To this day, I am beyond thankful for that initial conversation (that happened totally by chance!) with Professor Gillespie. Now going into my sophomore year at Bowdoin, I fully intend to become a Russian major in addition to Government and Legal Studies. Beginning to learn Russian with absolutely no background in the language was daunting at first, but it has become one of the most rewarding experiences of my life thanks to the supportive community that is the Russian Department at Bowdoin. In just my first year alone, I have had the opportunity to have a small-group discussion with a world-renowned journalist, travel on an extraordinary Russian culture trip to New York City, and meet professors and fellow students that I know will be friends and mentors well beyond Bowdoin. Learning Russian (at Bowdoin specifically) has opened my eyes to countless opportunities and experiences that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise—and I am so grateful for that. So, if you are unsure about studying Russian, I can not recommend it enough—you will find learning the language challenging yet rewarding, the literature and culture rich and fascinating, and you will find the Russian Department supportive, ready to help and guide you in whichever path you choose to pursue.
Our Students
Liam "Lev" McNett '23
Intended Majors: Russian and Government and Legal Studies
Prior to beginning my studies at Bowdoin, I was unsure if I wanted pursue a foreign language at all, let alone Russian. But, that thought quickly began to change after meeting Professor Gillespie at an event for admitted students. After hearing her share her love for Russian language, literature, and culture as well as explain the endless opportunities that learning Russian opens doors to, I was convinced.
Grace "Dasha" Cross '23
Intended Majors: Russian and Psychology
Prior to coming to Bowdoin, I had the opportunity to get a taste for the Russian language at Harvard University, and I was hooked! I continued taking Russian at the beginning of my first year. Russian initially caught my attention due to the incredible and fascinating culture. As well, Russian is considered a critical language in the United States, meaning the government is actively seeking out students who know Russian! Russian is an intense, difficult, and rewarding language. I plan on majoring in Russian and Psychology and hope to one day use my Russian skills in the government fi
Evan "Vanya" Marrow ‘21
Major: Russian
The summer before my first year at Bowdoin, I initially had no intentions to take Russian. I did not indicate it as an interest and I was planning to continue Chinese. However, based upon my experiences visiting my brother while he was abroad in Russia and taking a Russian literature course in high school, I decided to register for Russian when I arrived on campus.
Justin "Yura" Winschel ‘21
Majors: Russian and Government and Legal Studies
Augustus Gilchrist ’20
Major: Russian
When I entered Bowdoin in fall 2016, I was worried that I would not have the opportunity to continue to study Russian language and literature at a high level, in order to grow and expand both my command of the language and my engagement with Russia and the former Soviet Union's rich literary tradition. I had taken Russian for four years in high school, and spent a year studying Russian on a State Department funded scholarship in the Republic of Moldova, and I was unsure of what a small yet growing program like Bowdoin's could offer. The experiences I've had with Bowdoin's Russian Department soon, however, proved my reservations to be unfounded.
Laura Howells ’20
Majors: Russian and Government and Legal Studies
I didn't discover an interest in Russian language, culture, and politics until late in my freshman year at Bowdoin while enrolled in a course called “Post-Communist Russian Politics and Society”. In fact, I wasn't enrolled in Russian language until my second year. However, since then, it has been impossible to look back! I even plan to study abroad in Moscow in the fall semester of my junior year. Although it has been challenging at times, studying Russian at Bowdoin is extremely rewarding.
Kitrea “Katya” Takata-Glushkoff ’19
Kitrea “Katya” Takata-Glushkoff ’19
Minor: Economics
As a Russian-Japanese American, I’d always been set on eventually learning the Russian language, because I’d been the only one who didn't speak the language amongst my Russian family, and my childhood friends! Although it was initially difficult to leave my hometown’s local Russian community for college, over multiple semesters, the close friendships we’ve formed in the Russian department have absolutely given me a sense of cultural belonging at Bowdoin. To be honest, at Bowdoin, taking Russian is more of a lifestyle than just another course! To begin with, everyone in each Russian language course forms strong bonds, simply because of how frequently we see one another.
Stephen “Styopa” Pastoriza ’19
Stephen “Styopa” Pastoriza ’19
Minor: Economics
When I think about my experience studying Russian at Bowdoin, the one thing that I am most proud of is how much more well equipped I am to take on new challenges in a variety of areas.
Zoe “Zoya” Shamis ’19
Majors: Government and Legal Studies and Russian
I started studying Russian my first semester at Bowdoin and quickly fell in love with the language. Russian was the perfect subject to pair with my other major in Government & Legal Studies, and the small department size and collaborative professors have given me opportunities to combine my interests in many ways. I spent an incredible semester in St. Petersburg my junior year, where I learned more than I could have imagined and made lifelong friends. I have also used my Russian skills on a summer independent research project on international law in Eastern Europe, during which they were particularly useful for fieldwork in Ukraine and other countries that will contribute to an honors project in international relations. Studying Russian at Bowdoin has absolutely changed the course of my life, and I’m excited to see where it takes me in the future.
Johna "Zhanna" Cook ’19
Majors: Russian and Government and Legal Studies
When I was coming into Bowdoin, I had absolutely no clue I would ever take a Russian class, let alone become a Russian major. I come from Russian genealogical background, and, wanting to become closer to my familial roots, decided on a whim to enroll in one of the introductory language classes. I certainly caught the bug. I was intrigued by the intense challenge that learning the language offered; but, furthermore, I was drawn into the endearing idiosyncrasies of Russian literature and culture. In addition, as a double major in Russian and Government and Legal Studies, my interests were propelled by Russia’s growing global presence in the international theater.