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Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, I attended Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina where I double majored in Political Science and Russian with a minor in Journalism. While at Wake Forest, I worked as an editor and writer for the student newspaper. That work piqued my interest in journalism and spurred me to internships with local newspapers and marketing firms.

After graduating from Wake Forest, I was granted a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in the city of Kirov, Russia. I taught a number of English classes and became an integrated member of the community. My experience with Fulbright was life-changing, and I am thankful for all it taught me.

I began doing ballet at the age of four and continued up until I left for college. Ballet has a very rich history in Russia, and I was enthralled with Imperial Russian ballets and famous dancers like Anna Pavlova and Ru-dolf Nureyev. Additionally, my education in a foreign language began with French, and I realized that I liked learning new languages. I decided to combine my interest in ballet and Russia with my interest in interna-tional politics. As a result, I chose to study Russian - the language of a very politically and culturally salient region of the world - and focused on the region’s politics as well.

I chose CERES because I appreciated the mix of professional and academic focus. Graduate school should further your formal education, but it should also prepare you for a career in the field of your choosing. I be-lieve that CERES does that. Also, I was attracted by the internship and networking opportunities the program offers being located in DC and having such a wide-reaching alumni network. I was also impressed with the course offerings that CERES has and the reputation of the faculty. My focus at CERES has been more on media studies, specifically the effects of the fall of the Soviet Union on the current Russian media landscape. However, CERES incorporates many fields of study and there is something for everyone as well as the ability to make your course of study your own.

In Fall 2014, I interned at the Council on Foreign Relations in the David Rockefeller Studies Department. While there, I worked with Senior Fellow Ambassador Robert D. Blackwill to edit a book on geoeconomics, preparing for events, and conducting research. During Spring 2015, I served as Secretary of Professionals in Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Affairs (PREEA), an organization hosting for students inter-ested in the region. I currently work as an intern at the Atlantic Council’s Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center for the summer. Next year, I will serve as a Teaching Assistant for Secretary Madeleine K. Albright’s courses on foreign policy.

I am keeping my options open as far as future career plans are concerned. I am still interested in a career in foreign affairs journalism and am also seriously considering a career at a think tank, in consulting, political risk management or non-governmental organizations involved in development.

Renee SlawskyMAERES Class of 2016