UNG cadet Macaulay McCartney practices his writing skills as part of the Russian Summer Language Institute.
Article By: Denise Ray
The University of North Georgia (UNG) is hosting Summer Language Institutes (SLI) from June 18-July 29 in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Russian. The six-week summer sessions allow students to earn eight credit hours, fulfilling the 1001 and 1002 foreign language requirement for most UNG bachelor's degrees.
Some students take the courses before starting at UNG and others later in their time at UNG, and the institutes also draw students from other senior military colleges across the country.
With Alena Yazykova, lecturer in Russian, and Evan Povolny, a tutor in Russian, leading them, students like Neal Hall, an incoming freshman from North Gwinnett High School, have the opportunity to study a new language and make friends before classes begin.
Language and culture are closely related. Chinese is not an easy language to learn, especially for English-speaking students. We need to let them enjoy learning with fun. Even though they're playing Mah Jongg, they have to recognize the Chinese characters.
Yandan Wang
UNG's lecturer of Chinese
Hall, from Sugar Hill, Georgia, decided to pursue degrees in cybersecurity and modern languages with a Russian language and literature concentration because his family is Polish and Latvian, and he has friends that speak Russian. His biggest incentive, however, is a desire to study abroad.
"The study abroad program requires two years' worth of credit before you can study abroad," Hall said. "So I wanted to get credits as quickly as possible so I can study abroad."
Hall said he wants to study in Latvia or Kazakhstan one day because he has been in school in Georgia his entire life.
"I want to experience a different environment and see how different people go about it," Hall, said.
Not only do students gain language skills at SLI. They also glean a deeper understanding of the culture of the country.
Meanwhile, Povolny, a May 2022 UNG graduate, is in his fourth and final year as an SLI tutor of Russian. He earned degrees in international affairs with a European concentration and modern languages with a Russian language and literature concentration.
Povolny said he tutors to maintain his Russian language skills.
"It's a lot of fun to meet the new students on campus, and I like working with Alena as well," he said. "It's interesting to see changes over the four years I've been tutoring. In the first year, the students were like me. I had a year of tutoring and a year of Russian. I was in their shoes. I've gotten more and more removed from that point, and now it feels more like a traditional tutor role."
Learning about the national culture is also part of the SLI curriculum. Students of Yandan Wang, lecturer of Chinese, have learned Chinese games including Mah Jongg, watched movies, taken a field trip to China Town, and flown Chinese kites. They also enjoy eating Chinese snacks, Wang said.
Now in her fifth year of teaching SLI, Wang believes culture is as important as language.
"Language and culture are closely related. Chinese is not an easy language to learn, especially for English-speaking students. We need to let them enjoy learning with fun. Even though they're playing Mah Jongg, they have to recognize the Chinese characters," Wang said.
Students demonstrate the Chinese culture every day with events including calligraphy, Chinese painting, and other Chinese games.
Lindsey Sokol also serves as a Russian SIL faculty member. Sawako Tsutsumi, lecturer of Japanese, and Jinny Kim, part-time faculty member of Korean, are the other SLI instructors.
