“To be able to read some of the very famous poems by Alexander Pushkin and other Russian poets and writers—and speak about it in Russian—is very challenging, but also very rewarding,” said Kellie Travis ’14, a Russian major in the College of Arts and Letters.
Russian majors at Notre Dame take a full complement of courses covering the language, literature, and culture of Russia. As a student in the Russian Honors track, Travis completed a senior thesis focusing on the Soviet Gulag forced labor camps, specifically methods of resistance in the camps. “It’s definitely a very sad moment in their history," she said, "but it’s also a story that needs to be told.”
After graduation, Travis was accepted into the law school at Vanderbilt University. She plans to become an international lawyer. “Studying Russian for four years has been an absolutely fascinating experience,” said Travis. “I wouldn’t take it back for a second.”
You can also watch this video on YouTube.
