A Slavic studies scholar who took nearly a decade away from academia to work as a computer programmer and a semi-professional flutist won another unusual distinction for her resume yesterday—an offer of tenure from Harvard.

Weston Associate Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures Julie A. Buckler was extended an offer of tenure yesterday. Though she has yet to officially accept, Buckler says she plans to do so.

“I’m completely thrilled,” she said. “It’s something you shoot for for seven years, but you would be a fool to count on it or assume that it will happen. I feel very lucky.”

Chair of the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures Michael S. Flier says Buckler’s appointment comes as part of a larger effort on the part of the University to attract and maintain junior faculty members.

“This old system of people shuffling in and out of junior positions is no longer viable,” Flier said.

William Mills Todd III, Reisinger professor of Slavic languages and literatures said that Buckler’s appointment is part of a larger trend.

“I think it is definitely part of a trend that the University is willing to now promote superb people from within, much more than it’s been under previous administrations,” he said.

“I’m guessing...that President Summers, who himself was promoted from within to tenure, is more receptive to this than previous presidents. And I think it’s a willingness on his part to take risks with younger people,” Todd added. “I think an economist would call him risk-loving.”

Todd praised Buckler’s commitments to teaching, research, and the University community.

“She’s been very much a triple-threat,” Todd said. “A superb scholar, teacher and citizen. It’s wonderful for her but no less wonderful for the Slavic department and the literature concentration and Harvard in general.”

Flier said Buckler “represents a new generation of Slavist,” whose research spreads the impact of Slavic studies to other fields.

Buckler, who grew up in Lincoln, Mass., said it is “great” to know she will be close to home for good.

“I didn’t expect to be a hometown girl, but I am, I guess,” she said.

Buckler spent nearly a decade away from academia between earning her B.A. from Yale in 1980 and entering the Harvard Ph.D. program in 1989.

In that time, she worked writing documentation for software companies and playing the flute near-professionally.