Alla Nedashkivska has long been a strong advocate of all things Ukrainian at the Department of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies (MLCS) at the University of Alberta (UofA). Thus well placed, she hit the ground running when war broke out. Partnering with the Department of Music (specifically William Street, Chair, and Andriy Talpash, Lecturer), Alla was MLCS lead in organizing the Fundraising for Ukraine Concert on March 12, 2022. This was the first major in-person concert since the COVID-19 pandemic, and tickets were in such high demand that it was also live-streamed, garnering over 4,000 views and raising over $30,000. Through this huge event, the UofA was able to directly engage with our strong Ukrainian community.
Naturally, more could be done. So Alla joined in founding the Disrupted Ukrainian Scholars and Students Initiative (DUSS). At the University of Alberta, MLCS partnered with the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS), the Kule Institute for Advanced Study, the Kule Folklore Centre, the Wirth Institute for Austrian and Central European Studies, and the Department of History, Classics and Religion. These six Faculty of Arts units have pivoted in order to consolidate existing funds and raise further monies to meet the needs of Ukrainian researchers who have had their studies disrupted and/or been displaced. Alla was also successful in independently applying for $20,000 in additional funding for the initiative. The funds are bringing scholars and graduate students to the UofA, or providing on-site support to those who cannot travel due to challenges posed by the war. Such support will strengthen the research connections between scholars in Canada and Ukraine. This long-term impact will enrich our community and enable these scholars to continue their work for Ukraine. DUSS is ensuring that these disrupted scholars have the network of support they need to continue as their universities are destroyed.
Alla’s research work is also playing a role in bringing to the world the realities of Ukrainian language issues, one of the excuses for starting the war. In March 2022, CIUS organized a video/rapid response series to help inform the public about critical Ukrainian questions. Alla’s presentation on the language situation was one of these critical aids. She further presented about Ukrainian language issues at the Pluralizing Ukrainian Studies in Greifswald, Germany and at the University of British Columbia’s series on Ukraine in May, 2022, among other appearances, ensuring Ukraine’s reality remains front and centre in academic communities.
Ever an advocate of strong engagement, Alla works closely with students on university and community rallies, speaking with the media, fundraising, volunteering, and liaising between the university and the community. Before this war started, Alla helped teach Canadian soldiers about the Ukrainian language and cultural realities.
This activity has sparked renewed interest among students to learn Ukrainian. Alla facilitated the opening of additional Ukrainian courses at the University of Alberta, taking on significant additional teaching responsibilities to ensure student success. Professor Alla Nedashkivska is dedicated to delivering to these newly focused youth an incredible Ukrainian language and culture learning opportunity.
