If you choose to come to EURUS, you will have many opportunities to further your academic and professional growth inside and outside the class room. EURUS MA students (and qualifying 4th year undergraduates) are eligible to partake in the Institute’s co-op option, our internship and job readiness program, the university’s international exchange programs, and the EU Study Tour. To support research in Europe, Russia or Eurasia and to help students learn relevant languages in the countries of the region, EURUS provides travel support. Below are some testimonials from current students that speak to both their overall experiences in the BA and MA programs and the benefits of pursing these student engagement opportunities. Read more about the EURUS student experience from our Student Spotlights.
Interested in listening to personal experiences from EURUS students and alumni? Check out the new Getting to Know EURUS podcast, hosted by current student Aleksander.
Cristian Mincu (General Experience) |
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Student Testimonial: One Year at EURUS Cristian Mincu finished his first year of studies as a Master’s candidate at the Institute of European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies (EURUS) in the spring of 2016. Having previously studied modern Chinese and Russian history, his research interests revolve mainly around the two nations’ respective foreign policies towards one another, embodied by the Sino-Russian strategic partnership. During his first year, he also served as the research assistant for EURUS. |
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Phoebe Heilig (BA Program) |
Jenn Dunev (MA Program) |
 “I am having an amazing time in the EURUS program. With it being such a small program, I feel truly appreciated as a member of the community. The small program aspect gave me a strong academic support system from my professors, and fostered some of my closest friendships. I also love having such a unique major, and developing a deep and thorough understanding of the area.” |
 “I would definitely recommend taking advantage of the opportunities in the program such as the internship program, the EU Study Tour, co-op and the ability to travel abroad for your research. These are some of the biggest reasons I came to EURUS and I’m planning on participating in as many as I can possibly fit into this two year program.” |
Josh Leigh-Mossley (MA Program) |
Diana Chiriac (EU Study Tour) |
 “In addition to its prime real estate in Richcraft Hall, EURUS is home to incredibly knowledgeable and dedicated professors that always seem to have time for you.Every opportunity is made accessible for every student, and there is a steady stream of European visitors that make EURUS an essential pit stop. Best of all, EURUS is home to a diverse community of students with a wealth of unique experiences and ideas who are committed to helping each other reach each their goals. I would definitely recommend this program!” |
 “As a graduate student interested in investigating the challenges of European integration, I found the EU Study Tour to be a unique opportunity to visit institutions and interact with practitioners on my topics of interest. The most interesting place for me was the European Parliament; this institution’s growing role has contrasted with its lack of popularity and the increase in Euroskepticism. Visiting this institution and hearing a variety of perspectives on its role and importance deepened my understanding of the current challenges of European integration.” |
Bojan Dodik (Co-op Placement as Junior Evaluation Analyst, RCMP) |
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In 8 months as a co‐op student, I learned how to apply the skills we spend years developing in academia. A capacity for research, analysis, writing, and communicating is valuable to employers.” *NPES stands for National Program Evaluation Services (within the RCMP) |
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Timur Sharapov (Internship Program – Irish Embassy) |
Neil Hauer (Student Exchange Program – St. Petersburg) |
| “My placement at the Embassy of Ireland allowed me to fully experience the working environment and operations of a foreign embassy. I worked closely with the First Secretary of the Embassy on projects including special events management and policy research, which allowed me to grow my skill-set and professional network.” |  “I didn’t really realize how multi-ethnic Russia is until I went there. While I expected it to be noticeably more homogeneous than Canada, I was surprised to find it’s very diverse. Over 100+ ethnic groups exist inside Russia […] I had taken three years of Russian before visiting so I had a good handle on grammar, but I could barely put a spoken sentence together when I got there. Now I’m conversational in the language and can read at a pretty advanced level.” |
“Without a doubt what I’ve enjoyed most about working for NPES has been the level of responsibility and respect given to students.* If you are ready to show initiative and to learn, you are rewarded with meaningful work that eventually makes its way to the eyes of senior management within the RCMP.