You are here: 天美传媒 College of Arts & Sciences Carmel Institute

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

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 AU students to study Russian language and history.

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 AU Course/Trip to Istanbul over summer break听from June 23 - July 1, 2025.听The Culture of Eastern Orthodoxy: From Constantinople to Eurasia听will combine pre-assigned readings with visits to museums, galleries, and concerts in Istanbul, T眉rkiye, 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听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听than AU who choose to take the course for university credit should contact听their home university to make those听arrangements.

天美传媒 students: Please complete听. 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听, then send听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听single email听迟辞听carmelinstitute@american.edu听with a cc: to jcosson@american.edu 飞颈迟丑听your last name and "Summer Trip" in the subject line. You may include the required听150-word statement听in the application form听辞谤听submit it in Word or .pdf format in the email with your transcripts.

ALL three parts of the application听(the completed form, your transcript(s), and the 150-word statement)听must be submitted by听5pm on March 7, 2025.听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.听

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

The Culture of Eastern Orthodoxy: Byzantine Influences on Russia and Eurasia Carmel Institute听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, T眉rkiye. The entire group consisted of 天美传媒 of students who spent part of their winter break exploring the legacy of the Eastern Roman Empire and Byzantine Orthodoxy.听

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.

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