Each year, the Russian Flagship Program trains a dedicated team of student ambassadors to assist with program activities. Student ambassadors answer questions from prospective students and their families, lead mini-tours of the program, represent the Russian Flagship at campus resources fairs, and assist with co-curricular activities and events.
If you are a prospective student who would like to learn more about the Russian Flagship Program from a peer’s perspective, check out the testimonials below or reach out to any of the current year’s student ambassadors. You can also request more information and a faculty or staff member will follow up with you.
2024-25 Student Ambassadors
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John Herath
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS!
Всем привет! My name is John, and I am a junior studying Russian and Landscape and Urban Studies. I’ve been a part of the Russian Flagship program since the spring of 2023 and have studied Russian on and off for around five years. I started my journey in Russian (as any serious language learner does) on Duolingo. From there, I enrolled in a Russian course at a local university during my senior year of high school, and I’ve continued studying Russian since arriving at UW–Madison.
Many people ask me why I’m studying Russian, and the truth is, I don’t really have a “good” reason. I study Russian simply because I like the language, and I have stuck with it because, through this language, I have been exposed to so many new and exciting experiences, great music, art, and literature, and wonderful people.
HOW HAVE YOUR RUSSIAN LANGUAGE SKILLS CHANGED SINCE JOINING THE RUSSIAN FLAGSHIP PROGRAM?
My language skills have improved immensely since joining the program. I have gone from first-year Russian—barely being able to understand what was going on at Flagship events—to living and studying Russian in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Being able to interact with native Russian speakers and connect with people who share the same interests through the Russian Flagship Program has helped me learn more of the nuances of the language and stay motivated while learning it.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE ASPECTS OF THE RUSSIAN FLAGSHIP PROGRAM?
Besides connecting you to study abroad and scholarship opportunities, the Russian Flagship Program also connects you with tutors, mentors, and all-around lovely people who are interested in helping you and seeing you succeed. This, for me, has been the best and most rewarding part of the program.
WHY IS A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY IN RUSSIAN IMPORTANT TO YOU?
For me, achieving a professional level of proficiency in Russian is less of a career goal and more of a personal challenge. I’ve been interested in studying languages since high school, and when I learned about the opportunity to study Russian through the Russian Flagship Program, I took it! I knew that I wanted to study a language at university and figured that if I started learning Russian, I should see it all the way through. The Russian Flagship Program offered an opportunity to do just that! I hope to end up in a position where I will use Russian in my professional life—even if I don’t yet know exactly what that will look like. However, I do know that what I have been able to learn and experience through learning Russian will benefit me beyond the scope of my job prospects and career.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE CONSIDERING THE RUSSIAN FLAGSHIP PROGRAM?
My advice is to come and talk to us—any of us! We’re all here to help and give advice. If you have any questions or concerns about the program at all, feel free to reach out. For some people, the Russian Flagship Program, with its tutoring and events, might be a lot of added stress, while for others it might be a fun and relaxing way to practice Russian after class. Everyone is in a different situation, so come in and talk to us to see if it’s the right fit for you
Sydney Kurszewski
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS!
Привет! I’m a senior majoring in international studies and Russian with a certificate in Russian, Eastern European, and Central Asian Studies. I’ve been taking Russian since 2021, but learning languages is one of my favorite hobbies. You’ll probably find me curled up somewhere with a big book and chai latte. I enjoy hanging out on State Street, traveling, watching movies, listening to music, and talking about my dog, Hugh. I studied abroad in Almaty, Kazakhstan in summer 2023 and I already cannot wait to go back next year.
HOW HAVE YOUR RUSSIAN LANGUAGE SKILLS CHANGED SINCE JOINING THE RUSSIAN FLAGSHIP PROGRAM?
Since joining the Russian Flagship Program, I’ve gone from being able to barely read Russian and haltingly introduce myself to reading novels entirely in Russian, ordering food at restaurants, living with a Russian-speaking host family, and understanding the wild world of Russian memes. Basically, I can now live my life while only speaking Russian. I even traveled to Georgia by myself while only speaking English and Russian! I still make plenty of mistakes, but I haven’t let that discourage me. I’ve made all of this progress in two years with the Flagship Program and I know I would not have achieved all that I have without it.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE ASPECTS OF THE RUSSIAN FLAGSHIP PROGRAM?
I think my favorite part of the Russian Flagship Program is all the support you get. You get free tutoring and lots of opportunities to practice speaking with other students and faculty. You also get support with figuring out academic issues, which is helpful considering just how stressful college can be. The events, where we just relax and play games or watch movies, are also some of my favorite moments in the program because we can all unwind and laugh together while still practicing Russian.
WHY IS A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY IN RUSSIAN IMPORTANT TO YOU?
For me, when I start learning a language, I go into it with the intention of being able to use that language competently in some part of my life. I want to be able to live in that language–watch films, listen to music, talk with friends, and even live in a different country if I’m lucky enough. Russian is no exception, except I also want to be able to use it in my future career. I would love to work in international affairs and I know that Russian will certainly never not be useful in that sphere, so getting my Russian to a professional level is what keeps me motivated during my Flagship journey. Good thing that’s also the main modus operandi of the Flagship program! I also know that if I speak Russian at a professional level, I’ll be able to consume media and communicate with others with far more ease than I can now, which is another huge motivator. I might not ever speak Russian as well as I speak English, but I definitely want to get as close to that as I can.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE CONSIDERING THE RUSSIAN FLAGSHIP PROGRAM?
I firmly believe that the best thing you can do for yourself as part of the Russian Flagship Program is to give yourself time and grace. Time, to make progress and learn. You won’t end up being able to read Anna Karenina after only one semester. Learning a language, no matter how “easy” it is, is a lifelong journey, so you truly have all the time in the world to make a great deal of progress. It just won’t all happen during the span of your First Semester Russian class. You also need to give yourself the grace to make mistakes and sometimes miscommunicate with other people, especially native speakers. I will be the first person to admit that Russian grammar is complex for native English speakers. You will make mistakes and use the wrong case and conjugate verbs incorrectly. And that’s okay! Let yourself have bad days but also let yourself dust yourself off and get back up. There’s a warm, welcoming community in this program and you’ll find lots of peers who will be able to understand and support you no matter what.