David L. Boren Awards for International Study

Laurie Dermer, Boren Scholar, Russia

While double majoring in English linguistics and Russian at Arizona State University, Laurie Dermer received a Boren Scholarship to study Russian language for the 2008-09 academic year in Moscow.  Through 20 hours of formal language instruction per week and constant interaction with her host family, Laurie left Russia being able to better read, listen, and understand the Russian language.

Beginning with Spanish in high school and later studying Arabic and Russian in college, Laurie has always been driven by language study.  Prior to her departure to Moscow, Laurie was working to expand her knowledge of Russian language and culture by browsing Russian LiveJournal, making Russian lace, and compiling dictionaries of newly learned vocabulary.  Laurie is also interested in freedom of the press and, while in Russia, she evaluated the state influence on news media by examining the writing styles of news articles.  In comparing the coverage and structures that writers use, she hoped to assess the implications of how events are portrayed in Russia’s press.  

Laurie chose her study abroad program, Arizona Russian Abroad, based on its intense and rigorous language study, supplementary cultural exposure, and the reputation of its faculty.  One of her professors was actually a specialist in Russian linguistics and Laurie appreciated their technical discussions of Russian phonetics and phonology.  Laurie’s formal language instruction each week broke down into: 15 hours of language instruction with small groups, two hours of individual tutoring, and three hours of English lectures on Russian history and social topics.  Informal language study included an English/Russian language exchange club, excursions to places of cultural significance, weekly tickets to Russian ballets and museums, and lectures by Russian experts.   

Throughout her excursions in Moscow, Laurie purposely interacted in Russian, ordering food at restaurants with good intonation, getting medical help at pharmacies, and doing math in marshrutkas (Russian mini-buses).  She also travelled with friends to Kiev and Crimea and, through the people she met on this trip, gained a better understanding of the complex relationship between Russia and the Ukraine, as well as immigration and some of the racial and ethnic hierarchies that exist in the region.  These educational experiences helped raise her Russian language level from a novice high to intermediate mid level on the ACTFL scale.   

Laurie has now graduated from Arizona State University and is earning her master’s degree at Georgetown University.  As part of her graduate program, she plans to do a comparative study of new media use in Russia and Iran.  Towards that aim, she is continuing to study Russian while also taking Farsi.  In the future, Laurie would like to find a position with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) or Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  She is specifically interested in becoming an open source officer with the CIA’s Foreign Broadcast Information Service.  As an open source officer, she would review, interpret, and write reports on Russian language media.  With her background and experiences, Laurie seems well equipped to begin such a career.