Program Director
Dina Mokhnatkin, M.A.
Director of the Program, Professor Mokhnatkin, has an M.A. in Russian Language and Literature and was a Research Fellow in Art and Architecture at the St. Petersburg Museum of History. She has extensive experience in teaching Russian language, literature, civilization and cultural studies at all levels in both the United States and Russia. For the past 12 years, Professor Mokhnatkin has been the Director of two Russian Immersion Programs at CSUN – the summer STARTALK Russian Language and Culture Immersion Program and the year-long National Strategic Language Initiative Program (SLI). In addition, she has been the head of a study abroad program for the past 5 years in which students travel to Russia, organizing and coordinating an agreement between California State University, Northridge and the Russian State University for the Humanities in Moscow, Russia. Under her leadership, the program has become coveted throughout the United States and known for its focus, structure, and unprecedented results in achieving fluency in Russian language. Alumni of the program have gone on to employ the Russian language in their future endeavors, from translating at the Russian Winter Olympics in Sochi to teaching English in Russia at the University level while on Fullbright Scholarship to participating in the Peace Corps in Russian speaking countries.
Professor Mokhnatkin has also developed new curriculum for her Russian Studies program at California State University, Northridge utilizing her methodology and pedagogical skills. She has created new classes for the program, such as Russian Civilization, Russian Folklore, and Russian Business and Travel. Her topic of interest is the methodology of teaching Russian Language for non-native speakers.
She is very proud of the instructors who have worked with her for the past 12 years, as well as the several former participants of the program that also make up this year’s Teaching Assistant team.
Instructors
Tetyana Dzyadevych, Lead Instructor
I am an ABD PhD student in the Department of Slavic and Baltic Languages and Literatures at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I was awarded my first Ph.D. in Eastern European Literatures at the Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin (Poland). I am currently working on my second Ph.D. dissertation at UIC.
As a scholar, I employ interdisciplinary approaches in interpreting literary and cultural phenomena. My current research focuses on connections between national canon development and politics as I analyze how Russian and Ukrainian contemporary literatures reflect upon social and political processes and human rights activism in post-Soviet spaces.
Since I have joined the graduate program at UIC, I have gained significant teaching experience in a U.S. academic setting. As a teaching instructor, I independently taught Russian language courses at all levels offered at UIC, including Russian Literature (both from 19th and 20th centuries) in the original. In addition, I am currently in charge of Russian Conversation Club at the School of Literatures, Cultural Studies, and Linguistic at UIC. In 2014 was a research assistant for the Slavic Basic Language Program Coordinator. I am a devoted teacher and dedicate a lot of time and energy to my students. I am a skilled, seasoned educator and an excellent communicator. I am familiar with communicative teaching practices and know how to use authentic materials and technologies in a foreign-language classroom. I am a teacher oriented toward my students’ needs and interests.
I eager to help them to explore the beauty of language as well as specifics of the target culture.
Teaching at the CSUN Russian Language & Culture Immersion Program for a second year as the Lead Instructor was a wonderful adventure, where I could apply all my knowledge and skills teaching students not only language, but helping them to explore their internal potential for communication and creativity.
Irina Anokhin, Instructor
A native of Moscow, Irina Anokhin is fully tri-lingual speaking English, Russian, and Norwegian, and is conversationally capable in Bulgarian. She is an expert, published author, and motivational speaker on lingo-cultural diversity. Her professional training includes advanced degrees and certificates in Russian-English translation, teaching Russian as a foreign language, and teaching English as a second language. In addition to several years of teaching English as a second language to K-12 and college students in the U.S., since 2013 Irina has been teaching Russian as a foreign language at STARTALK at CSU-Northridge and Kent State University, and at Concordia Language Village in Minnesota.
Irina is excited to share her knowledge of the Russian language and culture with her students and colleagues and is committed to bringing modern technology into the classroom to fully engage her students and enrich their educational experiences.
Teaching Assistants
Rosa Fernandez
Привет! My name is Rosa Fernandez. It never crossed my mind to learn a foreign language until I started college. I chose Russian because I was exposed to it as a kid and because I thought it would be a fun challenge. I just completed my Associate’s degree at Santa Monica College and Pasadena City College, and I plan to transfer to a different university soon. As of right now, I do not have any specific career plans, but I am near certain that government work is in my future.
Last summer, I had the privilege of participating in the STARTALK Program as a student. It made me realize that I want to stick with the Russian language for the long haul. Because of my initial experience with the STARTALK Program, I was excited to come back for a second year as an assistant. I am very happy to have had the opportunity to give back, albeit in a small way, to the same program that provided me with an incredibly important formative experience.
Laziz Mamatov
I was born and raised in Uzbekistan until the age of 17 and I am fluent in Russian. I like to speak in different languages and believe that Russian will help me in my future career. I am currently working on my bachelor’s degree in Accounting at California State University, Northridge since September 2017. In the future, I plan to work in the Accounting field by starting my own company, which will help different companies and people.
The STARTALK Russian Language and Culture Immersion Program provides a great learning environment for both staff and students.
Alena Savchenko
I am a graduate student at the California State University, Northridge. I received my undergraduate degree in Marketing and Business Law. During my studies, I was active member and leader in Russian Culture club. I received a certificate for the highest GPA in the Russian Minor Program. I was born in Russia. At the age of 7 I moved to Belarus and at the age of 11, I moved to the USA. This summer, I had a chance to work and be part of the STARTALK Russian Language and Culture Immersion Program as a teacher assistant once again. It is a very exciting experience to share my culture with students from all over the nation.
Denis Savchenko
I just finished my undergraduate studies at the California State University, Northridge. I received my bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics. I was an active member and leader in Russian Culture club; I am very delighted to share the knowledge of the Russian culture. I was born and raised in Vladivostok, Russia. This summer, I am really glad I got an opportunity to work for the program as a teaching assistant once again this year. The STARTALK Russian Language and Culture Immersion Program always provides a great learning environment for both the fellow staff and the students.