Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Major: Russian Studies and International Studies
Academic interests: Russian and Ukrainian languages, history and culture of the Soviet Union, post-Soviet Ukraine, Chernobyl ecopolitics, Russian relations with CIS states, international relations, British history
Extracurricular activities: President and goalie of Rhodes College Ice Hockey Club Team, goalie of Southern Thunder women’s ice hockey travel team, Memphis Adult Ice Hockey League, goalie of Rhodes field hockey team, Russian Club, Dobro Slovo Slavic Language Honor Society, Alpha Omicron Pi, Catholic Student Association, Rhodes Model UN, Lynx mascot
Tell the story of how you got to Rhodes College.
In high school, I was pretty sure I wanted to produce country music, and go to a college that had good connections to the industry. I also wanted a college where I could play ice hockey competitively at a high level. Rhodes really had neither of those qualifications, but I’m proud to say I’ve changed at least part of that by founding the Rhodes Ice Hockey Club Team program. After my visits to the Nashville colleges on our college road trip, my mom and I ventured down to Rhodes and, while I was torn, I knew that Rhodes was really the place for me. I think what drew me the most was how the students I met would talk about how they were friends with their professors and how Rhodes really encouraged them to try everything, from Quidditch to linguistics. This reminded me of my high school, which I loved. I also loved that Rhodes had a field hockey program. Plus, who wouldn’t want to pretend they’re Harry Potter once in awhile, when they’re having a bad day?
How have you changed since beginning your studies at Rhodes College?
I came in wanting to be a country music producer and came out a Russian and international studies major, which is, well, a huge jump. I think it’s funny I came to Tennessee from Washington, D.C., to study country music and ended up studying international relations, even though my hometown is the world center of that. I think when I started taking courses in the Russian and international studies departments, I really came to realize how important it is to be aware and informed internationally. I became very aware of how crucial language is. Rhodes really shows you that you can get involved. I think I also value time more, because it seems just yesterday that I was moving into Glassell and enrolling in Russian 101!
How has your involvement in the athletic department impacted your Rhodes experience?
I am very grateful for my time spent on both varsity teams I’ve been on, as well as my club team, and my time spent as the mascot. The girls on the field hockey team have definitely been there for me every step of the way, from those first fitness tests as a freshman to my last save in net at the SAA tournament at Centre as a senior. There have been so many moments with my teammates where they have picked me up when I was down that I can’t even name them all. I remember one that especially touched me my senior year. When I had to miss a game against Transy to take the LSAT, all of my teammates sent me texts that morning with words of encouragement. They knew before I did that I was named the 2013 SAA field hockey tournament MVP. My home is 15 hours away, but I have had a great family here at Rhodes.
Playing golf my first three years at Rhodes was also rewarding. Getting to play places like Jekyll Island and Pebble Beach with people from around the country and even the world was incredible. The athletic training staff also is phenomenal, helping us around the clock.
The athletic department also supported my dream of having a Rhodes ice hockey program. I had to start from the ground up, which was made even more difficult by the fact that Memphis isn’t exactly a mecca of ice hockey. The athletic department is definitely an integral reason for why I felt like an important member of the Rhodes family.
You studied abroad in Russia. Tell us about your experience there.
I think getting to study abroad in a place where my grandparents would never have been able to when they were my age is pretty cool. It’s not the easiest place to study abroad, but it is never dull. Everything from going to the grocery store to trying to get a library card was an adventure. My first week there I found out that Russian babushkas (grandmothers) and I would have a very interesting love/hate relationship, but I would say I was very lucky in my experience to really immerse myself in Russia. I was definitely off the beaten track a lot of the time, where English was not really even a thought. That was great.
Russia is completely different from what you probably think it’s like. You can’t get a feel for it as a tourist; you have to live there to understand what an intriguing place it is. It is a country of contrasts—you can see a babushka in a traditional Russian headscarf eating McDonald’s sitting on a bench next to a statue of Lenin.
I also had an experience that few studying abroad get to have by playing on a women’s ice hockey team—HK Panteri—in St. Petersburg. I spent long hours on trains with my team travelling through Russia and the former Soviet Union, getting to play in places like Kazakhstan and Ukraine. I played with and against women on the national team and I was incredibly proud to watch them play in the Sochi Olympics. I also got to meet my hero, former Soviet goalkeeper Vladislav Tretiak, which was a dream of mine, and attend one of his training camps.
What are your plans after graduation?
This summer, a friend and I are backpacking around Europe and Russia. Then I plan to go back to D.C. and continue my work as an English and Russian tour guide. After that, I have a couple of options. I have been talking to some women’s pro ice hockey teams in Siberia about playing, but I haven’t committed. I’ve also applied to several law and joint law and Russian concentrated Foreign Service programs here in the United States. My ultimate goal is to work in some capacity toward better relations and understanding between Russia and the United States.