robertson was selected as a semifinalist for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award in Germany.

Global experiences shaped Robertson’s academic journey

Robertson, a Global Citizen Scholar from Nashville, graduated from ETSU in May with a bachelor’s degree in international affairs and foreign languages with a concentration in German, along with a minor in global citizenship. She was inspired to choose these majors through her experiences in high school. Her “AP Comparative Politics” course sparked her interest in international affairs, and her German teacher not only helped her class learn the language but also helped them build community, an opportunity she likewise found at ETSU.

During her time at ETSU, Robertson was active in the Student Government Association, the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature and the Speech and Debate Team, all of which helped her to hone her policy skills. She also enjoyed opportunities to study abroad in the United Kingdom, Ecuador and Italy, and gained international working experience through an internship in Portugal.

First-generation graduate pursues career in transportation policy

Robertson takes pride in being a first-generation college student. “It’s a way I’m able to give back to my family and people who have given so much to me, and a way to set myself up for success,” she said. “It’s important to serve as a role model to my younger brother, who also has big dreams, and show him that things can be done and he can achieve what he wants to.”

After completing her CBYX Fellowship, Robertson aims to obtain a master’s degree in political science before pursuing a career in transportation policy at the state or federal level.

ETSU opportunities help students compete on global stage

Education abroad and opportunities to compete for prestigious awards at the national and international levels are two of the many ways ETSU helps students go beyond.

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