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As part of a relationship with UNC-Chapel Hill and its Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies, �鶹Ӱ�� now offers a Ukrainian language course. 

“�鶹Ӱ�� is part of a Title VI grant (Dept of Education) awarded to the UNC-CH's Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies.  The grant runs for four years and the subaward to �鶹Ӱ�� amounts to over $50K that can be used for instructional costs, speakers/events, library materials and curriculum development,” said David Long, dean of creative and liberal arts at �鶹Ӱ��. 

The Ukrainian language course reflects public demand that included a petition that members of the local Ukrainian community and others submitted to UNC-Chapel Hill to start a Ukrainian language course.  This partnership was natural because the two institutions have worked together previously. �鶹Ӱ�� is now the first learning institution in the region to offer such a course. 

“We’ve worked with UNC for years, including on Ukrainian cultural events like a pysanky workshop, the traditional Ukrainian practice of egg dying,” said Long. “We are proud to be the first class of its kind and are grateful to UNC, as well as thankful for a federal grant that allows us to provide learning based on world languages and cultures.” 

There are 1 million Ukrainian speakers in the United States and 20,000 of Ukrainian descent in North Carolina.  

“The need was expressed by community members and the course is relevant now more than ever because the Ukrainian language is much more endangered than it was 10 years ago,” Long said.  

Meeting twice a week, the 16-week course, which runs an hour and fifteen minutes, is offered online and uses an online textbook. 

“I am pleased with how our instructor, Alona Matviienko, is starting with the very basic parts of the language, such as simple phrases, only to grow into the more conversational aspects,” said Mauricio Garcia-Vargas, chair and instructor of foreign languages at �鶹Ӱ��. “Students learn through forum discussions and communicating with each other. Learning the language requires a lot of time so our instructor and her teaching style are a blessing, and our students are what makes the class.” 

Hilary Tew, a student enrolled in the course, said she likes the teaching strategies Matviienko is using for the class. 

“I have appreciated the slower, more foundational approach of the course to reiterate information and fill in many gaps,” Tew said. 

The class began in January, and the students taking the course have different reasons for wanting to study Ukrainian.   

“We have students in their 20s and 30s, as well as older students. We have continuing education students who have traveled to Ukraine and others who are hosting a Ukrainian family, and then there are those who just want to learn the language,” Garcia-Vargas said.   

“I am taking the course to support the Ukrainian community. I served as the host sponsor for the instructor,” Tew said. “I am proud of her for leveraging her prior experience in the education realm in Ukraine. Her teaching this course also serves to preserve the culture for those who are afraid Russia is trying to snuff that out. Lastly, I am taking the course because I am a polyglot with a broad love of languages. Ukrainian is my fifth language.” 

The course is intended to support the community and that is the reason it is a Continuing Education course.  A Con-Ed course class can be developed quickly and therefore can be incredibly responsive to current events and to the needs of students.   

“The class is affordable, accessible and active in its learning style,” Garcia-Vargas said.  

“We want to respond to community needs and to help preserve the Ukrainian language and culture,” said Long.  “This is a special moment in time to offer this class and the nimbleness of the College’s Continuing Education format allows us to do so quickly.”