2019 News
December
NU Students Attend Nutcracker by Moscow Ballet
December 8, 2019
On December 8th, seventeen NU students with the Russian Club saw the Nutcracker by the visiting Moscow Ballet at the Rosemont Theater in Chicago. The performance exhibited world-class dancers, hundreds of costumes, elaborate sets, and puppetry. They had a magical time!
November
Reading of Works by Wislawa Szymborska and Olga Tokarczuk
November 20, 2019
Professors Kinga Kosmala and Clare Cavanagh led a reading of works by Wislawa Szymborska (left) and Olga Tokarczuk (right) on November 20th. The Polish writers won the Nobel Literature Prize in 1996 and 2018, respectively. Tokarczuk was awarded in 2019, joining Szymborska as the second Polish woman to win the prize.
Russian Delegation Visits NU
November 4, 2019
Supporters of Civil Society in Russia sponsors a week-long seminar every year in Chicago for 24 young Russian leaders, including visits with NU Professors. On November 4th,
Clare Cavanagh (Slavic), Ian Kelly (International Studies), John Bushnell (History) and Jordan Gans-Morse (Political Science), featured on the left, led a lively discussion in Russian and English covering US-Russian relations, literature, culture and politics.
October
William Wicker and Joseph Grzybek Win National Polish Alliance Award
October 25, 2019
Students of Professor Kinga Kosmala (center) William Wicker (left) and Joseph Grzybek (right) are the first winners of the Polish National Alliance Award for outstanding efforts and accomplishments in studying Polish Language, History, and Culture. This was the first ever award given by this organization to students studying Polish. Congratulations!
Professor Clare Cavanagh Wins ZAiKS Prize
October 19, 2019
Professor Clare Cavanagh won the ZAiKS Prize in Warsaw, Poland. This prize recognizes her outstanding achievement for English translation of Polish poetry. Congratulations! 
Study Abroad Fair
October 4, 2019
Come and learn about study abroad in Russia, Central Asia, Poland, or the Czech Republic! Our wonderful professors Kinga Kosmala and Martina Kerlova will be there to answer questions. The study abroad fair will take place Thursday, November 7 at 2 PM - 5 PM at Norris University Center in the Louis Room (2nd floor). See you there!
September
Clare Cavanagh Wins Translation Prize
September 16, 2019
Professor Clare Cavanagh has won the Harold Morton Landon Translation Award from the
Academy of American Poets for her translation of
Asymmetry by Adam Zagajewski (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2018). This prize recognizes a published translation of poetry into English that demonstrates literary excellence. Cavanagh is the Frances Hooper Professor of Arts and Humanities and Professor of Slavic Literatures and Comparative Literary Studies. Her book,
Lyric Poetry and Modern Politics: Russia, Poland, and the West (Yale University Press) won the National Book Critics Circle Award in Criticism for 2010. She has translated, or co-translated, 16 volumes of Polish poetry and prose, notably Wisława Szymborska’s
Map: Collected and Last Poems, with Stanisław Barańczak (Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt, 2015), Adam Zagajewski’s
Slight Exaggeration (Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 2017)
Asymmetry (Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 2018), and Ryszard Krynicki’s
Magnetic Point: Selected Poems (New Directions, 2017). Congratulations!!!
July
Christopher Pike To Teach in New York
July 15, 2019
Congratulations to Chris Pike, who received his PhD in June! For the 2019-2020 academic year, Chris will teach courses in Russian literature, culture, and language as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Russian Area Studies at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY. While at Northwestern, Chris taught several courses in the Slavic Languages and Literatures Department and led the Russian language table.
Sydney Matrisciano Wins Posner Fellowship
July 12, 2019
Sydney Matrisciano won a
Posner Fellowship to work with Professor Saul Morson for 8 weeks this summer. She will be studying the cultural significance of literature in Russia. Sydney is a Slavic major who just completed her first year at Northwestern. Congratulations, Sydney!
Northwestern Fulbrighters in Poland
July 1, 2019
The Fulbright commission in Poland held its annual graduation ceremony, and three of our students took a moment to flash their ‘Cat paws for the camera. All three Fulbrighters—Ania Holubecki (WCAS ’18, left), Jordan Todes (WCAS ’18, center), and Rachel Moss (PhD candidate in the interdisciplinary PhD, right)—have had such a great year that they’re sticking around a while longer through extensions of their grants. We are proud to have them represent our University and the Polish Program!
June
2019 Slavic Undergraduate Awards
June 5, 2019
Congratulations to our winners of 2019 Undergraduate Awards! On June 4, Slavic Languages and Literatures presented 7 awards for outstanding work: Beginning Russian, Nigel Nicholas Chew; Intermediate Russian, Drew Reece Thomas; Advanced Russian, Aimee van den Berg; Intermediate Polish, Joseph Grzybek; GSM Award for Outstanding Essays in Slavic Languages and Cultures, Margaret Maddox; GSM Award for Outstanding Essays in Slavic Languages and Cultures/Honorable Mention and Digital Humanities Award, Martin Herrmann; and Outstanding Service and Community Building in Slavic, Sydney Matrisciano. The Digital Humanities Award is new, based on Martin Herrmann's creative essay for Kinga Kosmala's Introduction to Polish Literature class.
Congratulations and best wishes to these students and all of our wonderful undergrads!
May
Graduate Student Anastasiia Simferovska Wins Israel Studies Research Grant
May 9, 2019
Thanks to the NU Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies, Anastasiia Simferovska will study at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. She will research three Jewish artists of different generations and political views in Lviv, examining their art in the context of the Jewish diaspora and their move to Israel. Congratulations! 
Graduate Student Tom Feerick Receives Summer Fellowship
May 7, 2019
New Polish Website for NU Students
May 6, 2019
Professor Kinga Kosmala has developed a new website that highlights Polish culture and showcases student projects in Polish classes at Northwestern. Watch for new content in the coming weeks.
April
Professor Cavanagh Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
April 18, 2019
Professor Clare Cavanagh is a new member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary societies. She joins Professor Saul Morson, who has been a member of AAAS since 1995. Congratulations!
Graduate Student Tony Topoleski Awarded Fulbright
April 17, 2019
Tony Topoleski, a graduate student in Slavic Languages and Literatures, was awarded a Fulbright Research Grant to study in St. Petersburg, Russia, for the 2019/2020 academic year. He will be researching Late- and Post-Soviet Russian poetry and culture, especially a movement in Russian poetry known as Metarealism. He is co-advised by Nina Gourianova and Ilya Kutik. Congratulations! 
Professor Gurianova Discusses Russian Avant-Garde in Israel
April 16, 2019
Professor Nina Gurianova gave a lecture at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem in conjunction with the exhibit "Victory Over the Sun: Russian Avant-garde and Beyond" (Spring 2019).
March
Northwestern Alum Returns to Give Talk
March 1, 2019
On March 8th, Michal Oklot, Ph.D. in Slavic Languages and Literatures at Northwestern University in 2005, returned to give a talk titled: "Kronos: The Real Life of Witold Gombrowicz." Oklot is Associate Professor at Brown University in the Department of Slavic Studies. The discussion is part of "visit weekend" for visiting graduate applicants, current students, and faculty.
February
Celebrating Polish Culture
February 12, 2019
Professor Kinga Kosmala led a pierogi cooking lesson with a chef from Tata's Pierogi on the evening of Monday, January 28, at the Shepard Engagement Center. Everyone enjoyed the cooking class--and the pierogi!
Polish American Student Association (PASA) hosted a Polish Culture Night on Tuesday, February 12th. There was Polish food, music, and several group dances.
Mapping the Chicago Polish Community
February 1, 2019
Congratulations to Professor Kinga Kosmala and Olivia Pura, who is majoring in Slavic Languages and Literatures and Neuroscience, for winning an Undergraduate Research Assistant Program grant. Together, they will create an interactive map of Polish speakers in Chicago--an exciting new opportunity! January
Russian Language Table
January 13, 2020
The Russian Language Table meets in seminar room 3364 at 4:30pm on every other week starting Tuesday, January 28th. Slavic grad students Max Gordon and Nadia Vinogradova lead these conversations. All students welcome! Come practice Russian in an informal setting and enjoy refreshments! Contact Professor Elisabeth Elliott for more information.
Please contact Pani Kinga for information on Polish classes and events.
Professor Kosmala Named Vice President of AATSEEL
January 20, 2019
Kinga Kosmala, PhD, Senior Lecturer who teaches Polish language and culture courses at Northwestern, is a new vice president of the American Association of Teachers of Slavic and East European Languages (AATSEEL). In this role, Prof. Kosmala will promote the study of Slavic languages at all educational levels. Congratulations, Pani Kinga! 