How one student left Germany for Hillsdale: a snapshot of Schnell

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How one student left Germany for Hillsdale: a snapshot of Schnell
Alex Schnell and his family recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of their painting business. Courtesy | Alex Schnell

Alex Schnell traded the regal, gothic buildings, and rolling hills of Emden, Germany for an American education. The transfer student chose to continue his education at Hillsdale College this year after realizing that he wanted a personalized college experience he could only find in the United States.

Schnell spent last year at a community college back home in Münster, Germany. 

“I did a year there at a classic European college and it was very impersonal. The lecture halls are filled with hundreds of people, the professors don’t know who you are it’s not what I was looking for,” Schnell said. “So I’m glad I’m finally at Hillsdale.” 

His parents, Agata and Wolfgang Schnell, raised Alex alongside their painting business, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this past June. 

“I grew up playing with paint, brushes, and buckets and helping my mother in the office,” Schnell said. 

He learned how to manage expenses, prioritize efficiency, and oversee employees from a young age. 

His parents also had him enrolled in English classes since he was two years old. These courses, along with his exposure to the ins and outs of running a small business gave him a passion for the American free market economy. 

“I love to learn about liberty and markets, and I love learning about how they operate,” Schnell said. “I want to go into law and I feel very grateful for the fact that I grew up in this business because it taught me essential life skills.”

Schnell was driven by this passion to study abroad in the United States during high school. He joined a student exchange program when he was 15 years old, packed his bags, and moved to Door County, Wisconsin. 

“I lived on a farm and stayed with a wonderful, very gracious host family,” Schnell said. “I keep in touch with them very often, and I’m excited to visit them while I’m here.”

Community is an integral part of Schnell’s life, so living far away from everyone he considers family was definitely an adjustment, especially because of the current pandemic.

“It’s very difficult to live four thousand miles away from Alex,” said Agata Schnell. “Especially with COVID-19 because if there was an emergency, we wouldn’t be able to to visit Alex, so he’s pretty much on his own no matter what.” 

Despite these difficulties, their family is still able to maintain and grow their relationship with one another. 

“The distance actually creates a close bond that is able to persist over the distance,” Agata said. “And we have lots of goats and chickens and lawns to take care of and to keep us busy so we don’t think too much about how much we miss Alex.”