Happy Almost-New Year, CBYXers!

I hope you’re celebrating the New Year with family and friends and enjoying all things in life as we ring in 2022. Twinkling lights, dinners with family, and champagne—just to name a few. When I think about ringing in the New Year in Germany, I remember making Vanillekipferl with friends from my university, listening to the fireworks in Berlin, and traveling with my host family to the Ruhrgebiet.

CBYX unquestionably changed my life. Throughout the program, I learned so much about what makes the German-American relationship special. I formed real bonds and relationships that showed me the importance of inter-cultural exchange. I wouldn’t be where I am today without CBYX and I often think about it when reflecting on the experiences that have shaped my path.

As you’re thinking about your CBYX experience and the New Year, I hope that you also consider giving back to your new alumni association.

We hope to build a strong and vibrant group that will facilitate social and educational events, finalize our alumni stories project, support newly returned CBYXers, and help connect you with your friends and memories from Germany.

We plan to launch a paid CBYX fellowship in 2022 to give us the human capacity to:

• Find more CBYX alumni through Facebook groups, Linkedin affiliations, and personal connections and ask them to join our alumni network;
• Enroll new members into our new Hive-Brite online community platform; and
• Increase engagement activities so we can connect, share and build together.

Can you help us transform and accelerate this volunteer organization? Through generous alumni board donations, we have $7,500 to use as a matching challenge.

Your gift made before midnight PST on December 31 will be matched dollar-for-dollar! That’s right, every dollar donated will be matched until we reach $7,500. Help us unlock every matching dollar offered by the alumni board and raise a total of $15,000 before January 1st.

Please give now and double your impact!

Any and every donation is much appreciated!

Viele Grüße aus Fort Collins,
Gabriella Gricius (‘15-’16)