Info for:
Home/ World Languages and Literatures/ Borscht for Peace: Russian Club cooks Borscht in solidarity with Ukranian refugees in Portland

Borscht for Peace: Russian Club cooks Borscht in solidarity with Ukranian refugees in Portland

October 21, 2022
Borscht for Peace
Borscht for Peace

During parents weekend, the Russian Club hosted a very special event. On October 15th, students gathered in the basement of Howard Residence Hall to make Borscht together. The event was hosted by Alex Veselkov, our Russian Language Assistant and Feya Dawkins, the president of the Russian Club. This was an opportunity to advocate for students to support refugees from Ukraine, Russia and Easter Europe in the Pacific Northwest.

Borscht (борщ) is a unique tasting beet soup that has a complex range of flavors and has a deep ruby color! It originated in Ukraine. It’s so healthy and nutritious. Here is a recipe - you can also make it vegetarian!

Russian Club President Feya Dawkins explained that, to “pay” for this meal, members chose to donate directly to IRCO’s We are All in this Together - Ukraine War Relief Fund. Russian Section head and Professor Maria Hristova is familiar with the IRCO Slavic and Eastern Europe Support branch based in Portland and helped connect the club. This organization aids immigrants in the Pacific Northwest assimilate and become self-sufficient. Feya states: “As Russian Club President I am proud to associate with this organization and that my club could unite fellow community members to support a common interest while celebrating joint cultures in peace”.

Feya also advises those who are interested in getting involved can volunteer or donate to their cause through their website. Professor Hristova too, has additional resources for those seeking to get involved with IRCO.

World Languages and Literatures is located in Miller Center on the Undergraduate Campus.
MSC: 30

voice 503-768-7420 
fax 503-768-7434 

Chair Therese Augst

  • World Languages and Literatures
    Lewis & Clark
    615 S. Palatine Hill Road 
    Portland OR 97219

More Stories

Fullbright Information session

Interested in teaching, study, or research abroad after graduation? Come to the Fulbright information session this Thursday from 3:30-4:30pm in the Interactive Learning Center (Miller 211)!

The Fulbright program awards grants in over 160 countries.

Come and learn more about the Fulbright U.S. Student program, the opportunities it offers around the world, and the application process.

Satomi Newson with student

Teacher of the Year Winner!

It is with great pleasure to announce and congratulate our 2025 Teacher of the Year: Satomi Newsom, Instructor of Japanese. Satomi has inspired students through her dedication, passion, and excellence in teaching. Her commitment to student success and her dynamic contributions to the academic life of our college have truly set her apart.

Outstanding Achievement at the 2025 Chinese Bridge Competition!

At the 2025 “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency & Talent Competition – Oregon Preliminary our very own Trevor Koo won 1st place, and Marta Alpresa Balaguer, took the 2nd place awards. This is an incredible accomplishments that reflect their dedication, hard work, and talent in learning Chinese. Our Chinese instructor, Meiru Liu said, “I’m so proud of how far you’ve come and the passion you both bring to studying the language and engaging with Chinese culture. Keep up the great work—this is a wonderful milestone on your Chinese learning journey, and I look forward to seeing what you’ll accomplish next!”

SPAN 260: Cultural Production of the Spanish-Speaking World: Introduction to Latin American Studies

What is Latin America, a region, a culture, an idea, a utopia? Are we part of Latin America if the US is the fourth country with the most Latin people in the world? This introductory course will address these and many more questions through analyzing history, literature, music, cinema, and other cultural aspects.