‘Stoked on the Russian language’: Dobro Slovo Slavic Honors Society bounces back after quiet year
- Caelyn Ochs, Staff Writer
- 58 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Sarah Bishop, professor of Russian, reestablished the Dobro Slovo Slavic Honors Society for Willamette Students in 2019 after it had remained dormant for many years. Bishop continued to induct members every year except last, when no students qualified. This spring, she will be inducting five new members.
The purpose of the society is to honor the work that students have put into their study of Slavic culture and language.
To qualify for entry into this society, students must have two years of study in a Slavic language — Willamette offers only Russian — with a GPA of 3.5 for those classes, as well as a GPA of 3.0 in all other subjects. They also must indicate a desire to continue to study Slavic culture, language, literature, or other related fields. After these qualifications are met, there is a one-time $25 induction fee for those hoping to be inducted.
The society was first organized in 1926 at the University of California, Berkeley and grew into a national organization by 1963. This national organization was run from 1971-2020 by Dr. Sanford Couch at Arizona State University. He did this all on his own until finally retiring, giving the reins to the American Council for Teachers of Russian.
Since 1926, 120 universities have opened chapters. Out of these 120, Willamette is the smallest university with a chapter, and the only university that offers it in the Northwest Conference.
One of the five students being inducted this spring is Aidan Sower-Sinor (’27).
“It’s really exciting for me because I am stoked on the Russian language, and I love Slavic and Russian culture,” he said. He came to Willamette with the intent to study Greek or Latin in support of an English major but decided to give Russian a shot when he saw that it was offered. “I immediately fell in love with it,” he said.
He’s considering applying for government roles that will allow him to use his Russian language skills after graduation.
When students are inducted into the Dobro Slovo Society, they are given a pin and honor cord.
Designed to encapsulate the organization’s purpose, the pin is shaped as a key and has the two Glagolitic letters for Dobro Slovo, which translates to “beautiful word.” Dobro is placed in the upper left corner, with Slovo in the bottom right.
Bishop remarked that many people believe Russian was written in Cyrillic, but the original alphabet for the Russian language was Glagolitic, which is what is used on the pin.
Aside from the letters, there is a firebird in the upper right corner of the pin that connects with Slavic folklore. Finally, the bottom left corner depicts a page being turned to show, as the official website states, that the organization “represents the ongoing search through books and manuscripts in pursuit of greater understanding Slavic Language, Literature, and Culture.”
As Bishop stated, the upcoming inductions are “really about welcoming [the students] into an academic community.”
Members who are graduating will be seen wearing their newfound community on their sleeves as they walk the stage at commencement this spring, with cords and a pin decorating their caps and gowns.
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