This was the first time that 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. Brigit Develin earned second place in the Speech Contest and Joseph Fernández received two Honorable Mentions in both the Poetry and Speech Contests. They were accompanied by their instructor, UMass Lecturer in Russian Anna Shkireva.
Experiences like this highlight the power of language learning to build confidence, community, and global connection. Read the full story here.