Essay Contest

2023 Russian Essay Contest Winners and Results

2023 National Post-Secondary Russian Essay Contest Award Winners from Rutgers

In this year’s contest, there were nearly 1,000 essays submitted from dozens of universities, colleges, and institutions across the nation. Judges from Moscow read each essay and ranked the top 15 to 20% of essays (depending on the total number submitted in each category). Of these, FOUR Rutgers students earned awards in the national contest! Congratulations to:

Nicholas Doblosky (B1 level): Silver medal

Olena Freyak (B1 level): Bronze medal

Helen Hopersky (C4 level): Bronze medal

Alex Dolgin (C2 level): Honorable mention

Congratulations!!

2023 Rutgers Russian Essay Contest Results

102

1st Place, Non-heritage: Emily Gill
1st Place, Heritage: Olena Freyak
2nd Place: Shannon Huhn
3rd Place: Marie Parkin
Honorable Mentions: Jack Eagleburger, Sarah Roth

202

1st Place: John Thatcher
2nd Place: Nicholas Doblosky
Honorable Mention: Alexandria Minetti

208

1st Place: Rosie Berman
2nd Place: Alex Dolgin
Honorable Mentions: Andrew Krapivin, Bianca Lusher

302

1st Place, Non-heritage: Marcus Cook 
1st Place, Heritage: Jennifer Raskoshin 
Honorable Mentions: Sophia Malinsky, Yury Lauterbach

403

1st Place: Liza Ter-Saakov
2nd Place: Valery Lyssyakevich
3rd Place: Ivan Nikolaev
Honorable Mention: Amel Metjahic

At-large, honorable mention: Helen Hopersky

2022 Russian Essay Contest Winners and Results

2022 National Post-Secondary Russian Essay Contest Award Winners from Rutgers

In this year’s contest, there were 973 essays submitted from dozens of universities, colleges, and institutions across the nation. This year, the judges worked tirelessly despite difficult circumstances (forced to flee Russia shortly after the invasion of Ukraine), and read each essay and ranked the top 15 to 20% of essays (depending on the total number submitted in each category. This year, TWO Rutgers students earned an honorable mention! Congratulations to:

Helen Hopersky, Level C4

Yury Uspensky, Level C6

Congratulations!!

2022 Rutgers Russian Essay Contest Results

102:01:

1st Place: Alexandria Minetti, non-heritage
1st Place: Camilla Vaynberg, heritage

102:02:

1st Place: John Thatcher
2nd Place: Alexander Fleming
3rd Place: Bradan Brown
Honorable Mention: Alessandro Pogorzhelsky

202:

1st Place: Allison Scarinci
2nd Place: Yury Lauterbach

208:

1st Place: Sophia Malinsky
2nd Place: Michelle Tomashevska
3rd Place: Joshua Chernov

302:

1st Place: Liza Ter-Saakov

403:

1st Place: Alexander Levitis
2nd Place: Helen Hopersky
3rd Place: Ivan Nikolaev

2021 Russian Essay Contest Winners and Results

2021 National Post-Secondary Russian Essay Contest Award Winners from Rutgers

In this year’s contest, there were over 1100 essays submitted from 30 universities, colleges, and institutions across the nation. Three judges in Moscow read each essay and ranked the top 15% of essays (depending on the total number submitted in each category). This year, SIX Rutgers students earned an award! Congratulations to:

Jean-William Mackler, Honorable Mention, Level A3

Anna Igaunis, Silver Medal, Level C1

Alexander Warden, Honorable Mention, Level C1

Jaden Riveles, Honorable Mention, Level C2

Elizaveta Belaya, Bronze Medal, Level C4

Helen Hopersky, Honorable Mention, Level C4

Congratulations!!

2021 Rutgers Russian Essay Contest Results

102:

Fayrouz Hadi, 1st place
Noah McAllister, 2nd place

202: 

Jaden Riveles, 1st place

208: 

Anna Igaunis, 1st place

302: 

Fiona Kniaz, 1st place;
Jean-William Mackler, Honorable Mention

402:

Elizaveta Belaya, 1st place

Not currently enrolled in Russian courses: 

Helen Hopersky, Honorable Mention;
Mikaela Peters, Honorable Mention

2020 Russian Essay Contest Winners and Results

2020 National Post-Secondary Russian Essay Contest Award Winners from Rutgers

In this year’s contest, there were 1261 essays submitted from 56 universities, colleges, and institutions across the nation. Three judges in Moscow read each essay and ranked the top 15 to 20% of essays (depending on the total number submitted in each category). This year only 216 essays were given awards. Of those, THREE Rutgers students earned an honorable mention!:

Brandon Kalika (B2 level)

John Sanders (A3 level)

Kamilla Azbel (C4 level)

Congratulations!!

2020 Rutgers Russian Essay Contest Results

102:01

1st Place: Alexandra Schindewolf
2nd Place: Daniel Friedman
3rd Place: Jaden Riveles

102:02

1st Place: Marguerite Estornell
2nd Place: Michelle Cho
3rd Place: Joseph Soldo

202

1st Place: Jonathan Walsh
2nd Place: Brandon Kalika
3rd Place: Fiona Kniaz

208

1st Place: Alan Gutman
2nd Place: Julia Sorkin
3rd Place: Henrick Lekhno
Honorable Mention: Makar Abt

302

1st Place: Eric Fountain 

407

1st Place: Kamilla Azbel
Honorable Mention: Meghana Maratha

Non-enrolled:

Honorable Mention: Elizaveta Funt

Russian Essay Contest Winners and Results - 2019 and earlier

2019 National Post-Secondary Russian Essay Contest Award Winners from Rutgers

In this year's contest, there were 1,434 essays submitted from 68 universities, colleges, and institutions around the nations. Three judges in Moscow read each essay and ranked the top 15 to 20% of essays. This year, only 219 essays were given awards. One of those 219 is a Rutgers student!

Lisbeth Cespedes, Bronze Medal (A1 level)

2019 Rutgers Russian Essay Contest Results

Non-Heritage level 102

1^st Place: Julia Michael
2^nd Place: Lisbeth Cespedes
3^rd Place: Brandon Kalika
Honorable Mention: Michael Prodanov

Non-Heritage Level 202

1^st Place: Hannah Ross
2^nd Place: Harry Manning
3^rd Place: Jean-William Mackler
Honorable Mention: Eric Fountain

Heritage Level 208

1^st Place: Daniel Bezden
2^nd Place: Anna Rabinovich
3^rd Place: Alec Bakholdin 

Level 302

1^st Place: Larissa Wojtenko
2^nd Place: Brenna Yellin
3^rd Place: Mikala Valosin

Level 402

1^st Place: Kamila Azbel
2^nd Place: Karen Done
3^rd Place: Adrian Sugar

Read more: Russian Essay Contest Winners and Results - 2019 and earlier