Mississippi StarTalk

Russian StarTalk Pathways

Ages: Rising 8th- through 10th-graders
Application Deadline: April 1, 2025                                                   

Summer Residential Experience: June 16-27, 2025

Welcome to StarTalk Russian program at the University of Mississippi!

This year, the Mississippi Russian StarTalk program will provide 20 high school freshmen and sophomores in Mississippi and other states with two weeks of intensive instruction in Russian on the campus of the University of Mississippi. In addition to offering intensive language instruction, we also aim to provide the students with opportunities inside and outside the classroom to deepen their understanding of Russian culture.

Summer 2025 will feature one instructional level for students new or relatively new to Russian language.

Students who graduate from StarTalk Pathways may choose to pursue further instruction for college credit.

What is StarTalk?

Mississippi StarTalk is a program funded by the federal government to provide high school students with intensive instruction in Russian. All instructional expenses, room, and board will be covered by scholarships provided to students selected to attend this program.

Dates and Costs

Students will move in June 15, 2025, and move out June 27, 2025. Move-in information will be emailed prior to arrival on campus.

This program includes a full scholarship funded through the federal StarTalk program.

Admissions/Registration Process

Students must apply to the program. A committee of university officials will select a cohort based upon merit and language placement. Students must submit the following materials with their application:

• A transcript
• A recommendation form completed by a language teacher (English teacher, if no prior experience with foreign languages)
• A personal essay (prompt will be provided)
• A language sample (if they have previous Russian experience)

Residential Life

The residential programming will take place in the final two weeks of June and will include both language and cultural instruction.

Housing and Supervision

Students will be housed in a gender-divided dormitory, which may be accessed only by authorized residents and personnel. Only Pre-College students and authorized adults who supervise them will live in the dormitory during the period when our program is using it. Our tutor-counselors live with the students and provide enriching activities and recreation after hours in addition to language tutoring.  

Academics

Students in Level 1 will explore the theme “Russian Without Boarders”. They will have an opportunity to hear from faculty and students on campus who use Russian for communication, for education and/or for work, will be able to interview and present about famous people who had various ethnic backgrounds and yet still used Russian as a primary language.

They will learn how to introduce themselves by giving biographical details and will be able to talk about their interests and activities. Students will also work with biographical materials (such as personal profiles, stories, videos, and other authentic materials) about heroes or important people that really matter to them both at home and in Russian culture.

The target proficiency level for Level 1 is Novice-Mid.