First prize went to graduate student Christy Wyatt, second prize to undergraduate Sarah Failla and third prize to another graduate student, Sara Detmer. All three are students in the Russian language program in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. Proud professor Lubensky has been a source of support and encouragement to students. Last year, her student Lynne Blackburn, also won first prize.

Professor Lubensky has been a long-time supporter of the Albany-Tula Alliance, offering expert advice and hospitality to visiting professors and dignitaries from Tula.

This year the students wrote on the topic "Coming of Age" in Russian, focusing on a text of their own choosing from Russian literature. Simultaneously, in Russia, young scholars wrote on the same topic in English using text from American literature. Winners were chosen by panels of judges from both countries and the UAlbany students were judged by a committee in Tula and by Dr. Catherine Chvany, professor emerita and chair, Russian Language and Culture, MIT.

The Russian students were judged by a committee assembled by Martha Fleming, professor emerita, UAlbany�s Department of English and the awards were presented in Tula by Charlotte Buchanan, founding chair of the Albany-Tula Alliance.