The Shorthorn - Students spend a semester abroad

Students spend a semester abroad

Written by Michelle Leverett

Thursday, 28 August 2008 09:41 PM

Russian majors of UTA visit Volgograd, the former Stalingrad, as one of their stops this past summer during the Russian Study Abroad Program. The five-week program will be offered every summer and students earn six credit hours while experiencing the culture first-hand. (Special to The Shorthorn: Lonny Harrison)

Several students delved into a different culture as part of the university’s Study Abroad Program.

During their time in Russia, the students immersed themselves in the language and culture while staying at Veronezh State University.

Russian senior Jason Jordan and other classmates attended lectures and stayed in the university’s dormitories. They took part in language and literature classes.

Students typically learn to love Russia more after they spend time in the culture, said Lonny Harrison, Russian studies visiting professor.

“Students who study Russian tend to be very passionate people who have an interest in the country, language and culture,” he said.

Harrison said there are several Russian study abroad programs offered by other educational programs.

The Office of International Education offers many of these programs and worked with the Modern Languages department to organize the program this year. He said these programs are ideal for students who want to go overseas for a semester or even a year.

Harrison said he first visited Russia in 1993, just after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

He said the Russians may not have seen many Americans, and he was treated like a celebrity.

“The Russians here are generally curious, unlike Moscow where they are already tired of Americans and tourists, “ he said about visiting Veronezh, Russia.

Offered every summer as a five-week program, students taking Russian can earn six credit hours toward their degree. At the same time, they experience the culture first hand, Harrison said.

“Veronezh is not quite as big as Moscow or St. Petersburg, so there are less tourists, giving the students more opportunity to meet and interact with the locals, as well as use their language skills,” Harrison said.

He added that Veronezh, like other Russian cities, has high-rises, government ministries, cathedrals, monuments and many chances for sight-seeing.

Keith Huddleston, Russian Culture Society president, said the Russian department experienced a setback last year after Russian department head Charles McDowell and Russian instructor Rima Palangian died.

He added that last year was the beginning of the new Russian department after Harrison came to the university.

“Dr. [Tatiana] Baeva, who received her Ph.D from Voronezh State University, was able to help our Russian department connect with that institute to get the program started,” Huddleston said. “This gave us a remarkable and unique opportunity to hit the ground running. They already knew and respected Dr. Baeva, so we were welcomed with opened arms.”
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 24 September 2008 03:23 PM )

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