John Bidwell

Primary office:

BA Slavic Languages and Literatures 2002

Career: Captain, United States Marine Corps, Amphibious Assault Officer; currently (2007) on leave from service during graduate study at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Sarajevo as holder of Fellowship from Olmsted Scholar Program. Working towards magisterij (master's degree) in Political Science.

Languages: Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian, Montenegrin

Countries lived in: USA, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)

Countries visited: Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Malta, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey

Where is he now (2007): Sarajevo, BiH

Favorite place: He often travels without his family to "undesirable" places, so his favorite place is wherever his family is.

Hobbies: Brazilian jiu jitsu, running, classical guitar

Favorite food: Mexican

Favorite drink: Bosnian coffee

Favorite saying: Svaki početak je težak ('Every beginning is difficult' in Bosnian)

Favorite book: Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield

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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In Memoriam

Reed Rankin ✝ 12/29/2019