The U.S. Russia Foundation (USRF) has awarded a second round of funding for the REEES Think Tank program: “Future- and Career-Readiness in Russian Area Studies” for 2026-28.

Dr. Sunnie Rucker-Chang, Associate Professor and Kenneth E. Naylor Professor of South Slavic Culture and Co-Director of the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (REEES) Think Tank, shares update on funding award:

This program builds upon six years of preparation from the REEES Undergraduate Think Tank ecosystem, a collaboration among faculty from The Ohio State University (Sunnie Rucker-Chang), University of Miami (Krista Goff), Howard University, ThinkREEES.org (Kelly Knickmeier-Cummings), National Resource Centers, and The Association of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES). 

The upcoming iteration of our program addresses the issue of sustainability in the field of REEES with specific focus on support for undergraduates from under-resourced communities, and addresses critical vulnerabilities in the field at this time: reduced funding for and access to language programs, increased demand for career-specific experience at the time of graduation to enter the workforce, a new, uncertain landscape for the humanities and area studies with the advent of AI, and rising costs of higher education. Broadly, we address the issue of sustainability through mentorship, resource-sharing, consortia support, micro-credentialing, and professional development. The two primary foci of our micro-credentialing research program for the 2026-2028 cycle is the development of key transferable skills and AI literacy, particularly around ethics and responsibility, in REEES. Past iterations of the program have supported the expertise development of more than 166 U.S.-based undergraduates from 44 colleges/universities, supported by mentors representing 43 universities/colleges.

We look forward to welcoming additional Think Tank undergraduate fellows/scholars and mentors to our expanding community.