Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures General Endowment Fund

Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures General Endowment Fund

The Slavic Department's highest fundraising priority is building its unrestricted General Endowment Fund, which can be and is used flexibly for a number of purposes. The main uses to which these funds are put are: book and small cash prizes for excellent academic performance by students of Slavic languages; inviting prominent scholars to the department guest lecturers; recruiting talented graduate students; purchasing reference materials for the Parker Slavic Library; supplementing student travel to academic meetings. In the future we hope that the account will grow sufficiently to establish scholarship and fellowship funding to outstanding students. We encourage our friends and alumni to consider a substantial donation for this purpose, which can be named in honor of an appropriate designee. We are grateful for all donations to the Department's General Endowment Fund, both from our loyal annual contributors as well as from occasional donors. Even in those years when you cannot donate or cannot donate as much as in previous years, please stay in touch with the Slavic Department. We are always happy when our alumni and friends send us their news!

You may give online by using the button below. Online giving is secure, quick and simple. Click the area you would like to support and you will be redirected to the website of KU Endowment, the non-profit fundraising organization that supports KU.

If you prefer to mail your check, to ensure that your donation is credited to the Slavic Department, please make your check out to "KUEA- Slavic Department" and write "for Slavic Department programs" in the memo portion of your check or specify this in an accompanying letter. Send your donation c/o Chair, Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures; University of Kansas, 1445 Jayhawk Blvd., Rm. 2133; Lawrence, KS 66045-7590.

It is possible to name scholarship funds to honor individuals. If you wish to establish a fund, please call Professor William J. Comer (Chair) at 785-864-2348 or e-mail at wjcomer@ku.edu or the Department Administrative Associate at 785-864-3313, and we will help you work with the KU Endowment Association.

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In Memoriam

Reed Rankin ✝ 12/29/2019

The faculty and students in the Department Slavic Languages and Literatures are deeply saddened that one our undergraduate majors, Reed Rankin, passed away last week (12/29) in Fredonia, Kansas. Reed was a beloved student in the department and is fondly remembered by his peers and professors. He began studying Russian as a Freshman and stayed with a challenging but rewarding language for three and a half years, tackling introductory, intermediate, advanced levels, and even continuing his studies into his senior year with Russian for the Professions. We know that he was planning further study in Moscow in the next academic year, prior to matriculation at KU School of Law.

A thoughtful student, Reed often contributed insight and posed challenging questions in class. ​​ Reed’s dedication to the study of Russian language, culture, and history was tremendous and fueled by infectious curiosity. He showed great acumen in translating from Russian into English, always finding English-language equivalents for Russian cultural concepts through skillful use of one-liners from American films. We also treasured his ability to speak in fluid Russian about rural, farm life in Kansas, and the effects that natural phenomena, like floods, on a farming community. He was a pleasure to know and teach, and will be remembered for his kind and polite demeanor. Our thoughts are with Reed’s family at this time

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Why KU Slavic?
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KU’s Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies program is one of only 12 federally-funded national resource centers in the US
Only doctoral program in Slavic Languages and Literatures between the Mississippi and the West Coast
100% of graduate students in the Slavic program had funding in academic year 2012-13
KU's Libraries house over 500,000 volumes of Slavic books and electronic editions
Two of the department’s last four doctoral candidates have won a Fulbright grants to conduct dissertation research abroad