Immersing Herself in Intercultural Learning

“I knew that I wanted to take the leap and start my Japanese learning journey there,” writes Stella König (Austria, UWC Atlantic, Connecticut College ’25) of her decision to begin studying the Japanese language in college.

After winning Connecticut’s Christine W. Matteson ’69 Prize for excellence in first-year Japanese, Stella secured a Proctor Language Scholarship to help fund eight weeks of total immersion last summer at the Middlebury College Language Schools.

“Studying Japanese has been one of the hardest but most rewarding experiences of my life,” she says. “It has taught me to embrace discomfort, be humble, and bounce back quickly after failure — three things that were only solidified even more during my intense time at Middlebury.” An international relations major and East Asian studies minor, Stella went to Kyoto in January 2024.

At Connecticut, Stella helps to promote intercultural learning as a Fellow of the Walter Commons for Global Study and Engagement. She has served as an elected representative on the Honor Council, reviewing misconduct cases and helping preserve student self-government on campus.

“What initially made me want to serve on the Honor Council was the desire to be a voice for international students — because I believe that everyone who comes before the council should feel heard and like that their experiences are acknowledged,” she explains. “International students’ circumstances can be quite unique sometimes, and I have found it very rewarding to provide insight in situations where this was relevant.”

This profile is part of the “Undergraduates in Action” series from the 2024 Annual Report.