Being a Russian and Eurasian studies major is both unique and engaging. Just ask Elinor Hayes, a junior at George Mason University. Before coming to George Mason, Hayes moved to Russia with her father and attended the Anglo American School of Moscow during her junior and senior year of high school. Her original goals of going into the military and studying political science changed when she fell in love with the Russian culture, language, and way of life. From then on, Hayes knew she wanted to focus her studies on Russia—its politics, culture, and language. After researching universities in the United States that offered such a degree, she discovered Mason’s Russian and Eurasian studies program.
Her decision not only provided a more in-depth look into Russian politics, art, language, and cultural influences, but also led her to an opportunity to intern at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a scholarly nongovernmental organization geared towards public policy.
“This is what I want to do for a living,” Hayes said, who also minors in conflict analysis and resolution. “I want to do research, I want to be a professor, I want to stay in this field—so I take advantage of all the opportunities that I can. And the Wilson Center is the best place I can do that.”
Hayes’ responsibilities at the Wilson Center include administrative work, helping to recruit fellows and interns, and conducting research in nuclear proliferation in cooperation with the Los Alamos lab in New Mexico. Along with gaining experience at the Wilson Center, Hayes said she also applies what she’s learned in the classroom to help further her understanding of the Russian schema.
“Mason has a very holistic program in terms of delving into the language, but also looking at its policy,” she said. “My Russian Government and Policy class is proving to be really valuable. When searching for schools, I wanted [opportunities for] practical application. I knew that Mason was an up-and-coming school in terms of fostering relationships within the government, and would be a great networking opportunity.”
Throughout her time at Mason, Hayes said that she’s loved being on an international campus because it makes her feel more comfortable. “Being a third culture kid [a term referring to children who were raised in a culture other than their parents’], but being among several other third culture kids makes me feel like I belong. Part of the reason why I love being at Mason is because it is both a place for academics and a place for the practical career world, and they kind of marry here. You can make it what you want, which is why I love it.”