Bloomington Leader

The Indiana University Language Workshop is marking its 75th anniversary this summer. Originally known as the Workshop in Slavic and East European Languages, it began in 1951 with a focus on Russian language instruction. Today, the workshop offers courses in over two dozen languages each summer.

"Instruction will be completely in Russian. Students will begin speaking Russian on the first day of class and will speak it throughout the course," stated an early pamphlet advertising the inaugural session.

Held at the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, the workshop attracts around 300 students annually. It provides intensive language training that covers an academic year's worth of material in just eight weeks. The program's rigorous approach helps participants achieve proficiency levels comparable to or exceeding those of many study-abroad programs.

Initially established during the Cold War, enrollment was limited to 40 students but grew significantly due to increasing interest in Soviet Bloc languages and cultures. By 1965, participation had expanded to over 350 students and professionals.

Kathleen Evans, who has directed the workshop since 2017, recalled her own experiences as a student: "When I was a Russian language student in the ’80s, Indiana University was not only where you went to learn Russian, it was where you could spend the summer rubbing elbows with leading scholars from the U.S. and the Soviet Union."

Prominent instructors have included Nina Berberova and Carl Proffer. After the fall of the USSR, instruction broadened to include Central Eurasian languages from former Soviet countries.

Veronika Trotter noted her surprise upon arriving from St. Petersburg in 2002: "The reputation in Europe is that Americans are very monolingual," she said. "But when I arrived in Bloomington, I met so many wonderfully bright students who were fluent not only in Russian but in languages from Central Asian countries."

Workshop alumni have gone on to prominent roles including Michael De Groot and Kathryn Graber as professors at IU, while Marie Yovanovitch served as a U.S. ambassador.

The workshop continues to adapt by adding critical languages like Arabic through initiatives such as Project Global Officer. In response to COVID-19, most courses moved online except for Arabic, Chinese, and Russian which remain immersive experiences on campus.

Online offerings have increased accessibility for nontraditional students whose circumstances prevent relocation for summer studies; their numbers tripled post-2020 compared with pre-pandemic levels.

Additionally managed by IU’s Language Workshop is a Summer Camp for K-6 students held each year at Indianapolis’ International School offering Arabic among other options alongside age-appropriate activities designed specifically around them too!

This milestone year includes commemorative events reflecting upon past achievements plus exhibitions showcasing impacts made globally thanks largely due both efforts undertaken within recent years alongside contributions offered directly via former attendees themselves throughout decades past alike overall! As Evans remarked: “This started 75 years ago as a summer workshop but has evolved into much more.”