Alumni and Careers

What have you been up to since graduating from Bowdoin?

I’ve really been all over the place! Immediately after graduating, I went to Tbilisi, Georgia, on an advanced Russian language program with the US State Department. I then completed a Fulbright ETA Grant in Karakol, Kyrgyzstan, where I worked as an English instructor at a local university and was a member of Kyrgyzstan’s national rugby team. Since returning to the US, I’ve worked as a housing coordinator for refugees in Portland, Maine, contributed to USAID contracts related to digital development with a DC-based start-up, and am currently working in legal support at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe in Boston, Massachusetts, primarily with its international trade and investment practice.

Why Russian, East European, and Eurasian studies?

I fell in love with the subject freshman year while taking one of Reed Johnson’s literature courses. Russian literature and culture were incredibly engaging and stimulating, which inspired me to study further. The Russian literary canon extends far beyond Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. Moreover, the Russian language is beautiful, and I’ve dedicated years to exploring its nuances.

Are there any classes, professors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?

Reed Johnson is the best educator I’ve ever met. Beyond being incredibly knowledgeable and passionate, he relates well to students and consistently incorporates innovative teaching strategies for excellent results.

What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates interested in your field?

Don’t forget to market your Russian language skills when applying for jobs!

What have you been up to since graduating from Bowdoin?

My class (virtually) graduated in May 2020, so the Fulbright research grant to Estonia I had received in March had to be postponed. I was fortunate to have secured another job before the pandemic turned the world upside down, so I worked for a year as a legal analyst in Washington, DC. This global law firm allowed me to put my two degrees, government and legal studies and Russian, East European, and Eurasian studies (REEES), into use right away. It was exciting to see how I could apply my Russian language skills in a professional setting, though I quickly realized that this was not my dream job. In the summer of 2021, I was finally able to relocate to Estonia when my postponed Fulbright grant officially began. I spent almost a year there and learned more about the country, the region, and myself than I ever anticipated. A few months after returning from my Fulbright, I began a PhD in political science at Princeton. I am now in my fourth year of the program and return to Estonia, and other countries of the former Soviet Union, every six months for dissertation research and to catch up with great friends I made along the way.

Why Russian, East European, and Eurasian studies?

When I was a first-year student, I originally planned to double-major in government and legal studies and Hispanic studies. At the time, it felt impossible to get into government classes, so I put my name on every waitlist I could find and eventually got a seat in Professor Laura Henry's Post-Communist Russian Politics and Society course in spring 2017. That course, along with the generous mentorship of Professor Henry, profoundly changed the course of my life and led me to become a government and REEES double major at Bowdoin.

I had never considered studying Russian or learning the language, but the course sparked an interest I simply had to pursue. I enrolled in Russian in the fall of my second year, received funding to work on an independent research project related to Russian politics the following summer (mentored by Professor Henry), and then traveled to Moscow for a language immersion at the end of that summer. Through the kindness of Bowdoin alum Evan Gershkovich ’14, I secured an internship at The Moscow Times, one of the few remaining independent newspapers in Russia at the time. My time in Moscow was rewarding to say the least.

In my senior year, I applied for a Fulbright grant in Estonia to deepen my understanding of the region and the use of the Russian language outside of Russia. In hindsight, it all started with one gripping class and a phenomenal mentor.

What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates interested in your field?

Languages and cultural competencies are skills that pay dividends in many careers and can greatly enrich your personal life. Bowdoin is a wonderful place to develop these skills while also pursuing other academic interests. I encourage prospective and current students to take full advantage of opportunities to learn about different cultures and languages, both on campus and abroad, whenever possible. Be sure to take Professor Henry's Post-Communist Russian Politics and Society course and Professor Herrlinger's Russia’s Twentieth Century class.

What have you been up to since graduating from Bowdoin?

I graduated nine years ago with a dual major in Government and Legal Studies, and Russian. I took courses in each of these departments every semester, following my interests rather than focusing on optimizing for a career. Right after Bowdoin, I received a Critical Language Scholarship through the American Councils, a fully-funded program designed to develop American students’ skills in critical foreign languages. I spent three months living in Vladimir, Russia, which greatly improved my Russian. While there, I applied for think tank internships in Washington, D.C., and secured a position working on Russian defense issues and domestic politics, writing daily reports and contributing to longer-form research projects.

In 2017, I pursued a salaried position and connected with nonprofits and think tanks through the Bowdoin network. A friend from Bowdoin’s class of 2017 helped me secure a role organizing policy conferences on legal and economic issues. These events brought together senior jurists, regulators, and corporate counsel from the U.S. and Europe, giving me valuable exposure to the legal world. That experience led me to consider law school. After discussing the pros and cons of different graduate paths with my mentors, I decided that a JD would best support the career options I was interested in. I was fortunate to be accepted at NYU Law, where I explored a variety of legal and policy work, including positions at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, several nonprofits, and an NYU think tank.

After graduating, I joined a large global firm as a litigator, primarily representing individuals and corporations facing investigations and prosecutions by federal and state authorities. I also handle other complex litigation matters and regularly publish on data privacy issues. I maintain an active pro bono practice, primarily focused on asylum work; I have represented several Russian clients, including LGBTQ individuals and a Jehovah’s Witness, two groups whose identities are effectively criminalized by the Russian government.

Why Russian, East European, and Eurasian studies?

As I was graduating high school, I decided that although I already spoke French, I wanted to learn a third language that was less commonly taught in the U.S. and would give me exposure to a new part of the world. Russian fit the bill, partly because I was 18 and thought it was an edgy choice. I also participated in an immersive summer language program at Middlebury, which accelerated my language skills and deepened my appreciation for Russian culture. As mentioned above, I spent additional time in Russia after graduation, and it was through all of these experiences that what began as a superficial interest developed into a lifelong connection with the language and culture.

Are there any classes, professors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?

Political theory classes with Paul Franco and Jean Yarborough were particularly important for me, as were Dallas Dennery's courses on intellectual history. I also greatly enjoyed my international relations classes with Barbara Elias, as well as comparative government courses focusing on Russia and Eastern Europe with Laura Henry. I was especially fortunate to have Professor Henry as my advisor, given my interests in Russian language and politics.

What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates interested in your field?

Do not underestimate the power of the Bowdoin network. Graduates from decades ago helped me secure jobs when I needed them. For example, the summer after my junior year, I was supposed to have an internship at the State Department, which I could not begin due to a security clearance delay. I cold-emailed David Biette, a Bowdoin alum then working at an international relations think tank, and he generously offered me an interview and subsequently a position that summer. That experience connected me to incredible people and led to co-author credits. My first salaried job after college also came through the Bowdoin network. In my experience, alumni really enjoy helping students and recent graduates, so don’t be afraid to introduce yourself and reach out. That is the best advice I can give.

One last tip: don’t go to law school unless you’re pretty sure you want to be a lawyer!