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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]
I did a BA in Russian language and literature at Pitt in the late '80s (including summer Russian for year 2 level at Pitt's summer language institute)[/quote]

Pitt grad here ('93), and I did the same Russian Summer Institute! Was lucky enough to get a USAID Samantha Smith Memorial Exchange Scholarship for a semester at Moscow State- one of the highlights of my academic life. 
Funny enough, I remember trying to choose between study abroad in France or the soon-to-be-Russian Federation, and I said, well, I better go study in Russia before it closes up again. And...here we are, 30 yrs later.

While in school, the FBI reached out to me, but I decided to apply to work at the embassy in Moscow. Getting my security clearance ended up taking over 2 years (for me, a goody two-shoes, no rap sheet, no parking tickets, nothing, spotless record) and while I was waiting to hear back I went, on a lark, to a Delta airlines interview. They loved that I knew Russian, promptly hired me, and after training I lived in NYC and flew the JFK-SVO route for almost 8 years.  
Quit and then got my MBA in international marketing.  Russian was a great undergrad major and taught me so much about life. [/quote]

Pitt Russian BA poster here. Small world. I fudged the dates a bit in my post. I graduated from Pitt in '92, so it looks like we overlapped. It was '89 when I did the summer Russian. It was held at Chatham College that year.

I knew many of the Russian majors/studiers ahead of me but only one '93 grad (who also did summer Russian in '89 -- only I was taking 2nd year and they were in 1st year). From the details you've given, I don't think I know who you are.

I attended Russian club outings (sometimes helping to organize). I remember going to see Boris Godunov at the Pittsburgh Opera, many Russian/Soviet movies, meeting with several speakers on campus. I remember volunteering when the Chataqua Conference was on campus.

I get the occasional mass email from the Russian department. I haven't kept contact with any of the professors since my career shift away from Russian stuff. Nancy Condee is still there. Padunov passed away a few years ago. Birnbaum retired a few years ago I believe. Nina Kossman, my first Russian teacher, has led a fascinating life (search if interested).[/quote]

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