Victoria Hasko, director of the University of Georgia’s Russian Flagship Program, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Richard Reiff Award for Campus Internationalization. The award recognizes full-time faculty who have made exceptional contributions to global education at UGA.
Expanding Global Learning Opportunities
Presented annually by the Office of Global Engagement, the Richard Reiff Award honors faculty commitment to global education. Hasko has directed the flagship program since 2018, working to expand access to international learning opportunities for students across disciplines.
Hasko is an associate professor of applied linguistics and Slavic studies, with a joint appointment in the department of Germanic and Slavic studies and the department of linguistics in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.
Growth of the Russian Flagship Program
“Through thoughtfully designed language instruction and distinctive opportunities abroad, Dr. Hasko has broadly advanced student success and contributed to the achievements of some of our most outstanding students,” said Martin Kagel, UGA associate provost for global engagement. “The Reiff Award is a fitting recognition of her exceptional leadership and the lasting impact the Russian Flagship Program has had on our campus.”
Under Hasko’s leadership, the Russian Flagship Program has become one of the largest and most successful programs of its kind nationally. Funded by the Defense Language and National Security Education Office since 2018, the program has served students from over 30 majors and minors. Alumni include two recent Rhodes Scholars, a 2025 Truman Scholar, and recipients of Boren awards, Fulbright grants and the Critical Language Scholarship.
The program focuses on intensive language instruction, weekly tutoring, and a curriculum designed for high-proficiency outcomes. It emphasizes professionalizing Russian language study, integrating career readiness, scholarship advisement, and professional development into the student experience. Students involved come from across campus, including the School of Public and International Affairs, Terry College of Business, and departments such as art history, chemistry, history, and mathematics.
A Focus on Global Competence
“This is not just a program to study Russian,” Hasko said. “This program fosters global competence. I sincerely believe that the students who come to us are future global leaders.”
Since becoming director, Hasko has secured more than $7 million in federal funding for global education initiatives at UGA. This funding supports programs like the Immersion in the Russian Language, Cultures and Communities in the Baltics program, which sends students to Riga, Latvia, for coursework and internships. She also coordinated UGA’s partnership with American Councils and the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty, Kazakhstan. UGA has been recognized as a leading provider of Russian study abroad opportunities since 2023.
Curriculum and Community Building
On campus, Hasko has reshaped the Russian language curriculum, establishing a Russian language Living-Learning Community in Rutherford Hall and expanding extracurricular programming to two weekly conversation sessions. Program cohorts participate in academic communities and domestic trips to locations including the Kennedy Space Center and Washington, D.C.
“Our students spend time with each other in classes and in almost daily activities,” Hasko said. “We have scholars who come and present, conversation hours and international graduate students who represent their countries. It’s wonderful when ambitious students share that kind of core experience with each other. They inspire each other to keep going.”
Alumni have gone on to positions with the National Security Agency, U.S. Department of War, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, military intelligence units, and consulting firms. Hasko currently mentors over 90 students and serves as chair of the national Language Flagship Directors’ Council.
“No matter the task, Dr. Hasko consistently creates meaningful opportunities for students to engage in Russian studies and develop the global expertise needed to better understand this complex region,” said Mercedes Bengs, a graduate of the Russian Flagship Program, 2025 Truman Scholar and Boren Scholar. “Having just completed the Russian Flagship Program, I can confidently say that she prepared me not only linguistically, but also culturally and professionally to work in Russian-speaking contexts.”
More information about the Richard Reiff Award for Campus Internationalization is available at globalengagement.uga.edu/richardreiffaward. Details about the Russian Flagship Program at UGA can be found at russianflagship.uga.edu.
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