Russian and politics major joins admissions staff

Brian Fuller ’07 earned degrees in Russian and politics at Cornell, including a semester spent studying in Russia as a senior. He’s found that many of the skills he learned at Cornell now serve him well closer to home in his role with the Cornell Admission Office.

What do you like most about being working in admissions?
The best part of my job is the opportunity to meet and work with high school students all over the country. It is also really great to see those students who chose Cornell enjoy even more opportunities and have the same kinds of transformative experiences that I had as a student.

What skills did you learn at Cornell that are most helpful?
Public speaking, time management, and interpersonal skills were skills that have really helped me in this position. My internship in early 2006 with Congressman Dave Loebsack taught me the importance of relating to various types of people — something that is very helpful in working with a very diverse group of students from different places and with different backgrounds.

Have you used Russian in your job?
Yes, believe it or not. Last year I was fortunate to meet with two librarians from St. Petersburg, Russia who were at the University of Northern Iowa; they came to Cornell to learn more about the concept of a small, liberal arts college. I was able to have lunch with the librarians and give them a tour of the campus — in Russian!

What was best about studying Russian at Cornell?
The fact that we had four hours each day together really allowed us to go beyond the book. I especially enjoyed our humorous and fantastical skits that we students would write and produce for the class. By the end of Russian 205, our group had created a running soap opera. Professor Ikach is also a fantastic instructor of Russian; like the rest of the faculty, she puts a tremendous amount of energy into her courses and interjects them with an enthusiasm that spreads to her students. I also enjoyed the opportunity to take courses taught by a visiting professor from Armenia, who taught the courses in a manner much more similar to the Russian pedagogical style.

What was your semester in Russia like?
After spending a block in Russia with the Russia Today course, I started courses at Saint Petersburg State University’s Center for Russian Language and Culture where I continued to refine my Russian-speaking skills. I also was able to attend lectures and seminars at the University’s School of International Relations. It was very interesting to learn more about the life of a student in a Russian university: how classes were taught, what worried/excited students, and what students would do outside the classroom. It was also fascinating to hear very different views on international politics and history.

Outside of my academics, I simply did as much as I could. I enjoyed seeing everything I could in Saint Petersburg, Moscow, and a couple of smaller towns as well. I also made an effort to enjoy the cultural life of Russia too; this included everything from attending the ballet and opera to going to hockey and basketball games.

What caused you to work at Cornell after graduation?
In all honesty, the attractive features of this job were some of the same features that attracted me to Cornell in the first place. The wonderful people and the comfortable campus and town environments reinforced my fondness for Cornell and ultimately led me to choose this position.