The University of Pittsburgh's Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, the European Studies Center, and the Graduate Organization for the Study of Europe and Central Asia join Yale University's Macmillan Center to host the 2026 REEESNe Student Conference. This FREE student conference will bring together undergraduate and Master's-level students from the northeast and beyond. The event will feature panels of student research papers, roundtables for presenting student experiences (study abroad, internships, volunteering, etc.), and a professionalization panel with alumni, who apply REEES expertise in a diversity of careers.

Application Deadline: December 12, 2025

Join Brazil Nuts in the Global Hub for weekly Bate-Papo Conversation Hours to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!

Bate-Papo Conversation Hours are every Monday during Spring semester, starting January 26 and ending April 20.

Hosted by Brazil Nuts

UPDATE: Bate-Papo's meeting on January 26 has been postponed due to weather.

Join the German Club for weekly meetings on Mondays in the Global Hub to practice German and share about German culture! 

Hosted by the German Club

Join us for our weekly Global Distinction Drop-In Hours on Tuesdays from 3-4 pm in the Global Hub! Come learn how to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market, get the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receive special recognition at graduation, and stand out to prospective employers.

Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!

Hosted by the French Club

Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!

Hosted by the French Club

Join the Arabic Club in the Global Hub every other Wednesday during Spring semester, starting January 28, to practice Arabic language, structured by varying geographic dialects and level of speaker proficiency!

Hosted by the Arabic Club

The Global Studies Center is hosting a Muslim Student and Faculty/Staff Eid Luncheon to celebrate the Islamic holiday - Eid Al-Fitr

Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch to the Global Hub every Thursday to chat with the Department of French and Italian and practice Italian!

Tavola Italiana will meet every Thursday during Spring semester, from January 15 to April 23, EXCEPT on January 29, February 5, February 12, and March 12.

Hosted by the Department of French and Italian

Join the Center for African Studies on Thursdays to practice conversational Swahili in a social environment.

Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!

The Slavic Languages and Literatures Department wants to introduce students to the Slavic spring rituals though a media-focused lens.

The ACTR (American Council of Teachers of Russian) of Western Pennsylvania Olympiada of Spoken Russian is an annual national competition provides US school and college students the opportunity to demonstrate their Russian language knowledge while meeting other students of Russian and conversing with native Russian speakers. Students will receive recognition for their demonstrated language proficiency, improve their chances of getting international and study abroad scholarships, and enhance their professional résumé.

Questions? Please contact Anna Karpusheva (ank490@pitt.edu)

Please register at the link here before February 27th, 2026.

Co-Sponsors:

University of Pittsburgh, Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies and Department of Slavic Languages & Literatures

Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Modern Languages

11:00 AM- Urban Farmers and Green Spaces: Berlin’s Lessons for Pittsburgh

Dr. Jesko Hirschfeld, Humboldt University of Berlin
Urban farming in Pittsburgh took off around 2005 but has roots reaching back to the community gardens established in the 1940s. Berlin, by contrast, has incorporated various forms of urban gardening into its cityscape for nearly 200 years.
What insights can Pittsburgh draw from Berlin’s long history of urban farming? And what perspectives might Pittsburgh’s more recent initiatives offer to urban growers in Berlin?
In this engaging talk, Dr. Jesko Hirschfeld highlights innovative gardening initiatives, from classic allotments to new community-driven models. Explore how urban green spaces strengthen neighborhoods, improve climate resilience, and expand access to fresh food—while also confronting challenges like gentrification and shrinking public funding.
Join us for a lively look at how urban farmers shape healthier, greener cities.

1:00 PM- Part I: Panel Discussion
Moderator: Randall Halle, European Studies Center
Panelists:
Dr. Patrick Shirey — University of Pittsburgh
Lisa Freeman — Freeman and Family Farm
State Representative Emily Kinkead, PA House District 20, Chair of the Legislative Hunger Caucus
Dr. Jesko Hirschfeld — Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

2:30 PM- Part II:  Discussion Groups:
Group A: Urban Farming Challenges & Opportunities
Group B: Climate resilience strategies in cities
Group C: Ensuring nutrition security for vulnerable populations

3:30 PM-Part III:  Call for Action with Closing Remarks

Join the Vietnamese Student Association for a Vietnamese Food Workshop to spread Vietnamese culture.

Location
The Frick Art Museum and the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning
Cost:
$35 Member
$45 Adult
$45 Senior (65+)
$20 Youth (3-17)
$20 College Student (w/ ID)

Members of The Frick Societies receive complimentary admission
Description:
Co-presented by The Frick Pittsburgh and the Nationality and Heritage Rooms at the University of Pittsburgh, this special program studies immigration, culture and labor in Pittsburgh through time. Beginning with a visit to the Nationality and Heritage Rooms, classrooms gifted from the ethnic communities who helped build Pittsburgh, and ending with a tour of the Lewis Hine Pictures America exhibition, this program will take attendees back in time to discuss the rich cultural fabric of Pittsburgh.

Advanced registration and pre-payment required. Program begins at University of Pittsburgh, Cathedral of Learning; participants are responsible for their own transportation. Click here to find additional information including directions and parking at the University of Pittsburgh.

This event is also being offered on April 10 and May 14.

https://www.thefrickpittsburgh.org/Event-Guided-Tours-of-the-Nationality...