---

Name: Isabell Cserno
Home country: Germany
I have been spending the last three years studying American Studies as my major and American Literature and Intercultural Communication as my minor subjects at the Unviersity of Munich, Germany. I have been teaching three tutorials, one on Methods in American Studies and the two others on American History which I enjoyed a lot. I have been very active in the American Studies students' union of which I have been an elected member for the last two years. In May 1998 I have applied for a full grant at the German-American Fulbright Commission, and in Apr. 1999, I have received the wonderful news that the Fulbright Commission will fully sponsor one year of graduate studies at the American Studies Department at UMCP. During all the years at College, I have been working part-time in a small Film company and at the call center of a major German bank. Thus, I am REALLY looking forward to being able to spend all my time on studying. I am especially interested in popular culture, here especially film and the Internet, material culture, African American history and community, here especially the depiction of black women on TV (commercials, TV series, movies, music videos), American deathways, meaning how American culture deals (or does not) deal with death, German-American relations etc. etc. Apart from my academic life, I love to read, watch television (Buffy and Dawson's Creek are my favorite shows at the moment!), go to the movies, travel, and hang out with friends discussing everything from latest developments of world politics to tracking out the hottest nail polish color.