Out of language comes culture... Out of culture comes pride... Out of pride comes the future...


ANNUAL CZECH LANGUAGE FOUNDATION BANQUET 2009

The Czech Language Foundation will hold its annual Scholarship Donor Recognition Banquet on March 29th at 6:00 p.m. in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Student Union Ballroom. Doors will open at 4:00 p.m. for a silent auction.

All sponsors who supported Czech language students during the 2008-2009 academic year will be recognized. Michael Klimesh of Spillville, Iowa, will speak about the Impact of Immigration on Czech Communities; Spillville, Iowa. A silent auction, featuring many unique Czech items, will be held as well as a raffle for a 19” Genisus LCDTV.

Advance tickets: $30 adults, $18 students. Call Trudi Stastny at 402.339.7551 to purchase your ticket today.

Join us as we recognize those who sponsored students of the Czech language at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln!

CZECH LANGUAGE CLASSES AT UNL OVER 100 YEARS

The UNL Czech Language Program celebrates the fact that in 1907 students first started to learn Czech language and literature at UNL. The program is one of only seven in the USA offering 3 or more years of continuous instruction and one of the oldest ones. The program offers a Czech language minor after six semesters of coursework. The UNL Czech program has been a very successful one, thanks to its instructors and a number of outstanding students who have also been engaged in the cultural programs of the Czech Komensky Club. The Czech Program was started in 1907 by chancellor Andrews, after members of the Czech community and Czech legislators in the state of Nebraska asked UNL to include it in its curriculum. The Czech language instruction in Nebraska is closely tied to the history of the Czech Komensky Club, named for Jan Amos Komensky, or Comenius, the pioneer educator. Conceived by UNL students in December 1903, and officially established in 1904, it became a nursery for influential personalities in Nebraska political and cultural life. Past members include state and U.S. politicians such as Roman Hruska, Otto Kotouc, Joseph Vosoba, and Rudy Vrtiska; poets Ferdinand Musil, Jeffrey Hrbek, and Hrbek's sister the writer, politician, and educator, Dr. Sarka Hrbek. The Nebraska born Dr. Olga Stastny, recipient of the French Croix De Guerre and many other international medals for her work as a doctor and organizer of international health care, was also a member. According to the club constitution, its aim was to form a bond among Czech-Americans and to provide a model of cultural association to other university settings, where students could study Czech language, history and literature first informally, and later formally, in regular courses. The Czech language and literature program founded in 1907 replaced the informal instruction within the club with formal course work, but it continued to involve students in the Czech Program in the cultural program offered to the university.

KATARINA CERMAKOVA IS NEW CZECH INSTRUCTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN

Arriving from Brno in October of 2008, Katarina Cermakova joined Dr. Mila Saskova-Pierce, and Layne Pierce in teaching the Fall 101, 201 and 301 Czech language classes at UNL. Ms Cermakova, is currently working on her dissertation on Czech syntax. She is highly energetic and fun for students to work with. She came to UNL as part of a program partially funded by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Czech Language is her specialty. This Spring she is teaching 102, 202, and the online Czech 101 class. Shortly after she came to Lincoln, Nebraska, The Nebraska Chapter of Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences had a welcome get together for her to have the opportunity to meet members of the Czech community.

32 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN CZECH IN SPRING 2009

The combined efforts of the Nebraska Czech community,including those in the community who have contributed to the Czech Language Scholarship Program, and the work of Dr. Miluse Saskova-Pierce and Mgr. Katarina Cermakova has resulted in Spring 2009 enrollment of 32 students. In addition to the students enrolled this semester, Two students from the Fall 101 class are now in the Czech Republic, one student is in Prague, and the other is in Brno. One of the major goals of the program is to prepare students for the experience of life and study in the Czech Republic. ABOUT US COMING EVENTS LINKS SCHOLARSHIPS SCHOLARSHIP PARTNERS