Laura Garrison was one of a group of students that went to Shanghai University with professor Matt Wells over the summer. She told us about the skill of her Chinese language teacher during the immersion-style classes, and the adventures she had during her free time in China.
At the beginning of the Fall 2011 semester, we met with all of the new faculty hires in the College of Arts and Sciences. This series of podcasts introduces them and their research interests.
Hallie Decker, a junior majoring in Chinese and International Studies, will be studying for a year at Shanghai University from August 2011-August 2012. During her year there, she'll be blogging about her adventures.
Cynthia Ruder is a professor in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. She teaches Russian language classes and has a particular research interest in the Moscow Canal. Built in the 1930s during Stalin’s regime, the canal has a rich history.
When you ask UK University Scholar Dan Sheffler to name one of his favorite books, he immediate replies The Confessions of St. Augustine. Leaning back in his chair, his face lights up and searching the ceiling, he begins to describe why.
“I feel that when I read The Confessions Augustine is talking to me, as if he were directly addressing me,” Sheffler explained. “Even though it is all obviously addressed to God I feel like I’m sort of sitting in the room. I feel like I can completely relate to Augustine’s position in his life, and I can really connect with what he’s saying.”
Cassie Hardin was sure that she wanted to explore her passion for studying languages after arriving at the University of Kentucky in the fall of 2008, but she also knew that she getting tired of more traditional romance languages. She wanted something new; she wanted a new horizon.
So how did Hardin arrive at her decision to pursue courses in UK’s Chinese Studies program? She left it up to chance.
