Location Ambassadors
SRAS Location Ambassadors write about life on the ground: cafes, clubs, museums, theatrical performances, day and weekend trips, gyms, shopping, sporting events, and more! This program is flexible and SRAS editors will work with participants to assign tasks that are both of interest to them and fill the needs of the SRAS Family of Sites.
The SRAS Location Ambassador program is open to all* SRAS students once abroad! Clear rubrics will guide your topic choice and inform you of any writing requirements. Ambassadors are issued a generous stipend per completed entry and may write up to five entries.
To apply for the SRAS Location Ambassador program, simply contact SRAS editor Josh Wilson once you are abroad with SRAS! See below for additional details.
*Program not currently available in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Topics of interest include almost anything that describes life on the ground while abroad. You will need to assure that the topic has not been previously covered – either by checking lists available within the rubrics or by simply asking SRAS editor Josh Wilson.
Many subjects will have rubrics where you can simply answer a few short writing prompts to submit the required information. You will also need to supply at least five pictures for any subject you cover.
Submissions will be edited by SRAS editors and you, with guidance from SRAS editors. Completed articles will be published on SRASStudents.org, PopKult.org, Folkways.Today, or MuseumStudiesAbroad.org.
To apply for the SRAS Location Ambassador program, simply contact SRAS editor Josh Wilson once you are abroad with SRAS!
Applicants need not be American citizens nor do they need to be enrolled in a university when applying. The only requirement is strong writing skills in English.
This is a not a credit bearing course.
Participants are awarded a $50 stipend for each entry they complete. Participants may write up to five entries. Payments are made via Venmo or Zelle within a week of publication.
This opportunity is stackable with SRAS Program Grants and SRAS Online Research Internships.
Commonly Asked Questions
I wanted to find a program that combined my love of Russia and my passion for environmental studies. Because of my interest in environmental issues, Lake Baikal had always been a site of interest to me. Studying abroad in Siberia gives you the opportunity to see a completely different side of Russia and the Russian people. Just think, few people at home even know that Siberia is anything but a wintery tundra!
I spent Fall and Spring with your program in St. Petersburg and it was truly the highlight and culmination of my University experience and just a banner year! I can’t thank you enough for or gush enough about your program. I recommend it to just about everyone I talk to, whether or not they’re interested in learning Russian.
The program here is wonderful. All of my teachers have been extremely helpful and I have made friends both here in the dorms and with others who live in the city and find that I often have many opportunities to practice Russian outside of the classroom. Already I feel that my Russian has improved immensely, especially my listening and speaking.
At a time in my life when I was at a crossroads regarding where my career might take me, this course showed me a path that truly inspired me, and I haven’t looked back since.
I’ve studied in Irkutsk and St. Petersburg with SRAS, but [Bishkek] is, by far, my favorite because of the intense focus on speaking skills. I spend about three hours, 4 times a week speaking one-on-one. It’s such a unique opportunity! The people are also especially friendly here. My homestay is fantastic, the coordinator is a never-ending wealth of help, and the food of Central Asia is delicious.
My semester back home so far has been incredibly influenced by my semester abroad with SRAS and I find myself talking about it almost daily. Since many of my classes touch on the region (Europe after Socialism, Central Asian Politics), I’m able to add comments and insights unavailable to me before. My contributions to our Russian club have also been greatly enriched. Thank you for everything you did to facilitate this experience and going out of your way to ensure our success.