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.

Evgeny Dengub

Administrative Assistant

Sydney Crowley, Class of 2024

Professional Development Committee

CLC PD Committee is committed to promoting best practices in language and culture teaching and assessment, exploring new tools and methodologies for in-person and remote teaching, offering a platform for faculty to share best practices, as well as providing grants, advice and mentoring to faculty in support of their teaching and research, and inviting experts to share best practices and the latest research in the teaching of foreign languages.
  • Hagit Arieli-Chai, Hebrew Language Coordinator and Lecturer
  • Maria Mercedes Fages Agudo, Master Lecturer in Spanish; Coordinator of Spanish 150
  • Peyman Noujoumian, Associate Professor (Teaching) of Persian, Director of the Persian Language Program, Department of Middle East Studies
  • Atiyeh Showrai, Master Lecturer in French; Director of the Basic French Program
  • Liana Stepanyan, Associate Professor (Teaching) of Spanish; Coordinator of Spanish 220 (Chair of the committee)

Community Outreach Committee

The goal of the Community Outreach committee is to create meaningful partnerships with the global communities surrounding USC. Through the implementation of service-based outreach programs and the organization of events, we aim to provide learning opportunities and bring awareness to the importance of studying the diverse languages and cultures represented in our campus, the community, and the world.
  • Maria Mercedes Fages Agudo, Master Lecturer in Spanish (Chair of the committee)
  • 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

The USC CLC Language Exchange Program offers a platform to pair students with a native or near-native speaker of the language they are learning so they can expand their spoken communication skills, meet new friends, and be better able to engage the world around them.
  • 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

Communications (CLC Newsletter)

  • James Fortney, Associate Professor (teaching) of Italian, fortney@usc.edu
  • Avi Mann, ’25, avneetma@usc.edu

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)

  • Cooridnator: Julia C. Chamberlin

Multilingual Talent Show

  • Suzanne Wali (Arabic), chair
  • Ivette Miriam Gomez (Spanish)
  • Jennifer Misran (French)
  • Brady Ryan (Arabic)

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

Annual Reports