Sponsored by DIS, the Jacob Buksti Memorial Scholarship offers funding to one student around the world each year who plans to study political science, international relations, government or public policy abroad. To honor the legacy of former politician and DIS faculty member Jacob Buksti, the scholarship recognizes a student with a similar passion for international affairs and plans to pursue a career in politics. 

Koppel is no stranger to living and learning abroad. As a member of the World Scholars Program, he spent his first-year fall semester in Spain, where he studied at Saint Louis University (SLU) Madrid. During his previous experience, he developed a sense of appreciation for experiential learning. 

“Having studied abroad before, I can say with firsthand experience that learning about a country from within that country is so much different than studying it outside of that country,” Koppel said. “I will really be able to enhance my knowledge of politics and environmental policy on an international scale.”

Since 1959, DIS has provided undergraduate students from top North American colleges with study abroad opportunities, offering programs taught in English in both Copenhagen and Stockholm. Through these programs, DIS encourages its students to connect to these cities, while exploring issues that impact the entire globe. In the past six decades, DIS has welcomed over 27,000 international students to participate in this transformative cultural experience. 

Through the unique DIS program structure, students select one core course, which serves as their primary focus, along with three or four supplemental electives. Each core course includes a week-long study tour to explore the program topic in another country, as well as a shorter study tour within Denmark or southern Sweden. For Koppel, “European Game of Politics: Crisis and Survival” was the clear choice for his program. During this core course, he will engage in tours of Brussels and Western Denmark. 

Beyond the classroom, he will have opportunities to immerse himself in Danish politics and culture. In his first month abroad, he has already participated in different cultural excursions to churches, museums and castles. In addition, he has embraced every interaction with the locals. 

“I am participating in the visiting host program, as a way to connect with locals without doing a homestay, and I have a fantastic host,” Koppel said. “He and I saw an opera together and even had a lengthy conversation about Danish politics.”

These cross-cultural learning experiences are what motivate emeritus geography professor, Peter Rees, to continue leading this immersive study abroad program. For 41 years, UD has maintained an essential partnership with DIS, which was arranged by Rees as a way to expand study abroad at the university. With this long-standing history, the DIS Copenhagen program is the longest continuous semester abroad program at the University of Delaware. Indeed, Rees has advised students whose parents also participated in the DIS program.

Rees, a self-proclaimed “Danophile,” expresses great admiration for Danish life, culture and society. Through this program, he hopes to provide students with in-depth exposure to Danish culture, while taking advantage of applied learning experiences outside the classroom. According to Rees, the DIS program has the most diverse offerings of any UD semester abroad program, including 29 different subject areas from child development to neuroscience to engineering. 

“With such a variety of opportunities and in-depth exposure to Danish culture, students often remark that their experience was life-changing,” Rees said. “In particular, they come to appreciate the human approach to living Denmark offers, in a society that solves its problems through compromise rather than conflict.” 

For Koppel, this life-changing experience has just begun. 

“The opportunities DIS provides us are incredible, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to participate unless I got extra funding,” he said. 

In addition to receiving the Jacob Butski Memorial Scholarship, Koppel also received funding from departments on campus, including the Center for Global Programs and Services (CGPS), Honors College and Department of Economics. He also participated in the Delaware Diplomats Scholarship Program. 

“In Denmark, I want to participate in activities, travel, experience the city and enjoy my time abroad,” Koppel said. “By devoting time to my studies, cultural immersion and learning by doing, I am learning more from my time here than I would have if I was stressing over finances and the burden college places on me and my family.”

Applications for DIS scholarships, including the Jacob Buksti Memorial Scholarship, are now open. For summer programs, the deadline to submit applications is March 15, while applications for fall programs will be accepted until April 1. 

About the Center for Global Programs and Services

The Center for Global Programs and Services (CGPS) at the University of Delaware is home to the operations of UD Global, which includes Study Abroad, International Student and Scholar Services, World Scholars Program and Global Outreach and Partnerships. The Center provides leadership and collaborative innovation in support of all of the University's global initiatives and campus internationalization efforts, with its Global 360 Strategy serving as a roadmap for infusing international perspectives throughout the University’s scholarship, research, and service missions. Focused on a student-centered approach, CGPS provides expert advising and a wealth of global engagement opportunities to the UD campus community, including the weekly International Coffee Hour in the fall and spring semesters.

Follow and engage with @UDGlobal on Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest updates on everything global happening at UD.