Q: How did your Slavic studies prepare you for your future career? What was the most important thing you learned?
A: I never used my Slavic languages professionally in my nonacademic career but the research and writing skills I gained were useful.
Q: How did your Slavic studies contribute more generally to your life?
A: Translated several works from Russian and Polish, including Roy Medvedev's Let History Judge. I have written extensively in food history focussed on South Asia. Recently I took part via Skype in the first culinary history conference at GMU in Russia and hope to start doing research in Russian food history.
Q: What did you do immediately upon graduation?
A: Attended Columbia University for graduate work. On graduation I received teaching offers from Stanford University and University of Missouri but moved to Chicago instead to join my husband and followed another career.
Q: What advice would you give to graduating students, or to students thinking about the Slavic program?
A: Be VERY flexible and open to other opportunities. If you find employment in the field, great, but if not, there are a lot of other interesting and important things to do.