Carmel Institute of Russian Culture and History

You are here: 쮸떴팎썩경 College of Arts & Sciences Carmel Institute

Carmel Institute of Russian Culture & History; Susan Carmel Lerhman, Founder.

Igor Butman at Carmel Institute concert, October 2015.

Our Mission

The Carmel Institute builds lasting connections between Russian and American students through musical and theater performances, Russian and Soviet film screenings, conferences, academic travel, and art exhibits. The Institute also offers grants to 쮸떴팎썩경 students to study Russian language and history.

Mosfilm Studios director Karen Shakhnazarov discusses "Assassin of the Tsar"

James Billington with Carmel Director Fedyashin.

The Culture of Eastern Orthodoxy: Byzantine Influences on Russia and Eurasia Call for applications for our Course/Trip to Istanbul

Byzantine-era monuments and art in Istanbul and Moscow

The Carmel Institute will be sponsoring an 쮸떴팎썩경 Course/Trip to Istanbul over summer break桂from June 23 - July 1, 2025.桂The Culture of Eastern Orthodoxy: From Constantinople to Eurasia桂will combine pre-assigned readings with visits to museums, galleries, and concerts in Istanbul, T체rkiye, to explore the role of Byzantine Orthodoxy in forming the cultural and historical space of Western Eurasia from Anatolia and the Balkans to Russia and Eastern Europe.

We桂invite currently-enrolled university students to submit applications to take part in the course. The Carmel Institute covers the cost of students' travel from Dulles International Airport to Istanbul and back, lodging, and meals. Participants should be prepared to purchase a few lunches (at most) and any souvenirs they wish. Students from universities other桂than 쮸떴팎썩경 who choose to take the course for university credit should contact桂their home university to make those桂arrangements.

쮸떴팎썩경 students: Please complete桂. You will need your passport, your transcripts in pdf or image files with your last name in the file name, and your 150-word statement ready to submit the form.

Students of other universities: Please complete桂, then send桂your transcripts - with your last name in the file name - from all post-secondary coursework (unofficial are fine in a .pdf or image format with the logo of the university visible in the file), in a桂single email桂넨늡桂carmelinstitute@american.edu桂with a cc: to jcosson@american.edu 령쓩넨농桂your last name and "Summer Trip" in the subject line. You may include the required桂150-word statement桂in the application form桂늡곶桂submit it in Word or .pdf format in the email with your transcripts.

ALL three parts of the application桂(the completed form, your transcript(s), and the 150-word statement)桂must be submitted by桂5pm on March 7, 2025.桂I cannot forward your application to the selection committee until it is complete and the short timeframe to review the applications and notify the selected students is very tight.桂

Please don't hesitate to reach桂out桂to us if you have桂any桂questions or issues with the form or other required elements of the application. You will receive桂a confirmation桂email once we have your complete application.

桂

The Culture of Eastern Orthodoxy: Byzantine Influences on Russia and Eurasia Carmel Institute桂takes eight university students to see Istanbul

Student group with the Hagia Sophia main gallery's frescoed ceiling behind them.

In December of 2024, the Carmel Institute sponsored a class-trip to Istanbul, T체rkiye. The entire group consisted of 쮸떴팎썩경 of students who spent part of their winter break exploring the legacy of the Eastern Roman Empire and Byzantine Orthodoxy.桂

After learning about the central role of the city and religious belief in the region's history, the group saw key historical sites, visited local museums, and took an excursion out of the city to see key Byzantine locations.