A native of St. Petersburg, 2009-2010 Teaching Fellow Yelena Francis is passionate about sharing her culture, not only with the students in her Russian language and Russian literature and media courses at Bennett College for Women, but with the Greensboro community at large.
Over the past several months, Francis has actively organized three photo exhibits on campus spotlighting aspects of Russian history and culture. Exhibits have included: “Russia – Ancient and Modern” – a collection of photographs of Russian architecture, cuisine, and landscapes by Russian students from St. Petersburg colleges; “Russia in Transition” – a collection of photographs depicting the atmosphere in Russia during the period of Perestroika; and “Gems of Russian Architecture” – a collection of photos of Russia’s ancient architecture (churches, cathedrals, monasteries, convents, and fortresses). The exhibits, which were widely advertised on the campuses of Bennett College for Women, University of North Carolina-Greensboro, and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, were highly successful and attended by students, faculty, and local Greensboro residents.
Most recently, in celebration of the "Global Cultural Awareness" week, Francis gave an interactive presentation on Russian culture at the Children's House at Bennett. During this presentation, Francis shared with children Russian traditions and crafts as well as showed a photo slideshow of Moscow and St. Petersburg. Children also treated to a classic Russian fairytale. The success of events such as these demonstrate the strong interest and desire of students and community members in Greensboro, NC in enriching their knowledge and understanding of Russia and its culture.