Russian and East European Institute

Russell “Russ” Gifford double majored in Russian Language and Political Science at Ohio University. He is currently pursuing a dual master’s degree with Public Affairs (SPEA). In the course of his studies at IU, he plans to improve his Russian language skills while learning more about policy creation and optimization.

Bryce Hecht received his BS in Political Science from Grand Valley State University in April 2018. Upon receipt of his MA, he intends to pursue a PhD in political science. His research interests include comparative political behavior, comparative authoritarianism, Russian and post-Soviet politics, and, in particular, the determinants of regime stability in Russia.

Wondy Joseph majored in Political Science at the University of Florida. She studied abroad in Prague, where she first became interested in Russian language and culture. She looks forward to continuing her pursuit of Russian language proficiency and research into the quality of life in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

Rachel Julia Myers is pursuing an MA in Russian and East European Area Studies and a JD from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law. Her research interests include comparative and international law, with a particular focus on local and regional court administration. Prior to entering law school in 2017, Myers worked at the American Bar Association in the Rule of Law Initiative, coordinating legal education programs in the Middle East & North Africa Division, and served as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant at Udmurt State University in Izhevsk, Russia. She received her BA from the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio in 2014.

Emily Ollis is pursuing dual MA degrees in REES and Library Science. She is interested in Russian literature and the digitization of Russian cultural and historical texts. She majored in English and double minored in Russian and Animal Studies at Appalachian State University in North Carolina.

Max Pirogov graduated with an MA in Economics from University of Missouri-Columbia. His research interests include Russian and Soviet foreign policy, international conflict resolution, and transitional economies.

Alexandra "Sasha" Stott graduated summa cum laude from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2016 with a double major in History and Russian, a minor in Anthropology, and a certificate in Russian and Eastern European Studies. She looks forward to advancing her Russian language skills and getting started in the world of library science as a dual REEI MA/MLS student.