Senior Bioengineering major Anita Smalls graduated four years ago from a small high school in rural Berkeley County, S.C.

Beginning next fall, however, she will begin a yearlong work-study fellowship abroad in Germany.

Smalls was one of 75 students selected from a pool of 630 to participate in the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX).

The program consists of a six-month tour at a German University or professional school, where Smalls will undergo an intensive German language course.

Afterwards, Smalls will complete a six-month internship with a German company in her career field.

“I was actually debating between attending grad school or working before this opportunity fell into my lap,” Smalls said. “My engineering advisor sends out e-mails about current open internships and fellowships, so I figured I would just apply and see what happens.”

Smalls is actively involved on campus in other areas as well. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, in addition to being a Resident Assistant on the seventh floor of Clemson House. Smalls also has an extensive background in biomedical research, as she has spent past summers in Clemson participating in departmental Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU’s).

“I worked in Rhodes last summer as a part of the SSBR program,” Smalls said. “I did pulsotometry research, which is basically doing cell sorting, under Dr. Bruce Gao.”

Smalls, who has never been out of the country before, will also enjoy this fellowship relatively expense free. CBYX is a federally funded program, so the government pays for a majority of the trip.

“We are staying at one of the universities, so they pay for dormitory housing and meals. They also reimburse you for your flight over there and your flight back,” Smalls said.

CBYX is a reciprocal scholarship program.

American students like Smalls will fellowship in Germany and a group of German students will take their place in the states. Participants in the program come from nearly every professional field.

After this fellowship is complete, Smalls acknowledged she will still have to decide whether she would rather attend graduate school or begin industry work. But as of right now she is leaning toward pursuing a graduate degree.

“Seeing as I’ll have a year off from school, I’ll probably decide I want to go to grad school. I’m thinking about places I may want to go to now, so that I can begin filling out applications while I’m over in Germany.”