I’m Alex McGrath, A Russian Studies and International Relations double major at the College of William and Mary. In high school I very much enjoyed studying history and world geography, as well as following current world events. When I arrived at college, I decided I wanted to turn my interest in history into relevant internationally oriented skills, and I thus found myself seeking out both the international relations and Russian language departments.
I chose to major in Russian because I think having high proficiency in a foreign language brings with it considerable career opportunities. I chose Russian partly because of my interest in history, but also because the faculty I encountered in the Russian department are brilliant, friendly, and lead focused and inspiring classes. Through the Russian department I have been able to form strong relationships with professors as well as classmates, participate in tangible and productive projects, and study abroad. After graduation I hope to become a Foreign Service Officer for the United States Department of State, and work in Eurasia on issues of security, stability, and cooperation.