The American Council of Teachers of Russian (ACTR) named John Fleming a 2014 Russian Scholar Laureate. John is one of 53 students throughout America receiving this award.
Every year, ACTR asks colleges and universities across the country to nominate one person in the Russian program who embodies the best qualities of a post-secondary Russian student: “an unfailing devotion to and love for all things Russian, a passion for the language, literature, and culture, a commitment to excellence, and an enthusiasm for knowledge and cultural literacy.”
John Fleming, ISU’s nominee and this year’s winner of this important national honor, is a senior majoring in Political Science and minoring in Russian Studies. In addition to taking virtually every Russian course offered at ISU over the past four years, John also studied at Saint Petersburg State Polytechnic University in 2012 and has made several other trips to Russia. In addition to being a stellar student, John is the President of the ISU Student Russian Club, an organization that – thanks to John’s enthusiasm, dedication, and passion – has become a genuine forum for everyone interested in the Russian language and culture. As the ACTR’s congratulatory letter states: “It is gratifying to know that students of your high caliber are studying Russian… The field of Russian Studies is better and richer thanks to engaged students like you.”
John graduates ISU this May and he has just secured a job teaching English in St.Petersburg, Russia.