Monterey Summer Symposium on Russia

The prestigious Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California, will hold the third-annual Monterey Summer Symposium on Russia (MSSR). Backed by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the program is fully funded, including tuition, round-trip airfare, lodging, and some meals. All interested students currently enrolled in MA or PhD programs in the U.S./Europe are eligiblet to apply.

MSSR is a 7-week-long program featuring courses and lectures by some of the most prominent scholars and practitioners in the field of Russian studies. Some highlights from this year's line-up include Dmitri Trenin and former U.S. Ambassador John Tefft. Only twelve fellows are selected, so those selected will get to know the presenters on a first-name basis and have ample time to interact with them individually.  Fellows, who in the past have included students from universities such as Harvard and Oxford, will live together and attend class together, which will allow them to build up their networks and make lifelong connections. 

As a large portion of the courses will be held in Russian, MSSR fellows are expected to have intermediate to advanced proficiency in the language. This is a great opportunity to get more fluent in the language.

Please see the attached flyers (Program Description, Program Highlights) for more information and take a look at the program website.  Applications are due March 1.

Any questions about the application process should be directed to the program’s director, Anna Vassilieva (avassili@miis.edu).