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Building Community Through Language: Willkommen to German Club

Kat Reichert, CLA Public Information Office
March 23, 2026
cla-pio@alaska.edu

At UAF, language learning doesn’t stop when class ends. For students in the German program, the German Club offers a space where language, culture, and community come together, turning asynchronous coursework into a shared, lived experience.

Advised by Term Instructor of German Helga Wagenleiter, the club serves as what she describes as “an extension of the classroom,” creating opportunities for students to practice speaking German, explore cultural topics, and connect in an informal setting. With German courses offered online, that sense of connection is especially important.

“The club provides that much needed face-to-face interaction,” said Ivy Daly, a linguistics and justice major with a global languages minor. “It definitely motivates me to be surrounded by German speakers or other people interested in learning German.”

Meeting weekly, the club blends conversation with hands-on activities, from cooking traditional recipes and playing games to discussing politics, literature, and film. Events like Kaffeeklatsch (coffee gatherings) and collaborative language exercises help students build confidence while learning from one another.

“It has provided a base for me to practice German language skills that doesn't exist in many other places in the United States,” said Kohlby Vierthaler, the current club president.

Since being reactivated in 2021, the German Club has grown into a vibrant hub for both campus and community engagement. Student leaders have developed a consistent schedule of activities and expanded the club’s reach through public events, performances, and discussions.

One of the club’s most visible traditions is its annual Oktoberfest celebration, which combines cultural education with community gathering. The 2024 event drew more than 200 attendees across a panel discussion and celebration.

“I enjoyed Oktoberfest and its different aspects, such as dressing up in traditional clothes, holding a panel discussion on Oktoberfest history, having tables full of Bavarian activities, and a big hearty German dinner,” Vierthaler said.

For former club president Elliot Anderson, the event was a standout moment of leadership and collaboration. “The whole event was very fun and informative,” he said. “I still remember how quickly all the food we had catered for the event vanished after the presentations were finished.”

Beyond large-scale events, the club also hosts guest speakers, collaborates with visiting scholars, and creates opportunities for students to engage with global perspectives. Past programming has included discussions on European politics, literary readings, and presentations from international guests.

These experiences are especially meaningful for students who may not have the opportunity to study abroad. The club offers a form of cultural immersion on campus shaped by shared curiosity and peer-to-peer learning.

“Even if you don't speak a single word of German, you can still gain a great deal of useful experience,” Vierthaler said. “Everyone in our club is very welcoming and friendly.”

That welcoming environment is something students consistently point back to, and much of that culture is shaped by both student leadership and faculty mentorship. Wagenleiter emphasized the dedication of the club’s officers, noting their “enthusiasm and self-discipline” as a driving force behind its continued growth.

Students agree.

“Helga Wagenleiter has been an amazing mentor,” said Vierthaler. “She ensures that a community atmosphere is always maintained and that events are always happening.”

For students like Aiden Summers, a German minor, that support extends beyond the club itself. “Faculty in the Global Languages department have supported me by helping me apply to study away in Germany for a semester,” he said.

The impact of the German Club reflects a broader mission within UAF’s Department of Global Languages and Literatures: to foster cross-cultural understanding and create meaningful opportunities for students to engage with the world.

Student organizations like the German Club play a key role in that mission, offering spaces where language becomes more than vocabulary and grammar. It becomes a tool for connection.

Philanthropic support helps make those opportunities possible. From hosting large-scale events like Oktoberfest to bringing in guest speakers and creating outreach programming, donor contributions directly support student-led initiatives that enrich both campus life and the wider community.

“Philanthropic support… makes it possible to pull off events and strengthens students’ awareness that it is something worthwhile they are participating in,” Wagenleiter said.

As the German Club continues to grow, its impact is felt not only in improved language skills, but in the confidence, leadership, and sense of belonging it fosters among students.

“I always felt like I learned at least one new thing after every German club meeting,” Anderson said.

At UAF, that kind of collaborative, cultural, and community-driven learning is what brings language to life.