The Russian Studies Program offers language courses, as well as coursework (in English and in Russian) on Russian cinema, literature, culture, and society.
Taking Russian at Iowa State is your first step toward being able to communicate with the 250+ million people who speak Russian throughout Europe, Asia, and the nine time zones of Russia. Students who minor in Russian Studies become proficient in one of the world’s most widely spoken languages; gain a profound understanding of Russian culture; and explore history and politics of one of the world’s
02/13/2026
Разговоры за чаем! Looking for a relaxed space to practice Russian? Join us for Russian Tea and Talk every 2nd Friday from 4–5 PM in the LSRC (3142 Pearson Hall), starting February 20. All proficiency levels welcome. Приходите!
12/13/2025
11/09/2025
ПОЗДРАВЛЯЕМ!!! Сongratulations to our program director, Professor Olga Mesropova, for receiving the 2025 Quality Matters “Making a Difference for Students” Award! 🎉
01/27/2025
Внимание, Russian Language Students: You Don’t Want to Miss This Internship Opportunity!
We are excited to announce a new opportunity for highly-motivated college students to enhance their professional and administrative skills through our annual summer internship program. This is a unique chance to gain hands-on experience while contributing to the promotion of Russian language studies in today’s world.
Internship Details:
Term: June – August 2025
Length: 4 to 12 weeks (flexible based on agreement)
Hours: Flexible; however, for external funding purposes, applicants must commit to 8 weeks and 240 hours (e.g., 30 hours per week for 8 weeks or 20 hours per week for 12 weeks).
Compensation: This is an unpaid internship. Applicants are encouraged to seek financial support through their colleges or external sources. Check out a list of potential funding opportunities on our internship page.
Responsibilities: The 2025 Summer ACTR Intern will: Collaborate with the ACTR Advocacy Subcommittee to brainstorm, create, design, update, and promote materials (including flyers and short videos) advocating for the study of Russian in the contemporary world. For more information, please visit the ACTR Student Summer Internship webpage.
Eligibility:
Open to current college students with an interest in Russian language and culture, advocacy, and digital content creation.
Applicants should possess strong organizational, communication, and creative skills.
Experience with social media management, graphic design, or video editing is a plus but not required.
How to Apply: Fill in the application form by March 1, 2025. The form will ask applicants to:
* submit a resume detailing relevant experience and skills;
* answer several questions, explaining their interest in the internship and how it aligns with their academic and career goals.
If you have any questions, please contact Olga Klimova at vok1@ pitt.edu or Julia Denne at [email protected]
12/18/2024
Are you an undergraduate or graduate student who has a focus on the Russian, Eurasian, and East European regions? The Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies Northeast Network, REEESNe, is looking for submissions for their annual Student Conference. The conference will feature panels of student research presentations, roundtables for sharing student experience with endeavors such as internships and activism, a professionalization panel with alumni who have applied their REEES-related expertise to diverse careers, cultural events, and more. This conference takes place on March 29-30, 2025, at Yale University. Applications are due on January 26, 2025.
Learn More: https://live-ys-macmillan-yale-edu.pantheonsite.io/europe/reeesne/events/2025-03-29/2024-25-reeesne-student-conference
12/12/2024
For today’s , here’s a memory from Colonel Angela Reber’s recent visit as our WLC/Russian Studies Distinguished Alumna.
11/01/2024
Such a small world! We were thrilled to reconnect with our former student, now Colonel Angela Reber, and her Russian professor, now Mother Alexandra. Congratulations to Col. Reber on receiving the WLC Distinguished Alumni Award! And a huge спасибо to everyone who came out to celebrate her achievement!
10/25/2024
Congratulations to LAS alum, Angela Reber (political science, Russian studies), for being the recipient of the Department of World Languages and Cultures Distinguished Alumni Award.
Colonel Angela Reber, a career Army intelligence officer, currently commands Allied Command Counterintelligence (ACCI) and the 650th Military Intelligence Group, supporting NATO. She brings extensive experience in joint, multinational, and combat operations, having served in Iraq, Europe, and the Pentagon – earning her multiple prestigious military honors. 👏
Don’t miss the LAS Honors and Awards Ceremony on Thursday, October 31 and the ISUAA Honors & Awards Ceremony on Friday, November 1.
10/02/2023
Always wanted to learn about the Russian language and culture, but didn’t know where to start? Russian Club will have its first meeting during the second week of October - we hope to see you there! Приходите!
04/24/2023
Поздравляем ! Congratulations to Russian Studies student, Anna Borisenko, for receiving the 2023 Russian Scholar Laureate award!
04/14/2023
Congratulations to Russian Studies program director, Prof. Olga Mesropova, for receiving the 2023 Cassling Family Faculty Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching!