We had a chance to interview Rachel Brichta (MA,'24, REEES). Brichta is chief administrator for the International Institute at the University of Michigan.

Question: I’ve read on your website that you are “responsible for long-range planning, strategic operations, financial management, and human resources for the institute and its 17 centers and programs,” which sounds like an incredibly heavy responsibility! Could you tell us how your education, and specifically your affiliation with the REEES MA program, contributed to your success?

• I was fortunate to start my career at the University of Michigan as a student services coordinator in the Center for Russian and East European Studies, which is one of the centers housed at the International Institute. As a REEES MA graduate, I was able to not only understand the interdisciplinary requirements of the students I advised, but I was also able to share some perspectives on how the program at Illinois compared to the one I was supporting at Michigan. After a few years in student advising, I became the communications coordinator for the newly established Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia. My success in that role was directly related to the research and writing that I honed as an MA student, and the regional knowledge I developed in the REEES program helped me to write comfortably about the center's activities. I later became Communications Manager for the entire International Institute, and again, my familiarity with area studies and the activities at these centers--especially those supported through Department of Education National Resource Centers and Foreign Language and Areas Studies awards--were foundational to my ability to tell compelling stories.

Question: How did a knowledge of at least one foreign language aid you in your professional life?

• Learning languages opens doors. I started taking Russian in high school in the early 1990s when the Soviet Union was still intact, and in 1994 I went to Russia as an exchange student. Most adults that I met in Russia did not speak English because it hadn't been taught broadly during the Cold War. I was able to connect with my host family and learn about their lives, their work, and their personalities because I spoke their native language. I also used my Russian skills when I studied Belarusian in Minsk as a FLAS fellow while at Illinois. My Belarusian tutor did not speak English, so she instructed me in Russian while I was learning a new language. Although I rarely use my language skills in my current work, these experiences made the world more accessible to me and also prompted me to be more flexible in my communication and professional relationships.

Question: What do you hope the future holds for you in terms of your career?

• I really enjoy working in international higher education, and am very happy in the role that I am in because it is a good mix of administrative and communications work that I am good at, while also putting me in an environment where I can continue to learn about the world. At the U-M International Institute, our area studies centers present 400 lectures, films, and workshops each year! This is a rich learning opportunity that makes free ongoing education accessible to me along with students, faculty, and anyone in Ann Arbor.

Question: Do you have any advice for students currently studying for professions involving international coursework and internships?

• The best way to learn about a place is by going there and seeing it for yourself. If you are able to live with a family or in a dorm with local students, you'll gain great insights into what life is really like there. See the sights, eat the food, and speak the language! You will build connections and memories that might just change your life.