“I’ve gone into a career in global health and international development, and have worked in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Ukraine thanks to my ability to speak and work in Russian. It’s a language that has set me apart in my career and has helped me immensely.”
Major(s) and Certificate(s): History and Russian
Graduation Year: 2011
Current Employer and Job Title: Senior Manager at Abt
How did your experiences in the Russian Flagship contribute to your overall undergraduate experience? Was there a particularly memorable experience you would like to share?
I started Flagship my senior year and the access to personal tutoring was really helpful – the extra contact hours prepared me for living in Russia the following year.
What impact did the Russian Flagship program have on your life post-graduation: academic path, career trajectory, skills developed, or anything else?
The Russian language skills I acquired during the Flagship program have been an immense asset during my career. I did a Fulbright fellowship in Russia following my senior year of Fulbright, and I was able to survive living in a remote area thanks to the language base I acquired at Wisconsin. I’ve gone into a career in global health and international development, and have worked in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Ukraine thanks to my ability to speak and work in Russian. It’s a language that has set me apart in my career and has helped me immensely.
What advice would you give to current Russian Flagship students?
Make friends with the locals!