Our Alumni

Q.: What have you been doing since graduating?

Theresa Nguen ‘21 (Major: IP&E):
MBA Candidate at Kellogg School of Management | Data Analyst 
“I’m currently working full time [at a law firm] but I’m pursuing my MBA at Kellogg during the evenings and weekends! Recently at work, I had an active role on high profile cases like the NCAA and NASCAR.”

Matt Floyd ‘17.5 (Major: IP&E with focus on Russia):
MPP & MBA Candidate at Harvard | Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership 
“I spent 5+ years consulting on energy and infrastructure issues, including international development work in the MENA region including Georgia, Ukraine. I am currently back in graduate school studying for an MBA and Master in Public Policy (Harvard) focused on the nexus of sustainable infrastructure, security, and development finance.” 

Scott Waller ‘17.5 (Majors: Conservation Biology/Russian): 
MSc, Regional Technical Specialist at Wildlife Conservation Society 
“I traveled to Russia in Fall 2018 and volunteered for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in the village of Terney (Primorskiy Krai). That led to a master’s project at the University of Montana comparing traditional Russian snow-track methods for estimating wildlife population size (called the Formozov-Malyushev-Pereleshin method, first proposed in 1932) with novel methods using camera traps. I graduated in 2022, and since then have worked for the WCS Temperate Asia Program, collaborating with partners in the Russian Far East and Northeast China on Amur tiger and Amur leopard conservation. I am based in the U.S. but traveled extensively in the Russian Far East from 2018-2022, and now occasionally to NE China.”

Meagan Neal ‘15 (Major: Economics, Minor: Russian)
Executive Director at Transcaucasian Trail Association (Tbilisi, Georgia) 
“Studying Russian shaped my career in ways I never could have expected. Now I’ve been living in Georgia for over 5 years and I’m the director of the Transcaucasian Trail, working with local teams to develop a long-distance hiking trail across the Caucasus through Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. <…> I don’t use my Russian that much in Tbilisi and am currently more focused on learning Georgian, but it’s been invaluable for communicating in rural areas - for example with trail crew members who don’t know English, or asking elderly folks in villages about the old paths to the next valley, or accepting the constant invites for tea, coffee, or (god forbid) chacha while out hiking. Very grateful for my time at Midd that enabled me to pursue this surprising path!”

Michael Apicelli ’03 (Major: Russian):  
Head of Secretariat at Climate Club (Paris, France), previously Director for Multilateral Engagement at the U.S. Department of Energy
“I am an international affairs specialist for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Russian and Eurasian Affairs. I have used my Russian language skills in my capacities as desk officer for the Baltics and Armenia, as well as staff-level coordinator for the U.S.-Russia Energy Working Group under the Bilateral Presidential Commission, established by Presidents Obama and Medvedev. I use my Russian language skills on a regular basis to analyze news, current events, and legislation (most recently on energy efficiency in the Russian Federation) throughout the former USSR. I think that the ability to speak a common language brings a more human face to the promotion of U.S. government policy in the region. It really is an invaluable tool to get the conversation started and break the ice with high-level decision makers in advance of meetings and other events. My education gained at Middlebury, and especially the summer language program, has uniquely prepared me to take on these responsibilities serving the U.S. government.”

Christine Hanolsy ‘97 (Major: REES)
Nebula Award-Nominated Queer Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer 
“After receiving my BA, I worked admin jobs for a while before enrolling in Middlebury’s MA program. I graduated with an MA in Russian in 2001. For several years I worked at a non-profit organizing professional development programs for adults from the former Soviet states, which allowed me to use my Russian almost daily. From there, I moved on to support professional development and leadership programs for government natural resource agencies at Portland State University for almost 9 years. That didn’t involve Russian, but I wouldn’t have had that opportunity without my previous experience. Most recently I have left the 9-5 workplace and have been focusing on writing (short science fiction and fantasy). My writing often leans hard on Russian folklore and folk song motifs.”

Stephanie Galbreath Baumeister ’89
Operations Administrator at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
“I work in Interpreter Services, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston. I started as a Russian interpreter over 19 years ago, and 11 years ago I switched to more administrative work. However, my Russian interpreter colleagues make me practice my Russian every day. Besides, that’s what the best gossip is in! I graduated in ’89 and married a Soviet Area studies major, Dean, from the Class of ’90.”

Q: How did studying Russian at Middlebury impact you? 

Theresa Nguen ‘21 (IP&E)
MBA Candidate at Kellogg School of Management | Data Analyst 
“It made my world brighter. I learned a lot, and it’s the only part of college that I actually miss. The department is great, the language classes were very useful, and the study abroad experience was memorable.”

Matt Floyd ‘17.5 (Major: IP&E with focus on Russia)
MPP & MBA Candidate at Harvard | Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership 
“It stretched my brain and equipped me with lifelong language skills that have enabled me to live and work in very interesting parts of the world and interact with very interesting people. It has opened up doors for me personally and professionally. The Russian Department was also a super warm and welcoming community, maybe as a function of its smaller size. I have very fond memories of the faculty and students and our various barbecues, Maselnytsa celebrations, and language tables.”

Christine Hanolsy ‘97 (Major: REES)
Nebula Award-Nominated Queer Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer 
“Even though I don’t use Russian anymore, and I am unlikely to travel back there [to Russia] until and unless it becomes a safe place for queer folks, I would not be who I am without that experience. My kids are enrolled in a dual language immersion public school program (Japanese) in part because of my experience with language immersion at Middlebury.” 

Charles Smith ‘20 (Major: Russian) 
Surface Warfare Officer
“It gave me a confidence that I could do hard things and do them well, even if they were completely new to me. Living in Russia taught me a lot about myself and being resourceful, and about how to make connections with people who have nothing in common with you.” 

Scott Waller ‘17.5 (Majors: Conservation Biology/Russian)
MSc, Regional Technical Specialist at Wildlife Conservation Society 
“Middlebury inspired my passion for Russian language and culture. I had such a wonderful experience learning the language at Midd - the professors, students, and learning culture were perfect for fostering a lifelong interest!”

Toni Cross ‘18 (Majors: REES/Arabic)
Law Attorney
“It increased my confidence with continuing to study languages (Turkish, Swahili, and Mandarin since graduating). It introduced me to lifelong friends and has made my resume stand out. It gave me an appreciation for another part of the world. It inspired two of my tattoos!!”

Dylan Gilbert ‘16 (Majors: Russian and History of Art and Architecture)
PhD in Italian Studies, Visiting Assistant Professor of Italian at Saint Mary’s College (IN)
“It not only gave me a smaller community within the broader community at Midd, but it also gave me excellent foreign language education that has directly impacted my approach to teaching Italian and French.”