The mission of the Center is to promote language learning on USC campus.
Director of the Center
Evgeny Dengub
Evgeny is the co-author of three Russian language textbooks: Etazhi: 2nd year Russian Language and Culture (2021, Georgetown UP), Russian for Advanced Students (2013, Dunwoody press) and Panorama: Intermediate Russian Language and Culture (2017, Georgetown UP), which received AATSEEL prize for Best Contribution to Language Pedagogy in 2019. Dengub has created and led a variety of workshops and trainings for teachers both in Russia and the United States and has supervised the work of teaching assistants at Amherst College and University of Massachusetts. For a number of years he directed a STARTALK Institute for teachers of Russian at Middlebury College Russian School where he has worked as a lead instructor and a testing coordinator for more than a decade. As an active OPI, OPIc and WPT tester and rater, Dengub possesses thorough knowledge of ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, the oral proficiency test protocol and proficiency-based instruction. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Councils of Teachers of Russian (ACTR).
You can reach Evgeny by email at dengub@usc.edu or schedule a Zoom meeting with him.

Administrative Student Assistants
Sydney Crowley, Class of 2024
Anna Boswell, Class of 2024
Professional Development Committee
- Hagit Arieli-Chai, Hebrew Language Coordinator and Lecturer
- Peyman Noujoumian, Professor (Teaching) of Persian, Director of the Persian Language Program
- Yi-Hsien Liu, Associate Professor (Teaching) of Chinese, Director of the Chinese Language Program,
- Atiyeh Showrai, Master Lecturer in French; Director of the Basic French Program
Community Outreach Committee
- María Mercedes Fages Agudo, Master Lecturer in Spanish, Chair
- Jamie Fudacz, Assistant Professor (Teaching) of Spanish
- Steven Gonzalez, Postdoctoral Scholar (Classics)
- Lori N Mesrobian, Associate Professor (Teaching) of Spanish
- Jennifer Misran, Lecturer in French
Language Exchange Program Committee
- Anahit Milagerdi Hakoupian, Associate Professor (Teaching) of Spanish
- Christopher Magriney, Lecturer in Chinese, Chair
Foreign Language Literary Journal Advisory Board
The Faculty Advisory Board provides resources, support, guidance and oversees students in coordinating the publication of the literary journal.
- Anahit Hakoupian, Associate professor (teaching) of Spanish, Chair
- Evgeny Dengub, Professor (teaching) of Russian
- Lucas Matthew Herchenroeder, Associate professor (teaching) of Classics
- Tin-Yu Tseng, Assistant professor (teaching) of Chinese
- Brady Ryan, Lecturer of Arabic
AL Award Selection Committee
- Jenifer Crawford, Professor of Clinical Education, Rossier School of Education
- Peyman Noujoumian, Associate Professor (Teaching) of Persian, Director of the Persian Language Program, Department of Middle East Studies
- Hagit Arieli-Chai (chair), Lecturer, Director of the Hebrew Language Program, Hebrew Union College
Foreign Language Teacher Training (AL orientation)
- Coordinator: Julia C. Chamberlin, Master Lecturer in French
Multilingual Talent Show
- Suzanne Wali (Arabic), chair
- Ivette Miriam Gomez (Spanish)
- Jennifer Misran (French)
Questions? Want to serve on a committee?
If you have questions to or about the committee or would like to serve on it in the future, please, email Evgeny Dengub at dengub@usc.edu