UMass Students Recognized for Excellence at Harvard Olympiada
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For the first time, students from the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Russian, Eurasian and Polish Studies (REPS) program took part in Harvard University’s Annual Spoken Russian Language Olympiada—an event that draws top language students from across the region. Held on Sunday, April 6, 2025, at Harvard’s Davis Center, the New England Olympiada of Spoken Russian offered UMass students a chance to apply their language skills in a rigorous, real-world academic competition.
Four students represented UMass Amherst at the event: Rachel Marhefka, Deirdre Reed, Brigit Develin, and Joseph Fernández. Their performances stood out, with Brigit Develin earning second place in the Speech Contest and Joseph Fernández receiving two Honorable Mentions in both the Poetry and Speech Contests.
“I really enjoyed my experience at the Olympiada of Spoken Russian contest and was very happy to have won two awards,” said Fernández ’24, a nursing and REPS double major. “I was also beaming with enormous pride to have represented our university and REPS program in a powerful and meaningful light. I'm also very grateful to our Russian language instructor, Anna Shkireva, for her incredible support.”
Shkireva, who accompanied the group to Harvard, also shared her pride in the students’ accomplishments. “It was truly an honor to support our students at this prestigious event,” she said. “I was incredibly moved by their dedication, creativity, and the courage they showed by stepping onto that stage for the first time. They represented UMass Amherst with talent and enthusiasm — and I couldn’t be more proud of each of them.”
This annual regional event offers Russian language students the opportunity to showcase their skills, gain confidence, and connect with other like-minded students. It also provides a high-impact learning experience through the university’s Russian, Eurasian and Polish Studies Program (REPS). REPS offers both a major and a minor, with a wide range of courses in language and area studies across the College of Humanities and Fine Arts and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.
Learn more about REPS at umass.edu/russian-eurasian-polish.