Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center

Today, we are celebrating Lilly Tira, who is graduating with a BA Individual Plan of Study: International Culture Studies and minors in Dance, Religion, Jewish Culture & Society. During her time at UIUC, Lilly has taken courses from several departments across LAS, many of which are from the Department of Religion. Lilly also studied Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian language through the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures and was a Summer 2025 FLAS Fellow studying BCS. Lilly has held two Summer Undergraduate Research Assistant positions for REEEC and currently works for the Illinois Global Institute. After graduation, Lilly will be relocating to Brooklyn, NY, to continue her dance teaching and career, as well as working with religious and cultural institutes across the NYC area.

Congratulations, Lilly! 🎓🎉

Today, we are celebrating Joseph Mosse', who is graduating with an MA in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies and an MS in Library and Information Science. During his time at UIUC, Joseph focused on Ukrainian Studies, taking courses in Ukrainian language, history, and literature. He also had the opportunity to travel to Bulgaria to participate in the 48th International Summer Seminar in Bulgarian Language and Culture in Veliko Tarnovo. His research focused on Ukrainian diaspora authors in inter-war Prague, and images of Kyivan Rus' and antiquity in their works. He plans on continuing research on Ukrainian book history, readership, literacy, and bibliography.

Congratulations, Joseph! 🎓🎉

Today, we are celebrating Luca Iasinschi, who is graduating with a BA in Political Science and a minor in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies. During his time at the University of Illinois, Luca co-founded Illinois Global Review, the university's first foreign affairs journal, and participated in the study-away program in Washington DC, where he worked for the US-Ukraine Foundation. Looking to the future, Luca hopes to return to Washington DC, taking a gap year to intern with a focus on international diplomacy, before pursuing a master's degree with future goals of a career in diplomacy.

Congratulations, Luca! 🎓🎉

Today, we are celebrating Jared Meunier, who is graduating with an MA in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies. At Illinois, he was a research assistant for ARISC (American Researchers in the South Caucasus) along with the HEAT initiative led by Dr. Judith Pintar at UIUC. He completed a master’s thesis titled Sharp Power and the Enjoyment of Crisis: The Mueller Report as Simulated Justice. After graduation, Jared will be moving to Kansas and applying for PhD programs in Philosophy, Media Studies, or Cultural Studies.

Congratulations, Jared! 🎓🎉

Today, we are celebrating Victoria Siek, who is graduating with a BA in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies and a BA in History. While at UIUC, Victoria has studied Polish language, literature, and culture with the support of FLAS fellowships. Her research focuses on the impact of the Holocaust and World War II on Polish & Jewish populations, with a gendered focus during the post-war period. After graduation, Victoria will be attending the PhD program in Slavic Literatures and Languages at the University of Michigan.

Congratulations, Victoria! 🎓🎉

Today, we are celebrating Rachel Schmalz, who is graduating with an MA in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies and an MS in Library and Information Science. At Illinois, she worked with the REEEC outreach team, coordinating over 50 community events this past year, and led programs at local libraries, Orchard Downs Kids Club, and Urbana Head Start. Her MA thesis, “Drawing the Lines: Russia’s Use of Sharp Power in the Breakaway and Autonomous Regions of Moldova, Ukraine, and Georgia,” examines Russian influence in the post-Soviet space. After graduation, she plans to work in public libraries and continue creating programs that help children explore the world.

Congratulations, Rachel! 🎓🎉

As the year comes to a close and finals approach, we want to take a moment to celebrate our amazing students! All week long, we’ll be sharing their stories and recognizing their accomplishments. Join us in congratulating them as we wrap up the year!🎓✨
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Today, we are celebrating Paulina Grzybowicz, who is graduating with an MA in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies and an MS in Library and Information Science. During her time at Illinois, she worked as a Graduate Assistant in Slavic Cataloging at the Main Library, indexed for ABSEEES, supported digital equity work through the Community Data Clinic, and studied Russian as a summer FLAS Fellow. Her master’s thesis focused on privacy in digital preservation, which she also presented at the ASIS&T conference last fall. After graduation, she plans to continue working in academic librarianship and the digital information field.

Congratulations, Paulina! 🎓🎉

Looking for a course to take in the fall? 📚 Check out HIST 400: Making of the Jewish Nation!

Instructor: Anastasiia Strakhova
Where? 203 Transportation Building
When? TR 9:30-10:50 am

Open to undergraduate and graduate students

Building on theories of Anthony Smith and Eric Hobsbawm, this class traces the development of different forms of Jewish nationalism (diaspora nationalism, Zionism, territorialism, etc.) and the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We will explore what Jan Rybak describes as “everyday Zionism”: how Zionist ideas permeated various spheres of Jewish daily life in fin-de-siècle Eastern Europe, including school education and youth organizations. Then, we will discuss elements of nation-building in pre-Mandatory and Mandatory Palestine and how they affected Arab-Jewish relations. This includes: the revival of Hebrew, the construction of Tel Aviv as the first Hebrew city, the founding of the Hebrew University, the revival of the Masada myth as a symbol of the nation’s perseverance, and so on.

Please join us this Saturday, April 25th, for the UIUC Talk Series "Exploring Ukrainian Literature & History" at the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art in Chicago. Joseph Mosse' will present his research on Ukrainian writer Natalena Koroleva, and Dr. Valeria Sobol will present her new course "Kyiv: The Biography of the City."

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Saturday, April 25 • 2 PM CT
Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art
(2320 W. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622)
Free and open to the public

Mark your calendars for a performance by Balkanalia, the University of Illinois Balkan Music Ensemble, on Saturday, May 2, at 8:00 pm in the Smith Recital Hall (805 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana). This event is free and open to the public. We hope to see you there!
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Balkanalia Annual Spring Concert

Black Sea Breezes and Caspian Winds: Musical Bridges

Saturday, May 2, 2025

Smith Recital Hall
805 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana
8:00 pm

Free and open to the public.

Co-sponsored by The University of Illinois School of Music and the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center