SEELC prides itself in its engagement with communities across the state of Ohio.
In March, thirty-seven high school students from Roy C. Start High School, the Russian Education Center Bookvarel, St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, Toledo Technology Academy, and Walnut Hills High School competed against each other in the K-12 Russian Language Olympiada. This year we held competitions for levels 1-4 for regular learners, levels 3-5 for heritage speakers, and a level for native speakers. The competition consisted of three sections: a poem recitation, an oral interview, and a presentation based on a topic that was chosen by each student. In addition to putting the students’ Russian skills to the test, the competition gave them a chance to meet other Russian language learners in the state of Ohio. This event was co-sponsored by the Center for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies (CSEEES).
Department staff and students also collaborated with the 412th US Army Civil Affairs Battalion for a two-phase enhanced joint operations Interpreter Training Workshop. Phase 1 (held on February 11th) consisted of common themes used in the Civil Affairs community that help to build rapport with a general local population. Phase 2 (held on October 18th) included more structured activities as the participants were given roles to perform. The goal was to conduct conversational, interpreter-style communication where graduate students from SEELC and the CSEEES acted as interpreters and/or as native Russian speakers.
US Army Civil Affairs units frequently communicate with local populaces in various regions of the world, primarily through interpreters. This workshop helped prepare the men and women of this unit to work with Russian interpreters and gave OSU graduate students an insight into what working as an interpreter for the US military is like.
