DAAD Prize Goes to MEG Student Again!
December 10, 2011
Yes, a MEGgie did it again! Melani Pelaez, a MEG 6 student from Ecuador, was awarded the DAAD prize for Excellent Achievement of International Students, becoming the second MEG student in two years to win the award. This prize is awarded once a year to an international student who not only demonstrates excellent academic achievement, but is also exemplary in his/her commitment to society and intercultural activities. It is open to all international students from Freiburg University.
In addition to her academic responsibilities within the MEG study program, including being a student representative in the Program Committee, Melani has actively contributed to an environmental art project at the Achtung Frisch Gestrichen e.V. (www.achtung-frisch-gestrichen.de) art association. This group aims to embellish Freiburg with public paintings. Melani’s environmental art project involved artists and children combining to create a mural within a local school with the theme "sea, beach and fantasy".
Melani has also contributed to greening the streets of Freiburg through her ‘Guerrilla Gardening’ (urban gardening) activities. Although Freiburg is labelled as the “green city,” Melani’s opinion is that it is not green enough! Together with other like-minded people, she plants seeds and cares for plants in the urban area, demonstrating that everybody can take responsibility for the environment. In addition, she is a regular blogger and tweeter about environmental issues, and also contributes to the Greenpeace Forest Friends group. Melani has also been giving bi-weekly German lessons to her MEG classmates for about a year. As MEG students have a tight and variable schedule, it is difficult for them to attend regular German classes. As such, Melani’s tailor-made MEG-German course from is ideal.
The DAAD prize was awarded at the annual DAAD Scholarship Holder Meeting by the Vice-Rector for International Affairs, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rühe, and Prof. Dr. Dorothea Rüland, Secretary-General of the DAAD.
To see a collection of pictures from the night please click here.
