UI lecturer Irina Kostina paces back and forth, firing off sentences for students to conjugate, encouraging them as they struggle with a language they began learning just a week ago.
Last semester, she taught 50 students. On Tuesday, her enrollment hovered at 98.
This year, the UI has added a third section of the class, First-Year Russian, because it grew in popularity despite the challenging subject and demanding five-day schedule.
“This year is our most robust enrollment since the early ’90s”, said UI Professor Margaret Mills.
“Since Sept. 11, our government has learned the hard way that we need people who speak these languages,” Mills said.
The Russian program now boasts 200 students, an increase of more than 30 percent since 2005.
One reason for the increase may be a $360,000 grant awarded to the program, Mills said.
Jointly funded by the Russian Ministry of Education and the U.S. Department of Education, the program includes intensive classes at the UI — which some students refer to as “Russian boot camp” — and an opportunity to study in Moscow.
“We are kind of leading the curve,” Mills said about the UI. “We have increased more with fewer faculty members than other programs in the Big Ten.”
In Kostina’s class, reasons for learning Russian ranged from a passion for Russian opera to a desire to work for NASA.
“Russians have different relations among themselves,” Kostina mused during a brief break between classes and meetings. “It is a warm, loving culture. Students come to Russia and they make so many good friends. They want to go back again.”
The Russian program has plans for further growth, including offering classes about Russian literature and culture.
The program also plans to promote growth through retention, Kostina said, describing efforts made to provide support for students in the class.
“Russian definitely keeps me on my toes,” UI student Ciuin Ferrin said. “But the instructor goes out of her way to take away the intimidation factor. She has a wonderful ability to get down to the student’s level, look you right in the eye and get through it.”
Despite notable growth, the Russian program employs one official professor along with lecturers and teaching assistants. The program applied to hire a new instructor, but Mills said she doubts it will happen this year due to current financial restrictions.
“I can understand that every decision is driven by budget,” she said. “But with such an amazing outcome from students and with so much growth despite being practically starved to death financially, we hope that our voice will eventually be heard.”