Joseph L. Conrad Memorial Award

Prof. Joseph L. Conrad (1933-2003) taught in the KU Slavic Department from 1966 until his death. A beloved and devoted teacher of Russian literature and foklore, builder of the Slavic Department in its early days, he was known for his lively and animated delivery style in the classroom and at scholarly conferences. His family (spouse Galina, children Belinda, Karla, Allan) donated generously to establish this fund in his memory for the purpose of supporting students whose interests in the Slavic languages have prompted them to study Slavic languages and culture study abroad and, at later stages of their student careers, present scholarly papers at conferences. Prof. Conrad loved to travel and this fund perpetuates the memory of his life, activity, and scholarship and in so doing contributes to the advancement of the field of Slavic humanistic inquiry. We encourage alumni and friends who knew Joseph L. Conrad and benefited from his teaching, as well as those who believe in Prof. Conrad's ideals, to contribute to the enrichment of Slavic students' careers by contributing to the Joseph L. Conrad Memorial Award Fund.

You may give online by using the buttons 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 it out to "KUEA-Slavic Dept." and write "for the Conrad Fund" 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 66045-7594. If you prefer to donate to the General Use Fund for Slavic, please write "for Slavic Dept. programs" in the memo.

It is possible to name scholarship funds to honor individuals. If you wish to establish a fund, please call Professor Stephen M. Dickey (Chair) at 785-864-2348 or e-mail at smd@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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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