Russian Flagship Program Students Secure Competitive Funding Opportunities
July 27, 2022
UNC Global Affairs
UNC RFP's end-of-year picnic at the FedEx Global Education Center
UNC-Chapel Hill’s Russian Flagship Program (RFP) has completed its second year, and its students are continuing to make great achievements.
Four received Critical Language Scholarships, three earned Boren scholarships, one received a Gilman scholarship and two were selected for Project GO. Historically, Flagship students have obtained these scholarships at a higher percentage rate as compared to overall applicant pools, as review panels for such programs are aware of the rigor of language flagship programs.
Gilman Scholarship recipient Alexandra Love ’23 will further her study of the Russian language in Georgia. Love is a political science and music double major and Russian culture minor.
“I am most excited about broadening my global perspectives and testing the bounds of my Russian language skills outside of the American classroom for the first time,” she said.
Despite pandemic challenges, UNC RFP continued to provide students opportunities to study abroad and immerse themselves in Russian language learning. Since the program began, 15 students have studied or will study in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Georgia.
This past year, three students qualified for UNC RFP’s capstone program, and four additional students have been accepted for the 2022-23 academic year.
The capstone provides its graduates with a professional working level of Russian. Students take intensive Russian coursework with students from other flagship programs and take a university course in line with their major at a Russian-speaking institution.
Stanislav Shvabrin, director of UNC RFP and associate professor of Russian, emphasizes the significance of Russian language learning today, especially given the current state of global affairs.
“Critical understanding of Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and Russia continues to be the focus of the UNC Russian Flagship Program, and Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine shows that it is as important as ever,” said Shvabrin.
In only its second year, UNC RFP continues to successfully navigate global challenges and propel its students to competitive funding opportunities.
Read about the first year of the Russian Flagship Program at Carolina.
Award Recipients
Critical Language Scholarship
Colton Treadwell ’23, Yueun Kang ’23, Darian Allen ’23 and Roariker Senson ’25
Boren Scholarship
Max Hazerjian ’22
Gilman Scholarship
Alexandra Love ’23
Project GO
Caroline Ross ’25, Zachary Miller ’24