Moraine Park’s Culinary Arts program welcomed eight exchange students and two instructors, Corinna Haake and Sonja Gunkel, from Peter-Behrens-Schule in Darmstadt, Germany earlier this month.
Moraine Park has partnered with Peter-Behrens-Schule for this annual exchange program since 2003. The partnership was halted due to COVID-19, and everyone was excited to bring back the educational opportunity this fall.
The students are studying hospitality, food technology and architecture. During their stay, they observed MPTC culinary classes and classes in other programs, toured The American Club and the Design Center in Kohler, visited a cattle and goat farm and more.
As an educational opportunity for MPTC employees, the exchange students presented about various aspects of life in Germany including the school system, the hospitality business, beer culture, the “Stars and Stripes” in the German hotel business, and a look inside the Döhler food company.
“The impact goes without saying really,” Sarah Sugden, Culinary Arts program instructional aid at Moraine Park, said. “They’ve been studying their majors for 1-2 years in their culture. To put a spin on it by traveling across the ocean and observing our way of life is something they will never forget. Previous student exchanges through this program have resulted in lifelong friendships and even some marriages!”
