Language skills and cultural knowledge are the keys to understanding another people. Russian is an important language in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, regions that continue to undergo fundamental economic and political change, thus offering new opportunities for employment and learning to qualified Americans. The political changes of the 1980's in Russia and former Soviet states have been accompanied by expanding commercial interest from other parts of the world. Likewise, American-Russian contacts in the arts, health care, religious life, sports and as individuals have expanded. BGSU frequently hosts students, faculty and visitors from Russia and other nearby countries.
Students have plenty of opportunities to interact both inside and outside of the classroom.
By learning another language and culture, students enrich their lives and have a broader life perspective. The need for individuals competent in Russian is expanding rapidly in both the public and private sectors, and there is every indication that it will continue to increase. A Case Study in America's Language Needs and Capacities, which was funded by the Ford Foundation. Despite opportunities opening up for Americans with Russian language skills, the number of qualified persons is declining. Therefore, BGSU graduates with Russian training have good employment prospects into the next century.