The Russian Department is proud to announce that Anna Harvey ’22, a double major in Russian and Italian Studies with a certificate in Security Studies, has been awarded a Fulbright to Moldova for the 2022-2023 academic year. Anna studied abroad on the Dickinson-in-Moscow program in summer 2019 and in Bologna, Italy for the 2021-2022 academic year. Below Anna answers some questions about what the Fulbright process was like, how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted her time at Dickinson, and her plans for her Fulbright year.
What was the Fulbright application process like?
The Fulbright application process was, above all, a long one. But Dickinson has a support system in place that makes a generally overwhelming experience manageable. Working with Dickinson’s Fulbright Program advisory team, I submitted about four rounds of drafts of both my Personal Statement and my Statement of Grant Purpose before the national deadline, so by the time I submitted, I was confident that my application truly reflected my passion for the program.
What are you most excited about?
I am most excited about the language immersion experience! I was not able to go abroad to Moscow, so I am looking forward to living in and working in a Russian-speaking country. I will also be learning Romanian, so I will be double immersed!
What are you most nervous about?
I am most nervous about Moldova’s proximity to the war in Ukraine. While I hope to be able to do a volunteer project helping Ukrainian refugees, I am nervous that the program will be cancelled while I am in the country and that I will need to either change programs or return home early.
What has been your favorite Russian class at Dickinson?
It really is hard to choose a favorite Russian class from my time at Dickinson! My favorite elective was Russian Film in the Putin Era with Prof. DeBlasio. It was one of the most creative classes I’ve taken at Dickinson, and I loved writing film reviews and critiques. My favorite language class was probably Russian 101 with Prof. Duzs: it’s part of what inspired me to major in Russian!
What has been your most memorable experience from study abroad in Italy?
My most memorable experience from study abroad in Italy was probably our first trip that the program directors took us on. Our first week in Italy was orientation week, and it concluded with a trip to Cinque Terre on the Amalfi Coast. The trip felt like a dream: we were hiking through the hills that divide the small towns of the region, stopping to swim in the Ligurian Sea or to snack on gelato, and making friends with people we had never met before Italy!
