University of Arizona Department of Russian and Slavic Studies
B.G. Thompson, Jr. Study Abroad Award Fund
Description
The competitive Russian and Slavic Studies B.G. Thompson, Jr. Study Abroad Award Fund benefits UA undergraduate students who are declared majors in Russian and Slavic Studies and MA in Russian graduate students.
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS 2015 DUE DATE: March 2, 2015 @ 4pm
Up to two awards of $1,500.00 each, one to an undergraduate Russian major and one to an MA Russian graduate student may be awarded in the spring 2015 to participate in a UA approved study or internship abroad program in Russia, Eastern Europe, or Eurasia OR at intensive Russian or Slavic language summer study in the US.
Required:: 1) a statement of intent (1-2 pages describing why you deserve and qualify for this award and how you plan to use it) including current cumulative GPA; 2) TWO letters of recommendation from supporting faculty members;3) complete an online application to study abroad on a UA approved study or internship abroad program at studyabroad.arizona.edu OR show evidence of a completed application to an intensive summer language study program in the US. 4) Applicants should have at least one academic year in residency left at UA before graduation at time of application; 5) must be a declared major in Russian and Slavic Studies or be an MA in Russian student. Recipients must use the award the summer, fall, and/or spring immediately following date of the award. Please submit statement of intent, letter of recommendation, and complete your online application for study or internship abroad program no later than March 2, 2015, 4pm, to Ms Holly Lysne (hblysne@email.arizona.edu), 3rd floor Secretary for LSB (Russian and German) 621-7385.
Process and Selection
The B.G. Thompson, Jr. Study Abroad Award Fund Selection Committee announces a call for applications every academic year in early January. The Selection Committee reviews applications and meets in person to make a final selection. The Selection Committee decides on the final number of awards based on the Fund’s balance and on the quality of applications. On any given year, the Selection Committee may decide not to give any award. Awards are announced in early March.
Description of the B.G. Thompson, Jr. Fund
The B. G. Thompson, Jr., Fund was created in 2012 for undergraduate majors and graduate students within the Department of Russian and Slavic Languages. The purpose of the fund is to assist students in defraying costs of study-abroad programs in Russia and intensive-language study in the US. The fund was established to honor the memory of Tucson attorney and appraiser B. G. Thompson, Jr., whose daughter studied in and received her Master’s from the UA’s Department of Russian and Slavic Studies. Mr. Thompson was a welcoming host and friend to Russians he met in Tucson, and he continually encouraged his daughter over the course of her career in the Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia.
Contributions
Suzanne Thompson Eanes and the Department of Russian and Slavic Studies created the Fund and have pledged to contribute annually to its maintenance and growth.
Russian Department alumni, members of the community, and other UA faculty members,are encouraged to donate to the B. G. Thompson, Jr., Fund.
PREVIOUS AWARDEES
2014
Matthew Tillman (Russian major) has been awarded the second annual B.G.Thompson, Jr. Study Abroad Award. Matthew will be travelling to Russia this summer with the department's Study Abroad program. He received $1500 toward the cost of the program or air travel.
2013
(See recipient comments below).
Joseph Shaw (Russian major) and Jared Leets (MA in Russian candidate) were awarded the B.G. Thompson Jr. Study Abroad Award -- the first of what will be annual awards to an undergrad and grad student. Jospeph will be travelling to Moscow, Russia with the UA in Russia program this summer. Jared is attending a US-based intensive Russian-language program. It is SWSEEL, the Summer Language Workshop at the U of Indiana in Bloomington.Each student receives $1500 toward the cost of the program or air travel.
CONGRATULATIONS! ПОЗДРАВЛЯЕМ!!
BELOW --- See Jared Leets' comments on his summer SWSEEL experience.
Watch for Joseph Shaw's comments when he returns from his Fall semester in Moscow!
The B.G. Thompson, Jr. Fund was established to honor the memory of Tucson attorney and appraiser B. G. Thompson, Jr., to promote Study Abroad opportunities in Russia. Mr. Thompson's daughter, Suzanne Eanes, studied in and received her Master’s from the UA’s Department of Russian and Slavic Studies. Mr. Thompson was a welcoming host and friend to Russians he met in Tucson, and he continually encouraged his daughter over the course of her career in the Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia.
The Department of Russian and Slavuic Studies contributes annually to the fund.
Donors form the community are cordially invited to contribute to the B.G. Thompson Fund for Study Abhroad in Russia. please open the JPG link at the bottom of this message.
From B.G. Thompson, Jr. scholarship recipient, Jared Leets:
This past summer I studied Russian at Indiana University’s SWSEEL Summer Language Workshop. It was a very challenging experience but proved to be very rewarding. I was in class Monday-Friday for five hours a day. When I was accepted into the Russian language program at Indiana University’s SWSEEL Summer Language Workshop, I saw that the price was somewhat high, especially for a student. At times, as a student, you can sometimes worry about your finances and paying for your education. If I had not received the B.G. Thompson, Jr. Scholarship from the Department of Russian and Slavic Studies at the U of Arizona, I might not have been able to attend Indiana University’s SWSEEL. I was delighted to hear the news that I received the scholarship. The scholarship helped alleviate the cost of the program by quite a bit. It was comforting to know that I could go study in the summer and improve my Russian with a scholarship like this. My proficiency in the Russian language dramatically improved and now I feel prepared to apply for certain jobs I want. I’m glad I received the scholarship because it helped me achieve my academic goals and will help me achieve my goals once I graduate from the university with my MA in Russian.
