Summer 2011

Letter from Chair Galya Diment

Edinburgh as an Andrew W. Seminars in late summer, the Mellon Foundation Fellow. We will former to Georgia and the latter to miss them both but are also the Czech Republic. thrilled to greet in the autumn their replacements. Our new Program Lecturer Valentina Zaitseva will Coordinator, Megan Styles, comes be busy with the STARTALK to us from Anthropology, where project for much of the summer. she served as an undergraduate To find out what this is, be sure to advisor while completing her check out the write-up by alumna Ph.D. Our 2011-12 Polish and affiliate faculty Michele Have to say goodbye to yet Fulbright, Dr. Adam Kożuchowski, Anciaux Aoki, who is serving as another academic year as we look a historian, will be teaching three the program’s director. forward, with some trepidation but courses next year: “Legendary also excitement, to the next one. Cities: Polish and Russian Urban Trepidation is understandable: all Mythologies,” "The Phantom of public universities are Intelligentsia: Russia and Poland," experiencing significant cuts and and "Eastern Europe and live in fear of even more cuts. We Nationalism." are no exception. And even some of the more positive solutions to As to faculty news worthy of Contents: the bleak economic situation are celebration, two books by us have reached the catalog stage since double-edged swords. It was good 1 Letter from the the last time I wrote: Barbara that the legislature finally gave the Chair university tuition-setting authority, Henry’s Rewriting Russia: Jacob so that we can now compensate Gordin’s Yiddish Drama, published 2 Prof. Emer. Herb some for the rapidly dwindling by University of Washington Press, Coats support from the state. Yet we also — and my A Russian Jew of realize that for many of our Bloomsbury: The Life and Times of students who are putting Samuel Koteliansky, published by 3-6 Prof. Emer. Karl themselves through school, McGill-Queen’s University Press. Kramer especially at the time when their Both are coming out in the last parents are experiencing quarter of 2011. 6 Class of 2011 economic hardships as well, a 20% As you will see in the following hike in tuition is very hard to deal pages, we have also started a new 7 UW Polish Studies with. series of interviews with our We also said goodbye to some of august emeritus faculty, the first 8-9 UW STARTALK our personnel and teaching staff. two installments of which are Program Summer interviews with Professors Herb Tyler Browne, who started last 2011 autumn as our Program Coats and Karl Kramer conducted by our illustrious Ph.D.s, Timothy Coordinator, left in the spring for a 9 In Memoriam full time (and therefore better- Riley (1999) and Ron LeBlanc (1984). Our intent is to feature paying!) job in a community 10 News from You college. Our 2010-11 Fulbright interviews with other emeritus from Poland, Tomasz (Tomek) faculty in subsequent issues. Lysak, who taught courses on 11 Gifts Professor James West and Lecturer Polish Culture and Holocaust, left Jara Soldanova will both once to spend the summer months in again be leading Exploration

Slavic News Summer 2011 A Memorial Day Chat with Herb Coats Lakoff, cognitive linguist and author of “Metaphors We Live By.” – Timothy Riley Herb's greatest accomplishment is having raised three well-adjusted, First of all, Herb looks better now than prepares the dynamite for blowing happy, productive children - two he did in 1999, when I last saw him. holes in huge rocks in search of oil. sons and a daughter. Herb has four He actually looks younger now. This lasted about two years before grandsons, with whom he loves to Obviously retirement is working for Herb felt the calling to continue with spend time. His ideal day is simply him. I started with some biographical his Russian studies. He enrolled at one in which the sun shines. questions, then moved into more Fordham College in the Bronx, New interesting ones. York in the early ‘60s. There he met Herb's advice for students of Slavic and married a fellow graduate student languages is the following - "If you Herb Coats was born in the Greater and started teaching Russian at the love Slavic culture, don't let anything Metropolitan Area of La Jara, in the college and at a local high school. get in your way." His best memories San Louis Valley of Southern Herb continued his Slavic studies at from the UW are from teaching Colorado in the 1930s, where his the University of Illinois, Urbana- graduate courses and having coffee family made a living raising Champaign, where he completed his with his students. Herb's present Hampshire pigs. They often had over Ph.D. in Slavic Languages in the late motto is "Remember to breathe" and 300 pigs at a time. Herb still has many ‘60s. "Keep moving." Herb is grateful to anecdotes about the intelligence and all his colleagues at the UW Slavic charm of Hampshire pigs. At that time, Noam Chomsky, one of Department; he wishes all students the fathers of modern linguistics and success in their studies and good Herb attended the University of transformational grammar, had luck in their professional and Colorado in Boulder in the 1950s, revolutionized the study of linguistics. personal lives. where he majored in geology. While There was almost a feverish interest in he was studying geology, he became linguistics at the time; for the first Herb, we all wish you many, many interested in Russian, having happened time, linguistics was recognized as a days of sunshine! upon a book in the library - the real science; many of the mysteries of Bolshaya Sovietskaya Encyklopedia - language and universal grammar were Timothy Riley (Ph.D. 1999) is a Senior the alphabet of which fascinated him. finally being revealed. Herb's Intelligence Analyst and Subject Matter This happenstance changed the course influence at the time was Professor Expert on Eurasia for the Seattle FBI. of his life. Theodore Lightner.

Herb's intellectual curiosity led him to Upon completion of his Ph.D. in 1968, study Russian for two years at UC Herb was hired at the University of Boulder with a Russian emigré, who Washington. At that time, there was struggled with teaching her students no Slavic Department; it was merely proper Russian. In those days, there an adjunct to the East European were very few Russian emigrés in the Institute. Herb taught Slavic US and the methodology of teaching Linguistics at the UW until he retired Russian had not yet been developed in 2001. Since his retirement, he has beyond translation and memorization. been very busy practicing yoga three Herb's instructor and her husband may times a week, painting landscapes and have been the only Russians in all of portraits, doing housework and yard Colorado at the time. work, and writing his memoirs about his childhood raising Hampshire pigs. Herb majored in geology in the 1950's and gained employment conducting Herb's favorite Slavic language is seismic surveys in Utah, Alabama, and Lower Sorbian, AKA Lower Lusatian, other states for the oil industry. He primarily because it retains many held the illustrious titles of 'jug hustler' original Slavic forms, such as the dual. and 'powder man' - the guy who His favorite writer at present is George

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Slavic News Summer 2011 A Conversation with Karl Kramer - Ron LeBlanc

Professor Emeritus Karl Kramer is the time in a rather large a Seattle native who earned his undergraduate course on Tolstoy B.A. (English, 1955), M.A. when he was – in his words – (Comparative Literature, 1957), “ranting on” about some supposedly and Ph.D. (Comparative major issue in Tolstoy. He was about Literature, 1964) all at the to say something that he obviously something about a possible University of Washington. As a considered of enormous importance, mistake in room number, the latter participant in one of the first – when he looked out at the students: said, “Oh my God – I’m in the and, in those early days of the all he could see in front of him were wrong room!” The students Cold War, extremely rare – pencils and pens poised to catch the applauded vociferously as he left. academic exchanges in the former Delphic oracle's overwhelmingly Soviet Union, Karl attended significant comment, and he started On a more serious (or at least less Moscow State University as a giggling. The absurdity of the humorous) note, Karl fondly doctoral candidate in 1959-1960. importance of his next remembered an undergraduate He then went on to teach at pronouncement, Karl noted, had course on Tolstoy that had a dozen Northwestern University (1961- overwhelmed him. He could not students in it (I was fortunate 1965) and the University of remember now whether or not he enough to be one of them) and was Michigan (1965-1970) before managed to make the monumental thus taught more in a discussion coming to the UW, where he statement they were expecting. He than a lecture format. During this taught jointly in the Department of also recalled the time, very early in ten-week course, the students were Slavic Languages and Literatures his teaching career (he was a T.A. in reading and discussing War and and the Department of an English class), when he Peace and Anna Karenina. Karl Comparative Literature (1970- discovered just before class time that said that the course brought back 1999) until his retirement. In the fly on his trousers was very pleasant memories for him, addition, he chaired the Slavic malfunctioning. He called his wife, especially the instance when he Department between 1988 and Doreen, to tell him what he should showed up late for class one day, 1998. A world-renowned do. Oblivious to his sense of crisis, only to find that all the students Chekhov scholar, Karl taught a she started laughing raucously. Karl were already deep into an wide variety of courses during the could not remember how the affair animated discussion of one of the nearly thirty years he spent at the was resolved, but he believed he novels. Karl sat down and listened UW. He also became actively somehow made a respectable and observed quietly for a while, involved – mainly as a translator appearance in class. Another early but eventually he wanted to and consultant – in a number of time in his teaching career, Doreen provide some input of his own, theatrical productions of appeared in class to observe him. only to be told laughingly by one Chekhov’s plays staged by local Later she said, “You were fine, but of the students: “No, you can't join directors and actors in the Seattle your jacket collar was turned up the us: you were late, so you don't get area, especially those connected whole hour.” And in an introductory to say anything!” What struck with Intiman Theatre. When I course on the Soviet Union, Karl Karl as important and meaningful interviewed Karl recently, I asked prepared to enter the classroom one about this anecdote is that the him to reminisce about his day, several weeks into the course, students had attained what should experiences in both these areas. when he noticed that an elderly be the ultimate goal of every gentleman was standing at the teacher: namely, to make his or Teaching at the UW podium reading his notes on poems her role superfluous. Karl’s by Tennyson. Karl looked at the When I asked Karl about some of recollection of this episode focuses students and, yes, they seemed to be on the high level of engagement the more memorable teaching those in his class. So he entered the experiences he had at the UW, he on the part of the students, but for room via a back door and approached me – not so much as a student in related a number of humorous the aged professor. By the time Karl episodes. There was, for instance, that Tolstoy class many years ago, reached him and whispered but now after years of teaching

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Slavic News Summer 2011

Tolstoy myself – this story speaks eyes. Then he’d drop in a word the invitation of the Royal Dramatic volumes about just how good and or two, and we were off in a Theatre) on a Ford Foundation wise a teacher Karl was. If I have new direction. Somehow Fellowship to study with Ingmar come to learn anything about unseen, he would bound ahead Bergman. Booker founded the teaching, I have learned how of us, and appear at the next Intiman Theatre (named after the challenging it is to get students turning point – wondering small Intima Teatern created by engaged and inspired in discussing perhaps what took us so long, August Strindberg in Stockholm) a work of Russian literature but never letting on. Karl with the aim of producing without succumbing to the encouraged us to consider, international dramatic literature – temptation of doing most of the metabolize and challenge including works by Chekhov – on an work for them (especially the scholarly viewpoints but at the intimate scale. Karl started working critical analysis). In retrospect, I same time gently insisted that with Megs Booker in 1977, when she now appreciate and admire more we discover the novels was about to stage Chekhov’s Three fully the enormous skill it takes for ourselves. As Steve Jobs has Sisters. In conjunction with this a teacher to teach without making said, “Nothing is more production, Booker held a special it look like he or she is actually interactive than curling up with presentation of new plays and Karl teaching at all. Karl had that great a good book!” Facilitating this acted as panel leader in post-play skill as an educator. interactivity was clearly Karl’s discussions with the audience. In goal and, I suspect, the secret to 1980, when she decided to stage The One of my classmates in that his success. The results of Cherry Orchard, Booker approached course was my good friend David Karl’s pedagogical approach Karl about the possibility of him Fenner, who went on to become were phenomenal. The providing her with a new translation Assistant Vice Provost for wondrous, tendrilous works of of the play and he accepted the International Studies at the UW. nineteenth-century Russia challenge, although it was the first When I asked David to share his became a part of us and greatly time he had ever translated a thoughts about Karl as a teacher expanded the depth of field with Chekhov play. and about his experience in that which we viewed the world. memorable Tolstoy course, here is And for many of us, Karl The first thing she said was, what he had to say: Karlovich helped guide what “What if I don't like your kind of readers, teachers, translation?” Naturally, I said if Karl Kramer is easily one of writers, parents and human that were the case, then she the best teachers I’ve had. beings we became. could reject it. Instead, she My abiding image of him is ended up going over the that of a guide in a dense I am sure that David’s fond translation word by word, forest, a литературовед who memories of his formative indicating what she was not didn’t so much lead, as experiences as a student are shared satisfied with and I would indicate paths of inquiry, by many other UW undergraduates proceed to re-write. In the end, I exploration, and analysis. As who had the good fortune to take a felt that she had given me so we babes in the woods class in Russian or Comparative much help that I proposed that stumbled through the thicket, Literature with Karl Kramer. we say it was a joint translation. in turns frowning at Levin, I believe she actually propelled by Anna, and Staging Chekhov contributed only one line, but (happily?) manipulated by her advice had so altered (for Lev Nikolaevich, we truly The other rewarding aspect of his the better) my original version appreciated Karl’s deft and academic career that Karl broached that I thought she should get subtle guidance. Through the during our conversation was the some credit for it. берёзовые ветки of this collaborative and consultative work forest, I can just see Karl he performed with Intiman Theatre. In 1983, Booker staged her final sitting on a boulder at a fork This remarkable Seattle theatre was Chekhov play at Intiman, The in the path, one leg tucked founded in 1972 by Margaret Seagull, and Karl once again assisted under, listening to the (“Megs”) Booker, who first studied her, as he had in the two earlier discussion with an eyebrow theater as a Fulbright Lecturer in Chekhov productions, as a technical raised, a knowing glint in his Sweden and later returned there (at advisor. Two years later, Booker left

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Slavic News Summer 2011

Intiman and Seattle to become main difference is that a Sudoku eliminate one word from a crucial artistic director at the Hartman has only one correct answer, scene in the latter play: after Vanya Theater in Stamford, while a play in performance can fires his pistol at his rival, Connecticut. Booker continued have a number of plausible Serebryakov, and misses, he says, to stage Chekhov plays in her answers. The fact is that, though “Bang!” The director felt this word new position, and Karl flew back I often taught Chekhov plays in would undercut the scene. Karl East in his accustomed capacity the past, I really did it very pointed out that the exclamation to help her out in those poorly. It was only after my “Bang!” does indeed undercut the productions (including a staging brief work in the theatre that I drama, but this was, of course, of Three Sisters that featured an gained some insight into what precisely Chekhov's intention and all-Asian cast). kinds of questions should be was thus totally necessary. The asked when considering the text director, however, apparently In our interview, Karl noted that of a play. thought that he knew better than Karl the experience of working with – and Chekhov – what was best here. Megs Booker re-energized his Karl claimed that he learned Curiously enough, the actors in that interest in Chekhov: he had enormous amounts from Megs production of Uncle Vanya came to already written a book on Booker about what goes into putting side with Karl (and Chekhov), and Chekhov’s prose fiction and a play on the stage, and she, for her the director was eventually taught his works (fictional as part, had the advantage of being able convinced to reinsert the “Bang!” well as dramatic) for years in his to pick his brain for information And, yes, Karl assured me that he did literature courses, but he had about Chekhov. Karl believes that indeed get a bang out of that turn of never before been involved in the both he and Megs Booker thought events himself! production of any of his plays. that theirs was a very fruitful Attending rehearsals and relationship, but what he did not In addition to his productive decade- working with theatre people at realize at the time, he admits, is just long partnership with Megs Booker, Intiman who were staging how rare this kind of harmonious, another collaborative experience Chekhov plays, Karl observed, mutually beneficial working with members of the theatre world gave him an opportunity to relationship between a theatre that Karl looked back upon fondly consider anew what things in the director and an academic specialist was his participation in “Chekhov plays truly meant. Reading a generally is. “I later had brief Seen and Reseen.” This was an Chekhov play (for a class he contacts with other directors,” he outreach program, funded by the might be teaching) is a rather said, “and discovered that the very Washington State Commission for passive activity, he noted, but last person they ever wanted to have the Humanities in the 1990s, watching and rehearsing a play in the rehearsal space was an whereby a director, two actors, and a involve a much more active academic type. I can see why they Chekhov specialist, who served as engagement with the text. “My feel that way . . . but I believe it is a discussion leader, would travel to experience in the theatre taught very great shame that this kind of various sites across the state to me one pretty obvious truth,” cooperation is so rare. The director present an evening program on Karl said, and the academic really have a great Chekhov. The idea was to take a deal that each can give the other.” scene from a Chekhov play and to but one that can easily be stage it in several different ways to forgotten, too: a play is not Indeed, Karl came to learn this show the audience how, by meant to be read; it is meant lesson – that, as a rule, theatre emphasizing or de-emphasizing to be enacted on a stage by directors do not want to have an certain aspects of the scene, one people who momentarily try academic specialist involved in might come out with several to be the characters in that rehearsals of their stage productions different but equally plausible play. It is somewhat – the hard, experiential way, when he versions of that one scene. Karl analogous to solving a had occasion to interact with one of recalled that the audiences were Sudoku. The author gives us Megs Booker’s successors at Intiman generally quite responsive to the a certain amount of Theatre in two subsequent performances and actively engaged information and from that productions of Chekhov plays in the discussions that followed, the actors are expected to (specifically, Three Sisters and Uncle many of which became, in his words, interpolate the rest. The Vanya). The director decided to quite “red-fisted.” Usually the

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Slavic News Summer 2011

presentations were made at would have been pleased . . . and dutiful conferees, would listen to community colleges, but a greatly amused. riveting papers being delivered on unique and memorable one took such arcane topics as the function of place at the Monroe State After the academic year that my ellipsis in Chekhov’s writing and the Reformatory. “The inmates at wife, Lynda, and I spent at Moscow role of Epikhodov in The Cherry Monroe really got into the State University on an Orchard. In the evening, the four of scenes,” Karl noted, “especially IREX/Fulbright fellowship (1981- us would regroup and head out the one involving Konstantin 1982), we came to know Karl and together for dinner together and a Treplyov and his mother in The Doreen on a personal basis. Doreen, night of lengthy conversation. For Seagull.” Karl offered a few an expert on native American art the past ten years or so, Lynda and I humorous reminiscences about from the Pacific Northwest, was have been able to visit Karl and that presentation of “Chekhov working as a professional framer at Doreen much more frequently Seen and Reseen” at the prison the time, and she agreed to frame a because we have been spending at in Monroe. One involved the dozen or so original works of least a month or so each summer in prison officials becoming quite Russian art that a Moscow friend of Seattle, where our son, his wife, and alarmed when they accidentally ours had given us at the end of our our darling little granddaughter now discovered that the actors who stay in the Soviet Union. From that live. It was a very enriching were playing Liubov Andreevna time forward, we started regularly to experience for me to have had Karl and Trofimov, in a scene from attend theater and have dinners as a teacher back when I was a The Cherry Orchard where the together with Karl and Doreen. A student at the UW (1976-1983), but two characters are drinking shots few years later, Lynda and I even it has been even more enriching to of vodka, were actually drinking drove back a few times from have come to know him even since some vodka themselves – and Pullman (my first academic job was that time as both a friend and a this is in a penal facility where at WSU in the mid-1980s) to fellow scholar of Russian literature. the presence of alcohol, let alone housesit and cat-sit for them during Indeed, it has been a real treat for its consumption, the actors were periods in the summer when they Lynda and me these past several promptly reminded, is strictly were away, traveling abroad. In the years to see him enjoying retirement prohibited! My favorite mid-1990s, by which time Lynda and with Doreen at their beautiful Lake anecdote, however, concerns I were now living in distant New Forest Park home, as he listens to his what happened immediately Hampshire, the four of us arranged a beloved jazz albums, reads his own following the presentation: as the rendezvous at an international personal book-of-the-month inmates were filing out of the Chekhov conference being held in selection from world literature, and room and returning to their jail Ottawa, where we hung out together further develops his gourmet cooking cells, one of them thanked Karl the whole time. By day, Doreen and skills . . . Chekhov, I think, would for coming, to which Karl Lynda would visit the terrific have approved. responded, “Thank you for being collection of native American art at here.” I am sure that Chekhov, the Canadian Museum of Ron LeBlanc (Ph.D. 1984) is a Professor of Civilization, while Karl and I, as Russian and Humanities at the University with his wry sense of humor, of New Hampshire. CLASS OF 2011 On Friday, June 10, the department honored this year’s graduates at its annual Convocation ceremony in Parrington Hall. As this year’s keynote speaker, REECAS alumna and Executive Director of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation Lara Iglitzin spoke about “Slavic Studies, 20 years after the fall of the USSR.” Graduates were then introduced individually by faculty members who had worked closely with them during their time at the UW. Awards were later presented to five outstanding students: junior Connor Lynch was honored as an ACTR Russian Language Laureate Scholar; graduating senior Cyrus Rodgers was the recipient of the Outstanding Undergraduate Award for his academic excellence; Kendra Ellis was awarded the Asante Outstanding Paper Prize for her research paper entitled “The Chekhovian Character Sketch;” MA student Tyson Sadleir was recognized for his excellence in teaching first-year Russian; and Johanna Gawronski was presented with the Best Polish Student of the Year Award by Wanda Cieslar-Pawluskiewicz, on behalf of the Polish Home. The class of 2011 includes BA recipients Jacob Barr, David Feldman, Connor Hobby, Yuliya Mailyan, Steven Mataya, Jasmina Meskovic, Kathryn Moffat, Elena Ogden, Jan Pawluskiewicz, Jamilia Popov, Cyrus Rodgers, Anthony Schlumpf, Ekaterina Shilkina, Anna Shishlova, Jordan Swarthout, Nora Vralsted, Katie Wigginton, Carly Willis and Jennie Wojtusik, MA recipients Tyson Sadleir and Zhen Zhang, and PhD recipient Anna Glazkova. Congratulations to all of them for their hard work and achievements!

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Slavic News Summer 2011 UW PSEC: Looking back at the past academic year - Krystyna Untersteiner

2010-11 has been a busy and successful Spring brought us Ryszard Horowitz a Fulbright Lecturer of Polish year: four lectures, a discussion panel, with Expanding the Imagination, a Studies. This year, Dr. Tomasz two fundraising events, and an exhibit. lecture and a month-long exhibit of his Lysak taught three courses: We co-financed the nine-month stay of a works at the Odegaard Library. Representations of the Holocaust in Fulbright Lecturer, awarded a student Polish and European Literature; scholarship, and augmented the Polish Culture and Society 1944- endowment fund… All of these were 1989 in Film and Polish Culture and accomplished through the dedication of Society after the Fall of our members, the continued financial Communism. After leaving Seattle, support of our generous donors, and Dr. Lysak will spend the summer collaboration with different UW months in Edinburgh as an Andrew departments and programs. Together we W. Mellon Foundation Fellow, are fulfilling the UW PSEC’s mission of working on his project, “Narratives Bridging Cultures through Education! of the Sonderkommando.” He will Dziękujemy! return to the US in winter as a Horowitz Exhibit at Odegaard Library, Christian A. Johnson Endeavor The 2010-11 Distinguished Speakers photo by R. Budzianowski Foundation Visiting Scholar at the Series continued in winter quarter with a University of Chicago, to work on lecture by noted physician and Chopin Two Polish opera singers performed last research and pedagogy in liberal expert Dr. Steven Lagerberg, season at the Seattle Opera: Aleksandra arts. accompanied by musicologist and pianist Kurzak and Malgorzata Walewska. Fred Kronacher who together presented Both divas delighted us not only with In September, we will welcome Dr. Chopin - Mortal Man, Immortal Genius. their performances but also with their Adam Kożuchowski, adjunct warmth, accessibility and humor during professor at the Institute of History our private receptions. of the Polish Academy of Sciences who will be the UW PSEC Fulbright We would like to thank the following Lecturer for the 2011/12 academic organizations for their help and co- year. Dr. Kożuchowski graduated sponsoring of our events this year: from the University of Warsaw and Department of Earth & Space Sciences the Central European University in (ESS), Department of Slavic Languages Budapest. He is a former Koerber and Literatures, Evans School of Public Fellow of the Institute for Human Affairs, Jackson School of International Sciences in Vienna and the author of Studies/Russian, East European, Central Posthumous Life of Austria- Asian Studies (REECAS), Odegaard Hungary (2009). He specializes in Dr. S. Lagerberg, F. Kronacher and Ewa Library, Pacific Northwest Seismic Poraj­Kuczewska, photo by P. Horoszowski the history of Central Europe, Network (PNSN), Polish American Russia and Germany in the 19th and Changing the mood, in February, we Chamber of Commerce Pacific 20th centuries, and the history of listened to Professor Piotr D. Northwest (PACC PNW), Polish historiography. Moncarz’s lecture on the energy Airlines LOT, MillionZillion Software, challenges facing East-Central Europe. Inc, and the School of Music. Fulbright Lecturers’ stays are made possible through the ongoing Other 2010/11 academic year successes: cooperation and financial support of Poland-US Fulbright Commission, The UW PSEC Endowment Fund UW PSEC and the UW College of reached $170,000! Arts and Sciences. Anna Grzankowski is the recipient of We are planning an interesting the 2010-11 UW PSEC Student program for the 2011-12. We look Scholarship. Anna will pursue her forward to seeing you at our lectures studies at the Jagiellonian University in and other events! Please check our Cracow this summer. website www.polishstudiesuw.org Prof. P. Moncarz, photo by P. Horoszowski For the fifth year, the UW PSEC hosted for news about upcoming events.

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Slavic News Summer 2011 UW STARTALK Russian Programs Summer 2011 - Michele Anciaux Aoki

For the first time, the University of Several powerful components will Washington K-12 public schools. Washington is hosting two be woven into this program, The program is designed to teach STARTALK* programs this including content-based learning in them the content knowledge needed summer, and they happen to be in the Arts (Drama) as well as STEM to pass the Washington Educator Russian language. This is the first (Science, Technology, Engineering, Skills Test - Endorsement (WEST- year that STARTALK has offered and Mathematics), through a E) for World Languages and the Russian language for students and partnership with the Museum of pedagogical experience that would only the second time that they've Flight. The drama component will prepare them for the Performance- offered a Russian program for break the traditional American Based Pedagogical Assessment teachers. At the spring STARTALK reticence to speak publicly. In (PPA) for those teachers for whom meeting in Albuquerque, New addition, it will expose students to it is required for state endorsement, Mexico, we learned that there are the rich drama heritage of Russian and to provide scholarship 13 Russian programs across the culture and give them tools to assistance to complete the required U.S. this summer. While this is express themselves well beyond assessments (WEST-E and ACTFL small compared to the Chinese memorized phrases. The STEM- OPI and WPT). "footprint" in STARTALK, it's an based lessons will be taught important milestone for Russian in primarily by teachers in the This Teacher Program will prepare the 21st Century. STARTALK Teacher Program and native (or near native) speakers of will be designed to prepare students Russian to teach in a standards and Indeed, that is the theme of our UW for the culminating trip to the content-based program, focused on STARTALK Russian Student Museum of Flight where they will developing communicative Program -- Russian in the 21st be able to use Russian as they proficiency and accuracy in heritage Century: Language, Drama, participate in the "Voyage to Mars" speakers of Russian. A special focus STEM (Science, Technology, simulation -- in Russian. on integrating Arts (Drama) and Engineering, Math). The Student STEM (Science, Technology, Program, running from July 18 to Russian-speaking professionals at Engineering, Math) into language August 12, has enrolled about 20-25 Microsoft, Boeing, the UW, and a instruction will prepare teachers to high school and college Russian local Russian newspaper printing work effectively with today's heritage students in a four-week company will share their disciplines students. The program includes an intensive language program meeting in Russian with the students, with intensive first week for teachers five hours a day for a total of 100 the goal of inspiring some of them alone followed by one week of instructional hours. Students will be to pursue double degrees in Russian practicum experience working with introduced to language self- and other university majors. students in the STARTALK assessment and goal setting through Students will have access to Russian Student program as well as LinguaFolio Online and language interactive web resources for Intensive First-Year Russian taught learning through social networking blended learning, learning outside by Nika Egorova. Participants will via www.LiveMocha.com. They of class and on-going language have the option of an additional will be able to earn five UW credits maintenance after the summer three weeks of practicum by enrolling in RUSS 499 and also program. experience where they will be have an opportunity to complete the observing and reflecting on the ACTFL OPIc (Oral Proficiency The UW STARTALK Russian Student Program each day and Interview computer-based) and Teacher Program -- Preparing presenting lessons related to the WPT (Writing Proficiency Test). Russian Teachers for the 21st Drama and the STEM (Science, High school students may be able to Century, which runs from July 11 Technology, Engineering, Math) use these results in order to receive to July 22, has enrolled about ten topics included in the Student high school credit for proficiency. teachers who are working toward Program. Teachers will receive 5 All students will receive placement obtaining a P-12 World Language credits for EDC&I 495 from the results for future study of Russian at Endorsement in Russian for University of Washington College the UW. teaching Russian language in of Education. There will be an

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Slavic News Summer 2011 option of an additional 50 practicum Please Save the Date! and improve the teaching and hours during Weeks 2-4 of the learning of strategically important Student Program for which On Thursday evening, August 11, world languages that are not now Teachers could earn 3-5 credits in the students will hold a culminating widely taught in the US. Other RUSS 499 from the University of drama performance on campus. programs under the NSLI umbrella Washington Slavic Department. This promises to be an amazing include Title VI/Fulbright Hays original performance prepared by programs of the US Department of Program Director (for both Aleksey Pavlov, reflecting the depth Education, The National Security programs): Dr. Michele Anciaux of classical works of Russian Education program of the National Aoki, World Languages Program literature with a contemporary flare. Defense University, and study Supervisor, Office of We hope that many alumni and abroad and exchange programs of Superintendent of Public Instruction friends of the Slavic Department, as the US Department of State. [email protected] well as members of the local Russian community, will come out STARTALK's mission is to Student Program Lead Instructor: to support our students in this increase the number of Americans Dr. Valentina Zaitseva, Russian performance. learning, speaking, and teaching Lecturer, UW Department of Slavic critical need foreign languages by Languages & Literatures. Drama ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ offering students (K-16) and Consultant: Aleksey Pavlov If you have any questions or would teachers of these languages creative and engaging summer experiences Teacher Program Lead Instructor: like to visit the program, please email [email protected]. that strive to exemplify best Dr. Bridget Yaden, Associate practices in language education and Professor, Department of in language teacher development, Languages and Literatures, Pacific -- Michele Anciaux Aoki, PhD, 1991 (MA, 1975) forming an extensive community of Lutheran University. Heritage practice that seeks continuous Language Consultant: Galina *In case you are wondering what improvement in such criteria as Zakashanskaya STARTALK is... outcomes-driven program design, In addition, the STARTALK grant standards-based curriculum STARTALK was launched as a planning, learner-centered is funding two graduate students new component in the programs of from the Slavic Department, Matt approaches, excellence in selection the National Security Language and development of materials, and Boyd and Lena Doubivko, to Initiative (NSLI) announced by support STARTALK this summer. meaningful assessment of former President Bush in January of outcomes. 2006. The initiative seeks to expand ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://startalk.umd.edu/about

IN MEMORIAM

After earning an MA in 1991, Dmitry Danchev continued to live and work in Seattle. He was just 34 years old when he died. Gordon McDaniel, friend, colleague, and Slavic Department alumnus (Ph.D. 1980), died of cancer in NYC on 4/27/2011. He is greatly missed by all who knew him. Although buried with full honors in Forest Lawn Cemetery in NY, friends and family joined together to celebrate his life here in Seattle as well. On June 10th a group of 40 gathered at Demetrios Moraites' Philoxenia restaurant to toast and roast Gordon. It was an evening of camaraderie, good food, good wine, and great, lusty singing -- an evening that Gordon himself would have hated to miss. Rest in peace, old friend. (Bob Ewen) Tom Podl (1938-2011) was co-founder, co-chair, and an invaluable member of the UW Polish Studies Endowment Committee. Tom was an avid collector of paintings by late 19th and early 20th century Polish-born artists, who, after immigrating to France, created the School of Paris. Tom’s collection, “Colors of Identity,” has been exhibited in museums across the U.S. and Poland, and Tom’s presentation, “Colors of Identity: Discovering Polish Heritage through Tom Podl receiving Art,” gave rise to the Distinguished Polish Speakers Series, now in its seventh year. A great friend and supporter of Gloria Artis Medal from Poland and Polonia, Tom was the recipient of the Gloria Artis Medal for distinguished contributions to Polish culture Ambassador of the and Polish heritage. Republic of Poland, Janusz Reiter

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Slavic News Summer 2011

about how everything have turned out.” wedding--goodness knows we'd never be NEWS FROM YOU able to afford it on our own! Carol Davis (MA 1979) was chosen as Fairhaven College’s 2011 Alum of the “Unfortunately, Steve's mother passed Heather Caturia (BA 2008) completed Year and was up in Bellingham in May for away on Feb 2, so she won't be there to 27 months of Peace Corps service in that and to meet with students and give see it, which makes the occasion very Kryve Ozero, Mykolayivska Oblast, seminars and a reading. Her new bittersweet for us. My conversion Ukraine, as a TEFL volunteer. collection of poetry will be published in process continues and will be complete February 2012 by Truman State University by the time of the wedding. Other than Julian Chan (BA 2007) writes, “A lot has Press and is called Between Storms. that my summer is filled with studying happened since I graduated. After organic chemistry.” graduating, I traveled around Nepal and After 25 years Serge Gregory (PhD 1977) Tibet, saw the sunset at the Mt. Everest took an early retirement from Providence Timothy Riley (PhD 1999) is working at base camp, bathed an elephant, rode a Health & Services in May. “As a dilettante Seattle FBI as a Senior Intelligence motorcycle, and did a bunch of other fun artist and gentleman scholar, I will be Analyst and Subject Matter Expert on things. continuing to make short films (my latest, Eurasia. Yes, another lazy government “Summer Elegy,” was filmed in Ireland worker devouring all your tax money! “Then I got my TESOL from Seattle last year and premiered at the Frye Art He thought he was escaping “publish or University and set out to St. Petersburg, Museum in March) as well as working on a perish” when he left academia, only to Russia on a tourist visa. I literally just book project about the life-long discover his job role is guided by publish dropped by a language school I saw on the relationship between Anton Chekhov and or perish. He commutes to work by street, put down my resume, had an on- Isaac Levitan.” bicycle year round, rain or shine, and the-spot interview, and managed to spends his spare time playing with his convince the director that I can teach (ha!). Rebecca Manring (MA 1974) has a new dogs, working in his garden, brewing And hence began my career as an ESL book coming out in mid-July from Oxford beer, or riding a tandem bike with his teacher in Russia. I taught a pretty diverse University Press, The Fading Light of wife of 23 years. A patient woman set of students of different levels, but Advaita Acarya. “Other news: I'm indeed! mostly children and teenagers. The first currently serving on the South Asia few months were filled to the brim with Council of the Association for Asian These past few months Elspeth Suthers adventures, new experiences, and cultural Studies; the Executive Committee of the (BA 2004) has managed to move, get a shock. It's a period of my life that I will South Asia Microforms Project; the EC of job and get a graduate degree, though not look back at fondly for the rest of my life. the South Asian Summer Language quite in that order. “In May I graduated Institute at the other UW in Madison, with my Master of Arts in Law and “During my stay in Russia, I worked on Wisconsin; the Language Committee of the Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at some software projects on the side and American Institute of Indian Studies; and Tufts University, then moved from the released a application for the iPhone with am Secretary of the American Institute of Boston area to Washington, DC to start a a designer I met there. It was quite an Bangladesh Studies. Still teaching Sanskrit new job as Assistant Program Officer for experience to collaborate with someone on and courses on South Asian literature, Russia and the National Endowment for a software project entirely in Russian. It cinema, and religion. And became a Democracy. I’m very pleased to be was then that I realized my passion was grandmother on the Winter Solstice getting to use my Russian at work and really in software engineering. Having to (without ever being a mom - gotta love looking forward to traveling back to teach rowdy kids every day also started to family life in America).” Russia in the (hopefully) near future.” wear me out. The best software jobs are all in the US, so I decided to come back. As of this September Allan Mustard will transfer to the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, “Now I'm back in Seattle working as a where he will be agricultural minister- software engineer for Microsoft. My team counselor for India, Bangladesh, and Sri works on the Windows Phone, the ugly Lanka. “My wife and I will wrap up three stepsister of iPhone and Android that no years in Mexico this summer.” one's buying, yet :) We've been working very hard and soon we'll catch up though. Sunny Otake (MA 1994) writes, “Things Since we are releasing the phone to are moving along here in Chicago--we are markets all over the world, I actually get to pretty much ready for our wedding on use my Russian and Chinese on the job by August 14, just a few little details left to catching translation issues on the phone. It square away. We're doing a destination really is the ideal job for me. wedding with just our immediate families and getting married in the Bahamas. We “The last few years could have been a lot are very fortunate that Steve's parents put less interesting had I not taken first-year away some money specifically for his Russian back in 2003. I am really happy

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Slavic News Summer 2011 GIFTS

Donors to the Balkan Fund:

James E. Augerot

Donors to the Czech Studies Endowment Fund:

Rosemary and Danforth Bodien Vilma Vojta Sara D. Votipka Jaroslava Soldanova

Donors to the Friends of Slavic Languages and Literatures Fund:

Harlan and Asja Adams Hanns Hasche-Kluender Mary J. MuellerEtiam Heusner eu ipsum. Anthony P. Allison and Nancy A. Fisher- Neal S. and Sue J. Jensen Stewart Parker Allison Donec ac arcu. Gray C. and Al Church Mary Anne Kruger Susan D. Simon Lisa A. Frumkes Anabel Malmquist

Like the Friends Fund, the Institutional Allowance may be used at the discretion of the department to support its various activities. The annual Outstanding Undergraduate Award and Outstanding TA Award both come from this fund.

David R. Grant Jaroslava Soldanova

This year’s recipient of the Vadim Pahn Scholarship Fund is Jessica Redinger, who is studying second-year Russian in the UW’s summer quarter intensive Russian language program.

Mark E. Kiken

Donors to the Lew R. Micklesen Graduate Fund:

Lew and Jane Micklesen Susanna J. Westen - sodales.

Donors to the Polish Distinguished Speakers Fund:

John J. Klekotka Polish National Alliance Linda D. and Michael S. Wishkoski Eva Orlowska-Emadi and Jack Emadi Leonard and Lisa Radziwanowicz

Donors to the Polish Fulbright Fund:

Warren Bakken Jocelyn D. Phillips

Donors to the Polish Studies Endowment Fund:

Agnieszka and Krzysztof Burdzy Allen J. and Janice M. Jaworski Polish National Alliance Barrie J. Carter and Eileen Lennon Frederick W. McDonald Anna Senczuk Julianne Crowl Barbara K. and Mark W. McNair Krystyna A. and Norbert Untersteiner Martha and Ronald Golubiec Agnieszka and Christopher T. Morrow Susanna J. Westen Maria Grabowska and Miroslaw Grabowski Polish Home Ladies Auxiliary

Donors to the Friends of Polish Studies Fund:

Edward A. and Patrice G. Benson Allen J. and Janice M. Jaworski Eva Orlowska-Emadi and Jack Emadi Zbigniew and Henryka T. Bochniarz Karolina Kalemba Patrice Benson Mushroom, Inc. Joanna and Richard Brzustowicz Mira Kochel Ewa and Krzysztof Poraj-Kuczewski Agnieszka and Krysztof Burdzy Zbigniew Konofalski and Wendy Rader- Antonina E. Pytlasinski Konofalski Barry J. Carter and Eileen Lennon Steven J. and Sharon A. Lagerberg Bohdan Raciborski Wanda M. Cieslar Grzegorz Longawa Diana and Roman Rogalski Katarzyna Dziwirek and Chester Pabiniak Teresa Malinowski and Irv Eisenberg Eva Salamonik Maria and Miroslaw Grabowski Jody K. Mallari-Singh Ewa and Andrzej Sledziewski Marcin M. Grabowski Barbara and Mark McNair Elaine Tipton Grzegorz and Maria Grabski Maciej M. Mrugala Krystyna and Norbert Untersteiner Ikonika Corporation Barbara and John O’Halloran Lanie Young

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Slavic News Summer 2011

SLAVIC GIFT FUNDS

The Slavic Department is very grateful to alumni and friends for their generous support. Please help the department continue its efforts by giving generously whenever possible. You may send a check made out to the University of Washington Foundation with one of the funds designated on the memo line of your check. Please send your check and this form to the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, University of Washington, Box 353580, Seattle, WA 98195-3580.

( ) SLADIS Balkan Fund – Ensure the continued teaching of Balkan languages ( ) CZECHS Czech Studies Endowment Fund – Support for students studying Czech ( ) POLISS Friends of Polish Studies Fund – General support for Polish studies ( ) SLADIS Friends of Slavic Languages & Literatures – Gifts may be expended at the discretion of the Chair ( ) SLAVIC Institutional Allowance – General support for the department, including awards for undergraduate and graduate students ( ) MICKLE Micklesen Graduate Fund – General support for graduate program ( ) SLAVIC Nora Holdsworth Scholarship – Scholarship for winner of annual Olympiada competition ( ) POLDIS Polish Distinguished Speakers Fund – Showcase achievements of Poles by bringing speakers to campus ( ) POLFUL Polish Fulbright Fund – Increase Polish-specific course offerings by bringing Polish Fulbright scholars to the UW ( ) POLEND Polish Studies Endowment Fund – Promote permanence and expansion of program to include more levels of Polish language, history and culture ( ) RUSSHO Russian House Fund – Provide general support for the Russian House ( ) WESTEN1 Shosh Westen Outreach Fund – Support for departmental outreach efforts ( ) SWAYZE Swayze Fellowship Fund – Fellowship support for graduate students ( ) UKRANI Ukrainian Endowment Fund – Provide Ukrainian language and culture instruction ( ) PAHNSC Vadim Pahn Scholarship Fund – Russian language scholarship for undergraduates ( ) VGROSS Vladimir Gross Memorial Endowment Fund Amount I wish to contribute: ______Name: ______Address: ______Telephone: ______Email: ______Enclosed is my check payable to the University of Washington Foundation ____ Please charge my gift to ___ my VISA ___ my Mastercard ___ my AmEx Account Number: ______Signature: ______Gifts are tax deductible in accordance with the law. If you are associated with a company which will match your gift, please include the appropriate form. Pursuant to RCW 10.09, the University of Washington is registered as a charitable organization with the Secretary of State, State of Washington. For information, call the Office of the Secretary of State, 1-800-332-4483.

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