Name: Sara Wenger
Graduation Year: 2009
Majors: Interdisciplinary Studies and Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Studies

I embraced Miami because of the wealth of resources, such as The Havighurst Center, combined with the general feeling of taking part in a much smaller liberal arts college that had a great sense of community. Miami allowed me to take advantage of numerous departments, included GREAL, to create an undergraduate experience that was deeply personalized and current.

GREAL, namely its major in Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Studies, allowed me to pursue my interest in the Post-Soviet world by offering numerous courses and a strong language base. While at Miami, I had the privilege of studying abroad for a summer and an academic year at Palacky University in the Czech Republic.

Since graduating, I¹ve patted myself on the back many times for choosing Miami. I¹ve come to notice that my ability to think critically, carry out projects, and execute meaning in writing are invaluable skills. From 2009 till 2011 I taught English as a Peace Corps Volunteer in southern Ukraine, near Odessa. Since returning to the U.S., I¹ve been interning in Washington D.C. to further cement my career path, despite how foggy it still remains. I¹ve been working with a USAID contractor, researching broadband and innovative communication technologies for environmental applications. I¹m also working with CRDF Global, a non-profit organization that promotes peace through scientific and technical collaboration. At CRDF Global I¹ve assisted on projects for developing a shale-gas workforce in Ukraine, maintaining grants at various Russian institutions, and creating capacity building centers for scientific training in North Africa. I get to use my Russian on a daily basis and I love taking advantage of the Russian community in D.C. This fall I¹ll begin my masters in urban and regional planning at Rutgers where I intend to continue my interest in international development in former Soviet countries.