Biography
Laurel graduated with a BA in History from Mississippi State University where she studied Russian and Soviet history. She is currently a second-year graduate student pursuing a MA degree in Russian, East Europe, Eurasian Studies. She has received 2021-2022, Summer 2022, and 2022-2023 FLAS fellowships to study Russian. She is the Outreach Graduate Assistant for REEEC. At REEEC, Laurel helps with K-12 outreach and programming promotion and assistance. She is writing her master's thesis on the role of gender in commercialism in Russian America. She hopes to pursue a PhD in Russian history or literature after she graduates from Illinois. Her alter-egos outside of academia include: plant mom, Potterhead, and corgi enthusiast.
Research Interests
Imperial Russian History, Women and Gender, Russian America, 19th Century Russian Literature
Education
Mississippi State University, BA in History, 2017-2021
University of Illinois, MA in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies, 2021-2023