Class of 2011, Russian major, Dobro Slovo Member; currently a Tajikistan Desk Officer, U.S. Department of State.
"For me, the language component of the Russian major was key. Studying Russian at Illinois and abroad gave me the opportunity to learn not only the grammar and syntax, but also the politics and culture of Russia and the republics of the former Soviet Union. It’s a unique and challenging part of the world to work in, and language study was the first step towards understanding what makes it tick."