Our graduates report that their Russian and Eastern European Studies (REES) degrees have helped them succeed in a variety of careers — and generated enthusiastic conversations at job interviews every step of the way.
REES graduates have gone on to work in business, law, education, government and national security/foreign policy. Whatever their career path, REES graduates benefit in their jobs from skills they have learned through their interdisciplinary work: how to analyze complex information, understand and compare different points of view, provide deeper context to contemporary events, research difficult problems, and reflect on questions of power, human nature, and artistic expression of interest to us all.
Alumni Testimonials
“The REES program at Holy Cross has proven invaluable throughout my career in the U.S.
Intelligence Community (IC). Through the REES program, I cultivated a command of key
historic, political and cultural facts regarding Russia and post-Soviet states. That
multidisciplinary baseline continues to inform my analysis on a range of current Russian and
post-Soviet security issues. I highly recommend the REES program for any student who wants to
pursue a career in either foreign policy or national security. To this day, it remains one of the
best decisions I’ve ever made.” - James Lodge Jr. '09
“One of my most enriching academic experiences at Holy Cross was combining my REES minor with my History major to write my senior thesis on ‘The Superpower Politics of a Single Spy Story,’ which examined how the actions of double agent Kim Philby have been remembered in Russia and the U.S. The interdisciplinary nature of REES gave me a deeper understanding of the political and social challenges facing Russia today and made me more aware of the crucial connections between past and present. I continue to use the skills and knowledge I gained from the REES program in my current role at Partners Capital Investment Group, where I advise on portfolios for ultra-high net worth individuals, endowments, and foundations.” - Emma Scally '18
“The REES program taught me how to think critically about the world’s sometimes seemingly intractable conflicts. These lifelong lessons are invaluable when assisting our legislative team in balancing the many challenges Congress faces every day. As a REES minor, I learned to read analytically and extrapolate the most critical information from a wide variety of sources, which helps exponentially in my current position, processing volumes of information and writing briefs as Staff Assistant in the Office of Congressman Bobby L. Rush.”- William Vogt '19