spotlight
Summer 2021 Russian Immersion Experience
Oct. 21, 2021—During summer 2021 two Vanderbilt Russian Program students spent several weeks immersed in two different language experiences. Junior Jasmine Ding worked as a counselor at the Concordia Language Villages Russian Camp – Lesnoe Ozero. Sophomore Nathan West continued his Russian language studies in Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia: “Over the summer, I went...
Lily Hauptmann, BA’22, featured in honor of German Language Day
Sep. 13, 2021—[The original feature appeared on A&S’s Instagram account] Q: What is something interesting about you? A: When I was seven, my family and I moved to Sweden for six months because of my dad’s sabbatical. Even though I was young, living in a different country afforded me with a grasp of the value of...
Yining Ding, BA’22: Studying the Mass Psychology of Soccer Culture
Aug. 7, 2021—Yining Ding ‘22, a cognitive studies major, a minor in German studies and computer science, and a resident of the German Hall at McTyeire International House, traveled to England with her professors and classmates in spring 2021 in order to study the chanting behavior of soccer fans. There, she visited several soccer stadiums and museums...
Dominic Cruz Bustillos, BA’21: A&S Founder’s Medalist
Jul. 20, 2021—Dominic Cruz Bustillos, from San Rafael, California, is the Class of 2021 Founder’s Medalist for the College of Arts and Science. He graduated with a bachelor of arts in history and Russian language. He attributes his success to the work ethic instilled by his family. His grandmother, who emigrated from Chihuahua, Mexico, had a particularly strong impact...
Jacquelyn Olson, BA’20: Exploring German and Austrian Culture
Jan. 5, 2021—Jacquelyn Olson–a German Studies and Law, History, and Society double major–began studying German her first year at Vanderbilt and lived on the German hall at McTyeire International House. Now a Fulbright scholar in Vienna, Austria, she says her language skills have been crucial in helping her navigate a new country. Even more important? The confidence...
Devon Akers, BA’15: Translating the Russian Language to Programming Language
Nov. 13, 2020—Senior Software Engineer, Capital One A Russian and Philosophy major, Devon is now a Washington, D.C.-based software engineer for one of the nation’s biggest banks. “Studying Russian at Vanderbilt gave me so many more skills than just the language. I learned to think critically, and now I can apply a rigorous thought process to solve any...
Mark Pettus, BA’00: From Dostoevsky to the Princeton Faculty
Nov. 13, 2020—Lecturer, Princeton University As a first-year Vanderbilt undergraduate, Mark signed up for a seminar on the Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky out of sheer curiosity. He was so impressed by this first encounter with Russian literature that he was determined to read it one day in the original. The following semester, he signed up for Russian...