Golden State Today

UC Berkeley is embarking on a $9 million campaign to enhance its Ukrainian studies program, with the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures leading the effort. The department has already secured a $3 million gift from the Open Society Foundations, which initiated the campaign in December 2023.

“The gift from the Open Society Foundations brings us enormous hope for the future of the study of Ukrainian language, literature and culture,” said Anne Nesbet, department chair and expert in Soviet film. “We hope to create a vibrant community of scholarship and learning on campus, centered around a faculty member whose work focuses on Ukraine.”

Berkeley’s current offerings in Ukrainian studies span various fields that provide students with an interdisciplinary understanding of Ukraine. The country’s strategic position as a borderland between Eastern and Western societies has made it a focal point for historical interactions.

The urgency to expand knowledge about Ukraine has increased since Russia's invasion in February 2022. “The war in Ukraine has been devastating for our community,” Nesbet noted. “We care deeply about Ukraine, and we also mourn the terrible effects of this war on Russia, where open discussion and scholarship are now almost impossible."

The funds raised will endow a chancellor’s chair in Ukrainian studies at Berkeley. This new role will support research, teaching, graduate students, and other academic pursuits related to Ukrainian studies.

The new chairholder will benefit from collaboration with other campus units such as the Institute of Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies and access to extensive resources like one of the largest Slavic collections at the University Library.

Additionally, initiatives like the UC Berkeley-Ukraine Innovation Hubs aim to address urgent challenges in Ukraine while attracting investment in related industries. "Berkeley’s changemakers are stepping up with transformative ideas," said Chancellor Rich Lyons.

John Connelly, professor of European history at Berkeley, emphasized the importance of continuing this legacy: “I cannot imagine the past quarter century without Miłosz and Frick, and I urgently need the person who comes next.”

Graduate student David Kurkovskiy highlighted how language plays a crucial role in understanding identity: “Things are very much lost in translation... something special happens when you meet people where they’re at.”

Recognizing this need for more Ukrainian language instruction on campus, Berkeley recently hired lecturer Nataliia Goshylyk and plans to add Ukrainian language courses to its major and minor tracks.

Nesbet believes that offering regular language instruction can have synergistic effects similar to those seen with their Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian studies programs: “I hope that we can create that kind of synergy around the study of Ukrainian language, literature and culture.”

Berkeley aims to raise another $3 million by summer 2025 to fully endow the chancellor’s chair. If successful, this initiative could eventually lead to establishing a Center for Ukrainian Studies at Berkeley.

“History without literature and culture is like a plant starved of light,” Connelly remarked. He underscored that understanding Ukraine's independent traditions requires true expertise—a goal he believes is within reach through this campaign.

For more information about supporting this initiative contact Karen Huang at [email protected].