The Havighurst Center for Russian and Post-Soviet Studies was established as the result of an endowment from the late Walter Havighurst, author and longtime Miami University English professor who taught at Miami from 1928-1969.

The Center is interdisciplinary, with faculty associates in many departments throughout the University. In addition to the Center's Director and Staff, the Center relies on Faculty Associates who are drawn together by their mutually held interests in exploring issues related to Russia and the post-Soviet region.