Volgograd State Pedagogical University Department of English Philology Lenin Avenue, 27, Volgograd 400131 Russia
Tel. (8442) 951354 Fax (8442) 951354
Vice President for Academic Affairs Mount St. Mary College
300 Powell Avenue Newburgh, New York ]
Reference Letter
I am senior professor of English Philology and Head of that Department at Volgograd State Pedagogical University. I have known Dr. Ludmila Smirnova in many capacities over the past more than twenty five years: student peer, faculty colleague, and my Dean. It is my pleasure to write on behalf of Dr. Smirnova's promotion and reappointment and to help explain her accomplishments as a Russian scholar to an American audience of reviewers.
Dr. Smirnova was one of the brightest students of the School of Foreign Languages at our University. After graduating, she worked as Instructor of English and arts and as Vice-Principal at
a local school in Volgograd that incorporated what Americans would call K-11. Her colleagues spoke highly of her devotion to the teaching profession and her successful teaching was well recognized.
After successfully finishing a post-graduate course in pedagogy and then receiving her
Ph.D. in Education, Dr. Smirnova became an instructor in educational theory and an expert on educational innovation. In a short time, many teachers of foreign languages, elementary school teachers, and school principals in the Volgograd region came to know Dr. Ludmila Smirnova as a competent specialist in the methods of teaching and educating children and in school reform and innovation. She served as a member of the educational expert committee in Volgograd region supervising and evaluating experimental work.
Among the innovations for which she is best known is her work in pioneering and implementing the method of Maria Montessori in this region. Dr. Smirnova trained in both the American and International forms of Montessori and subsequently inspired, trained teachers and principals, and supervised several local schools that applied this method. She was additionally contributed in the creation and development of the pioneer Ecological Gymnasium in Volgograd.
Dr. Smirnova earned a reputation as a serious scholar of educational theory and innovation. She has more than 70 research articles published in Russia and abroad. The preponderance of these were screened in peer review. She also served as a highly successful research supervisor in Pedagogy; under her guidance four doctoral dissertations have been successfully defended and she was a major contributor to another four or five dissertations, She supervised approximately twenty master theses. She also directed a large number of diploma papers (premasters but post-graduate theses used to qualify graduate students) . The work of the students she supervised has been highly evaluated by the faculty and she was highly successful in guiding students to qualify for masters and doctoral research.
Dr. Smirnova always taught English professionally and she won respect and cordial friendship with students and teachers of the Foreign Languages School who elected her the Dean of the Faculty, a position she held for seven years (one of which I served for her in an acting capacity when she was in the U.S.). In this capacity, Dr. Smirnova oversaw 80 faculty and 600 students. She made major contributions to the modernization of the University facilities and modernizing the School in terms of technology, enlisting outside funding and assistance far the School, and meeting European standards, Had she not left for the U.S., I think she would still continue in this senior administrative approach.
In these ways, Dr. Smirnova earned recognition as a prominent figure in education at our University and in all of Russia. She won the coveted diploma of recognition from the Russian Ministry of Education, an honor given only to the most influential and successful educators,
Dr. Smirnova has also contributed greatly to the development of mutual cooperation in international programs of the university. She served as a leader of a number of international research programs established in Volgograd, linking our University to programs in Holland, the former East Germany, England and the U.S.
Dr. Smirnova is very cheerful, versatile, well balanced and able to relate successfully to all manner of people. Her commitment to students is well known both at our university and at Ramapo College, where she taught as a visiting professor from 1998-1999 and 2000-2001. She is an extraordinarily important role model for her students as an educator and educational leader. She proved able to work easily with students and faculty, her fellow administrators, visiting and foreign programs and guests, and educators and administrators in the region.
Dr. Smirnova's present research interest is concentrated wi thin the problem, of adaptation of foreign educational theory to Russian pedagogical science. She is particularly interested in the application of American approaches to Russian education as well as the strengthening of pedagogical theory in the U.S. Her post-doctoral research project has been officially nominated as a perspective branch of Comparative Pedagogy.
Dr. Smirnova has been very much missed in Volgograd---by students and colleagues together. She was a major contributor to the lifeblood of the institution. I have no doubt that she can successfully translate her talents to the American academy and will succeed as a Professor at your university. Her wealth of experience and talent and her many accomplishments suggest that she receive advanced rank in her position and continuing reappointment. I recommend her to you unreservedly.
Vladimir Karasik, Professor, Dr.Sc., Ph.D. English Philology Department Volgograd State Pedagogical
e-mail vkarasik@yandex.ru